Butterfly releases?

[Paul Cherubini]

Trisha Norberg wrote:

> of websites advertising butterflies to be released at weddings and stuff.  What
> do you scientific types think of this idea?

Insect Lore of Shafter, California is bigger than all the other butterfly release companies 
combined and has been in business since 1969. Carlos White, President of Insect Lore, 
posted the following comprehensive response to environmentalists' concerns on his website:

"Recent press releases and comments by environmentalists have questioned the advisability 
of releasing butterflies into the environment. These concerns have centered primarily around 
the Monarch butterfly, but have also included all other butterflies as well. The two main 
concerns appear to be that released butterflies will not be able to find their normal 
hibernating sites in Mexico and that released butterflies may introduce diseases and parasites 
to native butterfly populations.

Will Monarch butterflies be able to reach their overwintering sites?

This issue may or may not have validity. Insect Lore rears only the Painted lady butterfly, 
Vanessa cardui L. for schools, stores, and releases at weddings. We have not reared 
Monarch butterflies in the past nor do we intend to do so in the future.

Painted lady butterflies, in years of great abundance, do migrate from the U.S. and Canada 
southward, finally ending their journey in Mexico. These migrations are not yearly events 
but only in those years when the populations of these butterflies reach their climax in 
numbers. This phenomenon seems to be triggered by the overuse of their food resources late 
in the fall. These enormous numbers of butterflies find their way deep into Mexico where 
the active growth of their host plants is continuing. These sources are used for egg laying by 
the migrating butterflies. When Spring comes once again, the newly hatched butterflies 
resulting from these butterflies begin their northward migration into California and the 
southern tier of states where they begin colonizing the new growth of their normal host 
plants. Inasmuch as Painted  ladies are only sporadically migratory, it would be extremely 
difficult to imagine any overwintering problem resulting from the release of Painted ladies.

The USDA has recently examined the above concern and commented as follows:

"The Federal government sees no scientific need for the exclusion of V. cardui (Painted 
lady) since movement of U.S. populations of V. cardui are documented to occur from  
Mexico to all states. No population differences could occur under these circumstances. For 
only one species, Danaus plexippus (Monarch butterfly) is there data to suggest that there 
may not be the free interchange of genes from east to west of cosmopolitan species" [USDA 
Permit #40820 issued 3-30-99].

Will the release of butterflies spread diseases and parasites to the wild  populations of 
Monarchs and other species of butterflies?

Insofar as our reared Painted lady butterflies are concerned, nothing could be further from 
the truth.  Disease and parasitism cannot be tolerated within the close confines of a 
concentrated rearing system. If disease is present in just one individual, it will quickly 
spread throughout the entire breeding population, making rearing impossible. This is true 
for any animal or plant breeding system and particularly true for insect mass rearing 
programs. The reverse is actually true. The completely disease and parasite-free released 
butterflies will soon become contaminated with the ever-present disease and parasitic agents 
in the natural environment. With 37 years of insect rearing experience, I know this to be 
true.

Will the genes get mixed?

Another concern about the release of butterflies has been that there will be an undesirable 
mixing
of genes from the reared population to the wild population. This, of course, is untrue. Any 
genes
present in the reared population already occur in the wild populations of the butterflies from 
which they came. Any gene differences could only be in those genes that may have been lost 
or degraded through continuous rearing. The loss of any genes would represent a liability 
for the released butterfly in competing in the natural environment. Any interbreeding with 
wild butterflies would quickly re-establish the dominant survival genes found in native 
butterflies.

Are USDA rules followed?

These rules are meticulously followed. We write for and receive approvals from every state 
and the USDA on an annual or bi-annual basis before shipping any butterflies.

Will the butterflies be alive when it is time to release them?

Concerns about the butterflies being dead on the day of the butterfly release have been 
voiced. The mortality of the butterflies we send is less than 1%. We always add 10% extra 
to offset any unexpected or appreciable mortality.

Will there be enough weeds to support the extra butterflies?

"There is only enough plant life in Nature to support the butterflies that are already there." If 
this
were true, there should be larvae on nearly every weed in Nature. It's difficult to find 
butterfly larvae on plants and no small amount of effort is required in making collections. 
I've spent many hours in the field collecting and I know this to be true. Predation, 
parasitism, and diseases are the big lids on butterfly populations with the availability of plant 
hosts not even being close.

Will the released butterflies die?

All butterflies die within a few weeks after emergence. The exception to this are those 
butterflies
that emerge near Winter and have their body physiologies placed on hold by the colder 
temperatures of Winter. In the few weeks of their lives during Spring and Summer, 
however, they will visit flowers and pollinate them, mate, and lay the eggs necessary for the 
next generation. All this is true unless a bird or some other predator captures them, which is 
a natural event, of course. Insects maintain themselves, not through longevity, but by the 
rapid turnover of generations during the warmer parts of the year.

What is behind the current flurry of public criticism of butterfly releases?

One of the greatest motivations seems to be the resentment felt by certain members of the 
NABA
(North American Butterfly Association) as well as by other butterfly enthusiasts. Some 
companies, such as our own, have taken a revered and respected hobby out of Nature and 
commercialized it. Frankly, we don't know how to deal with these feelings except to say 
that only a tiny handful of butterfly species can be reared because most butterfly species 
have fastidious requirements. This leaves hundreds of untouched species for naturalists to 
study and collect.

Are there benefits to rearing our Painted ladies?

It is a positive experience that has been brought home to us in many ways over the 30 years 
we have been culturing this wonderful little butterfly. The shining wonder and interest in 
children's faces as they watch for nearly 3 weeks as the butterfly metamorphosis takes place 
in classrooms and homes throughout the U.S. and Europe is such a bonus to all of us at 
Insect Lore. This experience is then followed by the release of their much-loved butterflies. 
Children who have done this now number nearly 20 million. Also, comments from brides 
after their butterfly releases such as "You've made our wedding a memorable event." "The 
highlight of our wedding!" "The guests are still talking about it." are just a few of the 
responses we have received over these past 5 years since.

Before accepting at face value the negative comments I've outlined above, which you may
also have read elsewhere concerning the releases of butterflies such as our Painted ladies. 
I'm confident, as a thinking person, you will take these answers into consideration!

Carlos White, President, Insect Lore