Butterfly releases vs NABA counts

[Ian Thirlwell]

Matthew Smith wrote in message <199903311932_MC2-7027-D7E at compuserve.com>...
>Message text written by INTERNET:Ian at dunlinclose.freeserve.co.uk
>>As a Brit I am puzzled as to why permits are issued for the release of
>such
>common species as monarchs....(snip).... It is not unknown of course for
>some
>breeders occasionally to release an exotic species, but I think the numbers
>are low and survival rates negligibe<
>
>Is that low numbers of breeders, or low numbers of exotic species?   :-).
>Unfortunately, it does happen, someone once showed me a live Actias selene
>they had found flying around a lampost in the local town, whether it had
>escaped or perhaps had been set free with the aim of allowing the larvae to
>devour the local rhododendrons I dont know .
>

What a good idea <VBG>

>The UK Wildlife & Countryside act now makes it illegal to release (or allow
>to escape) non-native insects in the UK.
I sort of assumed that was the case (the illegality of releasing...) but
what about native species? Does anyone in the UK bother to breed and release
"common" species in large numbers? I can think of a situaton where it can,
and does occur. That's with moths where a large-ish number of larvae may be
collected to breed through & provide a series for a collection. Any unwanted
adults (imagines) would perhaps be passed on or released live where the
original larvae were taken from.

>Not that the local constabulary
>get too much training in wildlife identification these days, what with all
>the spending cuts.   On the other hand, imagine the scenario  "Excuse me
>sir, did you just drop that Papilio glaucus over there.  I'll have to ask
>you to accompany me to the station".
>

I can imagine the local station's Wildlife Officer having to carry around a
library of books to identify the stuff (s)he needs to act on.
That would reduce the officer to a plod :-)

Ian
Hampshire
UK
ian at dunlinclose.freeserve.co.uk

>
>Matt