www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I haven't reared anything since I was a kid, but just yesterday I came across a web of Small Tortoiseshell larvae near my home and was thinking of taking a small number to rear. My motivations for doing this would be primarily for my own and my kids' enjoyment and education. They would be raised in outdoor conditions so should develop at normal rate. I'm open to being persuaded otherwise but I believe that neither the individual larvae/pupae/butterflies nor the species / local population would suffer in any way as a result, and the individuals might actually be safer from parasites and predation than in the wild.

TM: When this subject was first mooted, I thought it might open a whole can of caterpillars....

If anyone wants to encourage children to watch the butterfly lifecycle what I recommend is that during the May half term (just gone - but it's not too late) you get a pot, plant nasturtium seeds and put it in the garden. If you don't have a garden a hanging basket or window box is just as good and it doesn't matter if you live in a third floor flat or whatever. Nasturtiums are chunky old seeds and perfect for very little people's podgy fingers. Over the next few weeks the seeds will germinate, so far so good and educational. Now the clever bit, during the school summer holidays they'll be plenty of large white butterflies that will visit and lay eggs. The caterpillars should have time to crawl off to somewhere of their own choosing and pupate ready for next year. You can even eat the nasturtium flowers. And the best bit is you can go away on holiday or do whatever and the butterflies/caterpillars will take care of themselves.

I don't meant to be patronising by posting the above (the people who post on here will know all this already but there are many people who read and don't post) but so many people with children are buying butterfly kits (you can even buy them in toy shops) and then lose interest or go away on holiday and the poor old critters end up starving.

No issues with rearing/breeding butterflies at home for pleasure...just have a few questions around the collecting release aspect of it...

Much as I love butterflies I don't really worry about the "keeping them in captivity" aspect - they're not tigers pacing up and down in a tiny cage...I figure as long as they've got food/light/space all is good...

But collecting from the wild opens a can of worms...I did it myself as a kid...so not being hypocritical...but where do we draw the line between common enough to be collected and too scarce? Also any collecting legitimizes the behaviour of the unscrupulous...how does a member of the public know whether the person on that hillside with a pot is just taking a couple of Orange Tip...or hoovering up a substantial number of Duke of Burgundy? It was widely documented about collectors at some of last years Long-tailed Blue sites...and I had it from locals that people had been collecting this year at Glanville Sites on the IOW...

Releasing into the wild runs the risk of both confusing the situation with regards to the legitimate records of Butterflies which can have an impact on conservation...and obviously there can be issues around diseases and different gene pools...

Not wishing to get into the for and against rearing at home but for me the reward of finding ova, larva and dare I say pupa in the wild is enormous. As many will be aware I follow the life cycle of Wall Brown every year, or should I say attempt to follow. Larva are easy to find and pupa almost impossible. It is tempting to bring some larva home to follow them right through but so far I have resisted doing this as for me it would be an anti-climax. In 3 years I have only found 2.5 pupa ( 1 being eaten by ants when I found it) and the 2 that I monitored for a few weeks each both died before emerging. (Also an anti-climax)!! However, I am determined to keep going and see the full life cycle in the wild one day, and as I say it will be so much more rewarding doing it that way.
Having said that I did save some Orange-tip ova from the council mowers a couple of years ago and it was great seeing the process all the way through but I think that would be the only reason that I would physically bring things home.

I am also pleased this topic has come up as it has been on my mind for a while too.

As well as a naturalist uncle, like many people on UKB, my lifelong passion for butterflies was sparked by rearing at home as a child. I bred through wild Small Tortoiseshell larval nests and once watched a female Comma laying eggs and reared those through too. I also had Death's Head Hawk moth caterpillars, but I can't remember where they came from. (Provenance now seems much more important). I was fortunate to have a copy of EB Ford and scoured it for how to build breeding cages, just part of my enjoyment.

To me, the education of young people is key and I think much can be done if we want future generations to be as passionate about wildlife, insects and conservation as we are. Yes, captive rearing educates children. This year I started training to be a teacher, and for my "micro teach" (a 20 minute lesson), my subject was the life cycle of butterflies and moths. Bearing in mind I was teaching a group of adults, I was surprised that not many knew there are actually four life stages.

I have nothing against taking widespread species (and the law already answers the where do we draw the line question), rearing through to adulthood taking a few photos if that's what you want to do and then releasing where they were found. As others have said, as long as this is done responsibly, with the welfare of the insects foremost and as close to naturally as possible. It should be a rite of passage. Didn't David Attenborough say something along those lines? Hopefully it will go on to germinate the interest and passion we all share.

But what really bothers me is the thought of what happens to the adults in some cases. There has been rearing of rare species or non UK species documented on UKB over the years and yes, there have been some early emergences. If you are breeding the adults on in captivity, fair enough. But is that really necessary outside of a breeding programme? If you are not breeding on, my fear is they are either released into the wild, with the potential to skew recording or simply perish, a wasted life. And where's the beauty in that?

We do need to be a responsible community, for the insects we love and the generations we will inspire.

Lee

Some excellent and very salient points raised thus far on this thread.

My instinct tells me that few of us on here object to common species being reared for educational purposes (particularly when such a practice is used to develop an awareness in youngsters).

However, that has caused me to stop and think for a while....just how does one define 'common'?

An example: Scotch Argus is common to almost plague proportions in certain areas of Scotland to the point where it can almost be considered 'Meadow Brown-like' in its abundance. Therefore, few would object to these insects being reared in those areas where it is present in such numbers. However, I doubt whether any of us would advocate this practice being undertaken in England, where the species has a very tenuous hold.

One could also add Large Heath, Adonis Blue, Lulworth Skipper, Heath Fritillary, Green Hairstreak and many others to that list in the right areas.

At what point does it become counter-productive to the point of being dangerous?

I've often been tempted to 'purloin' a few Brown Hairstreak ova from the West Williamston site in south west Wales, where the species is well established. However, given that I live 65 miles away from its natural epicentre, I have always refrained on the grounds that it would be unjustifiable simply because I wouldn't be in a position to release any adults in their natural environment within 24 hours of their emergence. I suspect if I lived nearby that would not be the case.

It's akin to a postcode lottery. There can be NO national guidance because species distribution is highly irregular throughout the UK.

Perhaps, in a perfect world, a team of experts could come up with a list of species that can be acceptably reared irrespective of where they occur - Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Large/Small/Green Veined White, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, etc.

Susie wrote:Yes David, I did a couple of years ago when I bought some from the AES Exhibition at Kempton Park

I know this might be stating the obvious, but shouldn't the Amateur Entomoligists' Association know better than to offer such creatures for sale?

If the organisations themselves can't behave responsibly, then one can hardly point an accusatory finger at the individuals who merely succumb to temptation at these kind of events.

David M wrote: However, that has caused me to stop and think for a while....just how does one define 'common'? There can be NO national guidance because species distribution is highly irregular throughout the UK.

Perhaps it would be better to consider "widespread and common". The species that you mention David, perhaps except Green Hairstreak, I would consider more "local" and some "restricted" in their distribution. But having said that, while it would be impractical for me to rear Large Heath with a view to releasing adults, someone near a large population, then fine. Or is it?

Lee

Personally, I don't have difficulty with the idea of captive breeding of insects. The aspects which need careful consideration are (1) where the stock is taken from and (2) where it is released to.

Mike

David M wrote:

Susie wrote:Yes David, I did a couple of years ago when I bought some from the AES Exhibition at Kempton Park

I know this might be stating the obvious, but shouldn't the Amateur Entomoligists' Association know better than to offer such creatures for sale?

If the organisations themselves can't behave responsibly, then one can hardly point an accusatory finger at the individuals who merely succumb to temptation at these kind of events.

So let me play devil's advocate here - how is the AES behaving irresponsibly? Why shouldn't the stallholders that attend the AES offer captive-bred livestock for other individuals who might want to rear these species in captivity (and is it really any of their business what the customer is going to do with the livestock)? I ask because, if you take this to its logical conclusion, there would be NO livestock for sale at the AES Exhibition.

Also, I think one example that needs to be mentioned is the Large Copper. This has been in circulation among breeders for, literally, decades - and it's these breeders whose experience is often drawn upon when authorised releases are sanctioned and there's a need to captive rear enough numbers to potentially form a viable colony.

And another example - the current newsletter of the Entomological Livestock Group includes a request from a PhD research student (studying warning colouration) at Exeter Uni. for certain livestock. I've also seen requests in the past for parasites emerging from Small Tortoiseshell larvae for analysis at Oxford Uni.

I suspect that we'll be using such examples heavily when trying to explain the ethical conundrum.

Clearly, there is no "black and white" in this discussion, although I see that some people have tried to make it so I suspect for every "rule" there is an exception.

Cheers,

- Pete

It should also be said that in Sussex the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, despite showing some signs of natural expansion of its range in recent years, only occurs at some sites due to captive breeding and release programmes. The Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, sadly near extinct in its final Sussex outpost despite intensive habitat management works, may yet be saved due to a proposed captive rearing project - if the species can be found this season. And things don’t end there. BC’s excellent Dukes on the Edge project may require an element of captive rearing in order to release larvae on to suitable sites in order to ‘join up’ important habitats in Sussex. Of course this doesn't only go on in Sussex and it's often because of such captive rearing / breeding activities that we can reap the enjoyment of seeing some species in the wild.

More food for thought ...

Last year I received some Painted Lady caterpillars which my family studied through to release. I have the good fortune to share my love of Butterflies with my 9 year old daughter, who is becoming quite a little expert on their lifecycles and the care and conservation needed to see them flourish for years to come. To see these butterflies transform from caterpillars to adults was one of the most beautiful things we had ever witnessed.
My point is that with some careful captive breeding of our more common species, the educational advantages that this instills in our next generation of lepidoterists can be most valuable. I had to struggle getting my daughter in to bed each night, such was her fascination with watching the goings on in our butterfly tent. I'm not saying that we should be unethical in the name of education, far from it, but harnessing an interest whilst following some responsible ground rules can be good. Only yesterday an Elephant Hawk Moth pupa was found lying clearly on top of a flower bed. Now I could have left it there at the mercy of a predator (circle of life and all that!), but I decided that seeing it emerge would be a great education for my family.

Regards Kev

Firstly, apologies for my late entry into this discussion.
I’m very pleased to see that this issue is now going to be addressed with an article.

The following are my comments relating to the 3 questions being asked. They are not intended as a response to other views already expressed in this topic. In fact, they are largely made without reference to any other comments, so I may therefore be repeating points that have already been raised.


1. What are the valid reasons for captive rearing

From my own personal standpoint, my philosophy has been made clear by the various reports and articles that I have produced on the subject. My key aims are to “observe”, “record” and “report” (responsibly in all cases), with the ultimate objective of gaining a greater understanding of these creatures and not just concentrating on the short adult phase of their life cycle. I firmly believe that there is the potential for learning something new every time a species is reared. Although I take great personal satisfaction from rearing butterflies, I also hope that sharing the information and images will generate greater appreciation and understanding among the wider butterfly community, particularly the young. The UKB website often gets requests for images from wildlife trusts, educational authorities and other charitable organisations, but those for “early stages” are in particularly high demand. For instance, last month I supplied a batch of 18 images to the Natural History Museum in London in connection with a project they were producing. It seems to me that there just does not seem to be a large or comprehensive pool of images of this sort available elsewhere.


2. Should livestock ever be taken from the wild

Everyone should be made aware of the codes of conduct issued by Butterfly Conservation on collecting, breeding or captive rearing of butterflies. Also, in addition to landowners’ rights, there are bylaws controlling the removal of flora/fauna from National Trust and Forestry Commission land, and permission is required to collect adults, eggs, larvae and pupae from nature reserves and other protected sites. There are additional tighter restrictions on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), while the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) gives some species full protection by the law.

I personally prefer to rear only common species mainly because they are accessible to the widest number of people. In fact all the species that I have been reared to adulthood have visited my garden(s). Most have come from eggs laid in the garden or been rescued from certain death. I have no problem with livestock (of these common species) being taken from the wild in moderation, provided that the rules are followed and the welfare of the butterfly is fully respected. This action actually increases its chances of survival, but the big danger is early emergence. However this potential problem can be addressed, by understanding the needs of that particular species and providing the correct natural environment.

The species database on the UKB website is ultimately destined to become a valuable scientific resource, so should be as comprehensive as possible. Although it is preferable that early-stages images of all species should be taken in the wild, many can only be obtained through captive rearing. In the circumstances I think it is preferable that the images used are produced “in house”, so that we can be certain that they were taken in a responsible manner. However, this can present a difficulty as to what to do with adults produced from commercially produced livestock or non-native species.

Collecting stock from the wild (regardless of species), with the aim of making an unsanctioned introduction into a new location is another thorny issue which will doubtless have to be addressed.


3. What should you do with adults that emerge

Most people will only be involved with rearing common species, so those adults raised from wild stock can be released close to their original location or in the garden. However, releasing any adults or larvae into nature reserves or SSSIs is not allowed. Furthermore, no commercially produced livestock or non-native species should ever be released into the wild for reasons that will doubtless be explained in the article. For these reasons, people should think very carefully before purchasing livestock sourced from commercial suppliers.

Conclusion

I am looking forward to reading the finished article. It will have to cover legal rules, ethical guidelines and practical advice, so will be challenging to produce, so I hope that these comment help. Hopefully it will be interesting as well .

Vince

Pete Eeles wrote: So let me play devil's advocate here - how is the AES behaving irresponsibly? Why shouldn't the stallholders that attend the AES offer captive-bred livestock for other individuals who might want to rear these species in captivity (and is it really any of their business what the customer is going to do with the livestock)? I ask because, if you take this to its logical conclusion, there would be NO livestock for sale at the AES Exhibition.

For example, if an individual wanted to cause chaos by releasing Black Veined Whites onto a site in the UK the easiest way of doing this would be to attend a fair/exhibition whereby BVW pupae are available at a modest cost. Once the adults have emerged from these pupae then they can be clandestinely liberated with little or no thought for the consequences.

It's not good enough to assume that all those purchasing livestock are responsible, well intentioned individuals. It only takes a small number of mavericks to bring this entire business into disrepute.

I'd also like to believe that the AES DOES harbour concerns regarding what the customer is going to do with the livestock, but there are seemingly no controls in place to prevent irresponsible releases resulting from livestock purchased at their events.

That is a concern (to me anyway).

David M wrote:For example, if an individual wanted to cause chaos ...

I can't think of a single example of this scenario!

David M wrote:...the easiest way of doing this would be to attend a fair/exhibition ...

I think it would be a lot easier to buy livestock online, and there are plenty of opportunities for that!

David M wrote:It's not good enough to assume that all those purchasing livestock are responsible, well intentioned individuals.

So what is "good enough" in your book? Not sure how you can police such things.

David M wrote:I'd also like to believe that the AES DOES harbour concerns regarding what the customer is going to do with the livestock ...

Actually, I don't think it does, presumably because it assumes that the vast majority of folk are well-intentioned. What it does is what it can do - which is ensure that restrictions on species (as per the law) are enforced.

Cheers,

- Pete

I think chaos is a unfortunate choice of words. Someone letting go a few butterflies where they shouldn't, can distort records, can bring in unwanted extra visitors, could potentially bring disease, and has the potential to mess up conservation efforts.

We are not talking disasters like the North American signal crayfish, and Grey Squirrel, replacing are own indigenous species, or American Mink devastated the UK Water Vole population. Over the years there must of been millions of butterflies, indigenous and otherwise, released into the wild, but with probably very little effect to our own butterfly population. I could probably go up to Porton pet and aquatic right now, and buy, with no questions asked, a varied selection of birds, mammals, fish, and reptiles that could if released, live quite happily in the English countryside.

Stall owners at AES, just like any pet shop owner, can only hope people act responsibly.

Regards Gruditch

Gruditch wrote: Stall owners at AES, just like any pet shop owner, can only hope people act responsibly.

Unfortunately there will always be that maverick element When I was at the AES exhibition a few years back I was chatting to a stall holder who was selling pupae and we were talking about brown hairstreaks. When I said I didn't need to buy any of them because we had them in the area where I lived in West Sussex he encouraged me to buy black hairstreaks from him. When I said but what would I do with them after they emerged, he said to release them into my area as they used to live and here and could do again! Needless to say I didn't buy any.

David M wrote:I'd also like to believe that the AES DOES harbour concerns regarding what the customer is going to do with the livestock, but there are seemingly no controls in place to prevent irresponsible releases resulting from livestock purchased at their events.

If you follow that line too far, the filling station might not be able to sell you petrol, in case you make Molotov cocktails

Mike

Susie wrote:

Gruditch wrote: Stall owners at AES, just like any pet shop owner, can only hope people act responsibly.

Unfortunately there will always be that maverick element When I was at the AES exhibition a few years back I was chatting to a stall holder who was selling pupae and we were talking about brown hairstreaks. When I said I didn't need to buy any of them because we had them in the area where I lived in West Sussex he encouraged me to buy black hairstreaks from him. When I said but what would I do with them after they emerged, he said to release them into my area as they used to live and here and could do again! Needless to say I didn't buy any.

When you own a pet shop/tropical fish shop, once a year your premiss have to pass a certain standard, for you to have a pet shop license, to trade. But there it ends, unfortunately some people will sell anything to anyone. As with the AES show, and don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of the AES show, but as long as the people trading are not breaking any laws, I don't see what they can do.


Regards Gruditch