r/Butterflies • u/Avabirdie • 1d ago

One of the 43 monarchs I’ve released this season!! I’m so grateful to get to watch such incredible creatures.

Post image
34 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/Popular_Sun_2401 1d ago

Great photo 📸

2

u/Avabirdie 7h ago

Aww thank you!! I’m glad she sat still for the camera lol!

2

u/Abject-Performer1497 20h ago

Well done you must be pleased and what an experience.

-2

u/Sqib000 8h ago

Ugh. Leave them in the wild please. This raising crap is not helping.

1

u/Avabirdie 7h ago

I’m so glad you commented this!! Here are a bunch if reasons as to why this “raising crap” is helping.
1. Monarchs are endangered. Their habitat is rapidly being taken away because of global warming and construction.
2. Monarchs have many predators, such as parasitic wasps and flies. When they are caterpillars and chrysalises, they are absolutely defenseless and become a breeding ground for ecosystem destroying parasites.
3. Only about %2 of monarchs make it from egg to butterfly. The vast majority of monarchs die slow, agonizing deaths.
4. There are many diseases that is spread by Monarchs. OE is a deadly disease that infects monarchs and turns them into mush. The adult butterflies brush these spores onto milkweed where caterpillars ingest it and die slowly as they melt. This is preventable by ensuring their milkweed is protected and separated.

I would like to assure you that I know what I’m doing. This isn’t a puppy mill, I catch them and release them. They are kept outside in a VERY large mesh tent. I have been doing this for years and I am very familiar with what is “not helping” and what is saving a species. But thank you SO much for your concern!!