Thanks, Callum. Let me comment on your 3 points: 1. Greenfly etc. I don't feel your attempt to divide production from pleasure works. I made the point that gardeners kill greenfly so that their flowers look nice (pleasure), and you countered by saying that other gardeners spray their tomato plants (...

David, you say killing ants is not a 'cosmetic' act. But surely, it is! And greenfly. Gardeners kill them so that their flowers look better. It's all about cosmetics! I would go further. Arguments about lions are misleading because they are sentient creatures. Ethically insects, not being sentient, ...

Thank you, Callum, for helpful reply. 1. They sound a bit high-powered for me, but if I ever decide to breed any butterflies I may well join. 2. Point taken! 3. On your first point, as I think you were expecting, I do not accept that it is never right to kill a creature for human leisure etc. I real...

Back from hols, thank you everyone for comments. 2 things: 1. Roger said there are websites which cater for people wanting to breed butterflies. I'd be very grateful if anyone could point me in the right direction for one of these. 2. Re this website being just for those who want to photograph, fair...

I should have said - I'm off for a week's hols, so apols in advance for delay in replying to any posts.

David - as to 'which fritillary?', I was wondering if there is any fritillary in the terms of Peter's article as being 'mobile' rather than living in a tight-knit community. To those who say 'why not get a camera?' thanks, I should probably have done so when I was younger, but health greatly limits ...

Thanks, Peter, for a very thorough reply. On the issue of releasing bred butterflies or moths the comment in your article that it depended on whether the species lives as a close-knit community or are more mobile made a lot of sense. Could you or someone say whether any of the following are in the m...

Thanks, Jack, for your help Can you explain why scarcity is a problem for eg fritillaries and swallowtail? I'd probably buy eggs, larvae or pupae from a supplier. Is finding the larvae the problem, or is it the issue of releasing a different strain? I can see the need to be careful for rarer species...

I'm a new member and very much a beginner. As a youngster 60 years ago I used to collect butterflies and moths, and keep them in a cabinet, though I never caught anything in the least bit rare. I had a brief renewal at it 20 years ago, but stopped partly because I discovered that one wasn't encourag...