[leps-talk] Release Guerrillas? :-)

Ron Gatrelle gatrelle at tils-ttr.org
Fri Aug 29 14:13:36 EDT 2003


----- Original Message -----
From: <neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 1:28 PM
Subject: [leps-talk] Release Guerrillas? :-)


> Chinese butterflies invading Kanagawa
>
> Butterflies normally seen in China have found a home in Kanagawa
Prefecture because of illicit importation and breeding, posing a major
threat to the local ecosystem, according to researchers in the prefecture.
>
> Hestina assimilis, a variety of the nymphalid butterfly normally seen in
China, is making its presence known in Kanagawa Prefecture.
>
> The researchers blamed the settlement of the butterfly, Hestina
assimilis, on breeders, whom experts call "release guerrillas."
>
> Such breeders secretly raise foreign varieties of insects and release
them in the domestic environment.

And this is indeed the major concern here in the US.   It is also why
SUBSPECIES recognition is vital. We just had this discussion on leps-talk
over the presence of Southeastern US Zebra Longwings (H. c. tuckeri) in
Texas.   It was the conclusion that these are from stock purchased from
Florida and released in Texas.    I am not opposed to breeding and
releasing as long as within the same natural range of the organism
released.

Ron Gatrelle

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