b-fly releases at events

[Paul Cherubini]

Mike Soukup wrote:

> No, it's not really beneficial - in most cases.
> When you release "unfit" adults, you introduce diseases, faulty
> genes, and a whole host of other problems into the system.

VERTEBRATE disease pathologists and VERTEBRATE population geneticists
might agree, but I believe INSECT pathologists and INSECT population
geneticists would  disagree that "problems could be introduced into the
system".

If it were truly possible damage wild populations of common, wide
ranging insects like Monarchs or fall army worm moths by releasing
diseased or gene damaged individuals or inbred, lab reared  individuals
these would be a fantastic methods of pest insect control. But they
doesn't work and aren't used.

Even in situation with captive pest Leps - such as Indian meal moths
infesting peanut warehouses in Georgia -  weekly releases of a
granulosis virus by USDA scientists have reduced the moth population
temporarily by only 50%.

I think the correct answer is that butterfly releases of the nine, very
common, wide ranging species allowed by the federal government (Monarch,
Painted Lady, Mourning Cloak, etc) cannot conceivably help or harm wild
populations.

Paul Cherubini