OT - Butterfly release

Has anyone here attended a wedding where there was a butterfly release? Was it successful or a big let down?

I want one really bad (looks amazing in the vender videos) but no one at the wedding websites will give me real answers. I've asked there and all the ppl who answered said they went to one (or more) and how it failed and then went on and on about how bad (abusive, they claim) it is for the butterflies and ecosystem (alto of hogwash as far as i can tell). I cant believe the horror stories b/c they fill their posts full of all these "facts" and it seems like they are spreading propaganda about it and will saying anything to prevent me from doing one.

i did it. My mom was obsessed with releasing monarchs, so they were shipped dormant the night before in special packs, from ca to va. We followed the directions, they were a smidge slow at first, but it was really neat. It was definatley the talk of the town for awhile. We bought some buttergly houses for them, and they did seem to stick around for while. I had some great photos of them on our fingertips, they lingered for a moment before they flew off. Hope that helps.

See if you can find a local "breeder" (or whatever they call them). They should be able to provide references. Actually, any butterfly provider should be able to provide references, but a local one should be able to provide references from other people in your area who did it.

Having raised monarch caterpillars last year, I can't imagine how it would be cruel, and unless you're releasing non-native species (which is illegal!), it wouldn't harm the environment, either.

Speaking of illegal, there's a butterfly dome at Reiman Gardens in Ames, IA. There are signs everywhere telling you that it's illegal to leave the dome with a butterfly! They have an "airlock" type system with attendants to make sure you don't accidentally take out any "hitch hikers." I've been to airports with less security. LOL

But, really, if I'd been married in the spring/summer, I'd have done butterflies. (My anniversary is Dec 26, so that would have been cruel.)

http://www.naba.org/weddings.html

Most fifth graders can tell you how the magnificent Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles every autumn from the United States and Canada to a few small mountain tops in Mexico. There they find the right environmental conditions that allow them to survive the winter. With the advent of spring, they begin their return journey. This migratory phenomenon is truly a wonder of nature that sparks the imagination.

Now imagine tens of thousands of mixed-up Monarchs unable to find the way to their overwintering grounds. This depressing image may become a reality if the rapidly-growing fad of releasing butterflies, including Monarch butterflies, at weddings, state fairs, and other public events continues to spread. Because the released Monarchs may have come from California, for instance, where they do not migrate to Mexico, their offspring may not be able to orient properly,. Because the Monarchs were raised inside under unnatural conditions, it is possible that their delicate migratory physiology may not have been turned on.

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Butterflies raised by unregulated commercial interests may spread diseases and parasites to wild populations, with devastating results. Often, butterflies are released great distances from their points of origin, resulting in inappropriate genetic mixing of different populations when the same species is locally present. When it is not, a non-native species is being introduced in the area of release. At best, this confuses studies of butterfly distribution and migration; at worst, it may result in deleterious changes to the local ecology. The Hollywood Jurassic park message, "Don't fool with Mother Nature," has scientific foundations. Recently a high profile report in Science magazine found that even the careful introduction of species for biological control often causes unexpected negative results.

In addition, these releases create a commercial market for live butterflies (currently about $10/apiece), with the result that, for example, the Monarch overwintering sites in Mexico and on the California coast are now targets for poachers.

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In addition to the above, many wedding planners now avoid butterflies at weddings because they not infrequently arrive dead, or half-dead. (See the recent article in the New York Times "Festive Release of Butterflies Puts Trouble in the Air" on page F4 of the Sept. 15, 1998 edition). Even if alive, they often will soon die because they are released at the wrong time of year, or at the wrong locality to survive.

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I've read the article you posted snips from kashi and most of its 'facts' are rather sketchy at best. Considering the number of schools that give students a Caterpillar to teach them about its life cycle and then release them i do believe that it can possibly be as dangerous to the butterflies as this article states. Or the shear number of butterflies that winter in the Mexico mountains (have you seen photos of this in the winter? They are literally crawling on top of one another) the idea that there will be new parasites that wipe out the local group is hard to believe b/c they mix together with butterflies from all over the country there. I've yet to find anyone who had a majority of dead butterflies if they followed the instructions that come from the breeder. The only options are monarchs (which are native here and at the wedding site, we're doing two receptions and possibly two releases) or painted ladies (which i think are more common out west as i've never seen one in real life).

I've got an appointment to go tour the breeders facility for the second reception (and maybe first if he can find a way to ship them) He hasnt offered references yet but he did say i could bring the wedding party and we could do a practice release to see if we liked it during the tour (which is really expensive for him as each butterfly costs 8 bucks!)

Dreaming_of_Speed said:

(which is really expensive for him as each butterfly costs 8 bucks!)

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If he's the breeder, each butterfly does NOT cost him $8. He may charge that much, but the cost to him is significantly less. I'd say probably closer to $1/insect, but that's just a guess.

UlrikeDG said:

If he's the breeder, each butterfly does NOT cost him $8. He may charge that much, but the cost to him is significantly less. I'd say probably closer to $1/insect, but that's just a guess.

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Good point! He still could sell the butterflys for 8 instead of giving them to us, its his busy season for large orders.