Introduction of Black Hairstreak

[Neil Jones]

In article <01be7f88$988fe700$17e11ac3 at e5q5n1>
           venters at iinteralpha.co.uk "Nigel" writes:

> Ian,
> Oh come on! Dream on do you live on the same planet as the rest of us! What
> sort of platform are you standing on! Please give me your discription of
> what other species (given your comprehensive understanding of the issue)
> are now having to compete? 

I think you are being a little hard on Ian. There is a genuine point here.
If we are to conserve species it has to be by achieving a proper scientific
understanding of their ecology. Problems with interspecies competition
are not unknown. For example the highly endangered El Segundo Blue from
the Los Angeles area has had problems arising from this kind of thing.
A plant closely related to its foodplant was planted on its habitat.
Other common lepidoptera species increased and the ES Blue suffered as
a result of increased parasitism. Such delicate interactions are common
in nature and it is often only when something is studied in detail that they
are observed. 


>Get a life and start to do something positive
> about butterfly protection instead of the usual "pontification" from you
> lot that talks a lot and acheives nothing? It's people like you that is
> responsible for drastically reducing the AES (Amateur Entomologists 
> Society) membership when then ELG (Entomological Lifestock Group) prospers
> at your expense! Keep this public I am keen to see how you answer this one!

I am not even aware that there is any evidence that he belongs to the AES.
I am an active member of both the AES and of Butterfly Conservation.
At one time I also belonged to the ELG and the EEG (The Exotic Entomology
Group). I don't belong the ELG any longer because I don't do much
breeding now. Where I now live my very urban "garden" consists of about 3 ft
by 2ft of earth set in a small concrete patio which some previous occupant 
planted with daffodils. Also I am away often and can't look after livestock.
There aren't many exotic saturnids that you can sleave on daffodils :-)
(BTW I think the EEG is now defunct?)

Some day I dream of having a place with a large greenhouse. (Ah that would
be nice!) 
I do not delude myself into believing that breeding butterflies is the answer
 to their salvation. I did it and want to do it again because I think it is 
fun to do.

We have been through the points about introductions not working,
that support releasing to boost a population is pointless and
the potential disease and genetic effects etc.. Look in the archives if you wish.

The practice of carrying out covert introductions is causing problems.
I was once told of an exaple where genetic studies were done on an
isolated population of one species only to find that it was genetically
far closer to continental members of the same species.



-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve