26/05/2026
The UK is currently undergoing a massive Painted Lady influx as migrating Butterflies pass through. These will frequently stop to rest and feed, and will breed on route leaving eggs that will hatch and make a new UK born brood. These will instinctively continue to follow the migratory route, and time/weather permitting may also breed along the way ... isn't it amazing!
However, Painted Lady are also a popular species that people rear at home to release into the wild (which will also instinctively follow the migration route). They buy eggs or caterpillars and keep them in a netted enclosure until adult Butterflies emerge. I am not against this and rear Butterflies myself at home in this way, BUT I wish people would stick to our Native Butterflies. Painted Lady are gorgeous but they are not native to UK, rearing non native species could do unknown harm to the natural balances here and could be detrimental to our own Butterflies. Our Butterflies need help, so what better way than to help by bringing eggs or caterpillars safely through to adult stage and letting them go to be free.
Remember the damage caused to our Red Squirrels after the non native Greys were introduced to UK? ... or the natural balance of our wild fauna caused by non native invasive plants like Balsam being introduced? We don't want this for our Butterflies, do we!
Also ... any Butterflies reared at home for release, as well as being native species, need to only be released in places where they naturally occur. Many species are dotted about in small areas and not found nationwide. If released into an area they don't naturally occupy there may not be the necessary food plants for them to rear the next generation on, the climate may be unsuitable for the species (too wet, too cold, too warm, too dry, too windy etc), and if they are not a locally found species their chances of finding suitable mates is slim, possibly leading to them breeding with the others from the home reared colony which are likely to be genetically related ... and could cause defects and mutations that are potentially harmful to them and the species. Please make sure home reared Butterflies are given every chance of success and to finish their life cycle in the way they deserve, if the species is not local, take them to somewhere that they are known to be. (For instance, if I ever reared Swallowtails I know the climate in Wales is unsuitable and that their food plant only grows in Norfolk, which is why they are a Norfolk only species. I would take them over 300 miles in order to release them where they belong, they would not survive here.) There are other non native species people rear to release, and they have zero chance in our climate, so please put the needs of the Butterflies above and beyond any desire to rear others because you like them, that's not a good enough reason to release beautiful Butterflies where they can't survive! There are also people who rear Butterflies to release at weddings, funerals etc ... this is not a good gesture if these are not native and are just likely to die ... it is not conservation or an environmental activity, it is irresponsible and cruel.
Thank you x
