Butterfly releases redux

[jbwalsh at email.arizona.edu]

Actually, Patrick and I are in full agreement on the following point:  it
is unwise to release certain species.  However, for species like painted
ladies, it is very hard, given how widely they travel on their own (and in
vast numbers to boot), to be hugely concerned without some direct evidence
for harm of release.  After all, the vast painted lady migrations have been
doing for eons what the small scale releases are doing now.  Further, the
population densities that often generate these migrations are the huge, and
individuals are crowded, exactly the situation where any potential diseases
would be generated.

Hence, I think there is the potential a wide common ground on the debate
-- for many (perhaps most) species great care must go into any decision for
a massive release.  However, for some (perhaps just a few) species, it is
very hard to argue that releases are likely to do any harm.  Perhaps the
debate should be shifted into potential candidate species for the later category.

Cheers

Bruce 


 
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