Commercial selling of butterflies

[Semjase]

>I am currently working at the Chicago Field Museum on an outdoor butterfly
>exhibit.  As a guide, I have been asked many times about the environmental
>problems associated with buying and releasing butterflies at weddings, and
>other parties.  Our current position is that only Monarchs and Painted
>Ladies should be bought since all other species would be released into gene
>pools that are not their own, potentially damaging the entire population.
>However as I have done a short survey of the internet I have noticed that
>there are quite a few sites selling many different species of butterflies.
>This raises a few questions for me.  One, what butterflies are legal to
>sell commercially?  If it is more than just the migratory species, what is
>the reasoning behind the laws?  And has there been any effort to change
>these laws in favor of higher restrictions on the selling of butterflies?
>These questions are very important to me since I am potentially doing my
>senior thesis on this subject.  So I would appreciate receiving as much and
>as detailed information as is possible.  THank you in advance for any help
>you could give.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Peter VerHage
>
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Peter:

Those people who sell butterflies for mass release are licensed by the USDA to
operate within certain geographical areas.  They cannot sell outside these
areas.  There is no evidence to suggest that there would be any "damage" to the
gene pool and the intermixing could just as likely be beneficial.

Please no more laws and goon squads as there is enough political pollution
affecting those interested in lepidoptera.  A point is being reached which
could easily squelch all interest.

Best 

S.

S.