Feedback from the Monarch authorities regarding research project

JCW1925 at aol.com JCW1925 at aol.com
Fri Oct 1 08:55:49 EDT 1999


TO:  Monarch authorities (scientist, educators, entomologist, lepidopterist, 
conservationist, breeders, and all Monarchphiles)

RE: Letter to Wayne F. Wehling of the USDA regarding permit to conduct 
scientific study

FROM: James Wiggins
            Educational Science

  We would like to open the proposed study to discussion.  A comparison of 
tagged indigenous (Monarch Watch) vs transplanted Monarchs (Educational 
Science) over time might provide some interesting data. The data generated 
from the proposed study will be  administered by Educational Science and 
posted on our website @ www.educationalscience.com.




Subj:   Permit to conduct scientific study of transplanted Western and 
Eastern Monarchs
Date:   9/30/99 3:48:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:   JCW1925
To: Wayne.F.Wehling at usda.gov

Dear Dr. Wehling:

   I am interested in funding and  coordinating  a  research study that could 
prove valuable in the conservation of the Monarch butterfly and to help 
ensure its survival into the next century.   Having developed a Monarch 
rearing/tagging kit, we urge students to tag and release their butterflies.   
We are  proposing a research project designed to study the migration, 
survival behavior,  and fate of transplanted Western and Eastern Monarch 
butterflies.   We plan on collaborating with schools on this project, very 
similar to the way Monarch Watch does.   We plan to  add a special Monarch 
Research Project section on our website (still under construction) @ 
www.educationalscience.com.   In order to go forward with the study we would 
require from your office a special temporary  research permit  to ship 
Eastern Monarchs to schools west of the Rockies.  In my opinion, the benefits 
of such a study far out weigh any potential risk. (known or unknown)   Unlike 
other  organizations that ship monarchs to schools, our livestock is 
certified OE  protozoan and  disease free.
 Studies have  been done that compared the mitochondrial DNA of 
geographically isolated populations of  monarch butterflies (western, 
eastern, as well as from Mexico and the West Indies).   The studies were  
done by  A. V. Brower and TM  Boyce and their paper was published in the 
journal Evolution.   They found almost no mitochondrial DNA variation in the 
different monarch populations.    In their paper, they point out that the 
level of similarity in the DNA from geographically isolated populations of 
monarch butterflies is dramatically different from nearly all other groups of 
animals studied.    The authors argue that the  most plausible explanation  
is that all of today's monarchs have descended fairly recently from a very 
small number of individuals and that not enough time has yet gone by for 
their descendants to develop significant genetic changes from their common 
ancestors.   Based on this hard scientific data, in my opinion,  we are 
really dealing with only one very adaptable Monarch butterfly that is highly 
and genetically programmed to survive.  I believe that we could learn a lot 
about the migration and survival behavior of the Monarch butterfly from the 
proposed study.  Data collected  from this study could help the Monarch 
butterfly survive well into the next century.

  I spoke briefly, with Deborah Knott, Chief of the USDA permit unit about my 
research proposal.  She thought that involving students in a research project 
that could potentially help the Monarch butterfly would be good.  I also 
talked to her about the DNA studies referenced above.  

 Educational Science   manufactures and distributes science kits, science 
novelties, nature kits, biotechnology education kits and equipment, and 
entomology kits and equipment.  Our mission at Educational Science is to make 
science fun. We are committed to advancing science education in primary and 
secondary schools. We promote scientific education and research by developing 
educational science and nature kits that are fun and teach kids the basic 
science principles. Most of our science kits include learning objectives and 
science project suggestions. 

  Educational Science  is interested in the conservation of the Monarch 
butterfly through habitat restoration. Unless we restore the Monarch's 
breeding habitats, the Monarch may not survive as a widespread North American 
species. 
All Monarch Butterfly Farm kits come with milkweed seeds. We urge customers 
to plant the seeds in a home or school butterfly garden. Customers can also 
purchase pesticide-free milkweed plants from us.  When the plants mature and 
the seed pods develop, we urge customers to give some to friends, neighbors, 
and classmates. Planting a butterfly garden with pesticide-free plants, and 
passing along the seeds to others, will help the Monarch butterfly survive. 
In this way, together we can ensure the Monarch's return in the spring, and 
its survival into the next century.

  Please contact the Monarch authorities you mentioned in your last email to 
discuss my proposal.  I look forward to a favorable response from your office.

James Wiggins
Educational Science


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