www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

There may already have been a thread so someone please point me in the right direction if there has.

I should have more spare time this coming season and would like to breed again some of the old favourites that I had bred in the past. But I am sure there must today be some much tighter legislation. What is and what is not allowed? Presumably taking ANY livestock (eg even a single egg) from a reserve is not allowed. Buying in stock from a dealer is probably acceptable - I don't know - but what would you do with the adults when the emerge? It would clearly be OK to release an Orange Tip almost anywhere but a Grayling, for example, would be a very different story.

Advice - and web links - please.

Jack

Hi Jack,

Some pointers for you:

Butterflies and the Law:
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/reports_law.php

BC's policy document on introductions
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/reports/ ... 202001.pdf

One of the many threads on the subject
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/v ... c.php?t=43

My personal view is that you should never take any rare species (in any stage) from the wild. However, I can't see any harm in rearing through, say, Peacock larvae found in the wild.

In terms of dealers, I always try and ascertain where they get their stock from. If it's from the wild, then I won't deal with them. But the main problem, as you state, is when rearing through rarities - what do you do with the adults? That's a tricky subject and, to be frank, my default response would be not to release them at all for a whole bunch of reasons.

Cheers,

- Pete