www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi,

Not sure if anyone can help me or not, or if this is the right place to post, sorry if it's not.

I am getting married next June, and would love to release some butterflies. What are your thoughts on this? Is it cruel to the butterflies, will they suffer in anyway? How do they cope with the transportation? Is there any other concerns that I haven't even thought about?

Thanks

Hi,

This is a lovely thought but really not very practical and not very kind to the butterflies.

Congratulations on your forthcoming nuptials and I hope you with both be very happy.

I'm not a fan of these things as I believe playing cosmetic games with living creatures is generally not a good idea even when it results in more adult butterflies than would have otherwise been the case had the stock not been ordered.

I'm not against netting and breeding per se but unless it has some kind of scientific/educational value then I can't support it.

You are obviously thinking carefully about this, hence your post. I think it mainly comes down to how you feel about interfering in the lives of living creatures purely for pleasure. Of course, we do quite a lot of this, by keeping pets, and we also kill many insect species quite close to butterflies, such as Clothes Moths, because they cause trouble to us.

If your wedding will be in the centre of a large town or city then any butterflies you release are probably doomed. On the other hand, if you are in the country, then common British species, such as, for example, Green-veined Whites might be able to thrive (I'm no expert on this but it seems reasonable that they could). You might not be too popular with local allotment holders if you released Large (Cabbage) Whites, though.

On the whole, I would be more comfortable if you thought in terms of white balloons

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a splendid day and a long and happy marriage

Mike

MikeOxon wrote: On the whole, I would be more comfortable if you thought in terms of white balloons

Mike

Hi Mike,

I can't disagree more with the idea of a balloon release. You may as well take a bin bag of rubbish and sprinkle it around the countryside for wildlife to ingest.

How about doves ....

I'm with Susie on the white balloons! What goes up must come down.

I'm also with her on the butterflies. If I were a wedding guest I have to say it would dampen my enjoyment of the day to see butterflies (or doves, or any creature) being used like this.

Whatever you decide, I wish you a very happy day and a long life together! Thank you for taking the trouble to ask our views on the butterfly release.

Guy

Susie wrote:I can't disagree more with the idea of a balloon release.

whoops! I'd better say bio-degradeable white tissue balloons - or just stay quiet. I do take your point about plastic pollution.

Mike

No offence meant, Mike, I know you're a lovely chap. I like seeing balloons going up too but just dont like the after effects. Same with sky lanterns.

Susie wrote:No offence meant, Mike

and none taken Great to be called a 'lovely chap'

May perhaps see you at the AES meeting.

Mike