Releasing Monarchs

[Pavulaan at aol.com]

In a message dated 97-05-22 13:37:20 EDT, Bob Greback writes:

<< I don't think anyone on this list can tell me how many reared monarchs it 
 would take to change the genome of any "regional" population of monarchs as
to 
 notice ANY difference harmful or otherwise.  Unless your exposing them to 
 radiation to increase the genetic load (and even that would probably not be 
 enough), it would take one farfetched or astronomical piece of "luck" to
rear 
 a population with chaotic enough alleles to do any "damage" or change the 
 region's or nation's monarch population in any noticeable way.  They are 
 migratory and have a high degree of dispersal built into their ethology.  
 There's no artificial selection going on here, the population is not being 
 infused and confined through numerous generations.   >>

At last we have someone who really has stated a valid point regarding release
of locally-bred monarchs.  The above is "must"-reading for anyone getting
into the Monarch-release debate.  Thanks for the education Bob.   

Harry Pavulaan
Herndon, VA.