NABA proposes policy that could harm nearly 1,000,000 Painted Ladies

[Paul Cherubini]

Stanley wrote:

> Paul, your post is a little confusing.

Let me try to explain again. The NABA website says this:

> the USDA should require small color dots on farmed
> butterflies intended for release, so that butterfliers can 
> recognize individuals in the field as farmed
> animals, not wild butterflies."

So I showed what Painted Ladies might look like if painted 
with colored dots or other conspicuous markings:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/paint.JPG

I then explained that since about 1,000,000 Painted Ladies
are shipped to schools, brides and widowers in the larval 
or pupal stage, these inexperienced people would likely
injure the fragile butterflies while trying the hold them 
down for painting.  Therefore I concluded that a
consequence of NABA's painting requirement is that 
1,000,000 butterflies would be at risk for injury and
suffering.

> if it is not possible for dots to be put on butterfly
> wings before the butterflies are shipped to the customer 
> then that kind of business activity (in this case shipping 
> pupae) will have to cease.

Yes, I agree Stan, if teachers decided that NABA's painting
requirement was too difficult to for the children to 
accomplish without injuring the adult butterfly then they 
would likely stop purchasing the half million Painted 
Lady caterpillars they buy annually.  Ditto in the case 
of brides and widowers that purchase a couple hundred
thousand Painted Lady chrysalids.

Paul Cherubini

 
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