Government views Monarch Butterfly Releases as a threat toWestern

[Bill Cornelius]

Bob:
I don't disagree with you (I'm-not-paranoid too), but to be fair, what political
good would it do to shut down commercial butterfly farming. seems to me like a
shot in the foot.
Bill

Robert Kriegel wrote:

> Lepsters,
>
> Monarch migrations, extinction models, satanism, post apocalyptic big bang
> . . . Wow this thread is a real roller coaster ride! Give me a moment to
> catch my breath. Ahhhh, that's better.
>
> Several days ago Chip Taylor asked a very simple question -- Do monarchs
> use the sensitive species of milkweeds in the Southwestern U.S. as hosts?
> In that post, Chip presented evidence that an endangered milkweed species
> in Kansas, Asclepias meadii, is either not or only very rarely used as a
> host by monarch larvae.
>
> If monarchs don't use the species in question as hosts or rarely use them
> the proposed regulations will not do anything to protect those plants.
> Period. If monarch larvae do feed on the plants but do not kill them or
> reduce their long term viability then they are also of no danger to the
> plants. If someone knows the answers to these two questions please speak
> up.
>
> If no one knows the answer then the proposed regulations are based on
> political not scientifically based, conservation motives. Personally, I am
> not a fan of commercial butterfly releases at events. However, if the USDA
> is trying to use the endangered species laws to shut down these commercial
> enterprises without the scientific evidence to back them up then I believe
> their efforts are misguided.
>
> Bob Kriegel
> Bath, MI
>
> P.S. just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not after me . . . right?
> 
>
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