b-fly releases at events

[Paul Cherubini]

Cris Guppy & Aud Fischer wrote:
> 
> EXAMPLE:
> There is one Painted Lady record in British Columbia that appears to
> indicate that the butterfly successfully overwintered as an adult. The
> capture date is too early for a migrant, but is consistent with other
> species that hibernate as adults. Or is it a "school butterfly?" The answer
> to this would tell us something about the biology of the species.

Painted Ladies and Monarchs and Gulf Frits can occassionally be found
during the winter in areas of North America and Europe subject to severe
freezes which would kill them.  Examples: the Gulf States where
temperatures fall into the single digits (degrees F) about once every 7
years.  Or the Mojave desert areas of California and Arizona where I've
seen them (except the Gulf Frit)  in January at locations where record
low temperatures have fallen to 12 degrees F.

In other words, a false sighting in British Columbia every 10+ years due
to a school release is not going to have some profound effect like
ruining our ability to understand the overwintering biology of the
species. 

Paul Cherubini