Captive Rearing & Breeding: An Overview
-Captive Rearing: The nurturing of a species, typically from eggs or larvae, through to adulthood in one season.
-Captive Breeding: Implies the continuation of rearing livestock over one or more subsequent generations.
The following article has a purpose, not to encourage or discourage captive rearing or breeding of livestock but to give an account on both sides of the discussion including my own opinions and those by many others.
Buying and Selling of Livestock:
There are numerous websites, communites and companies selling or offering a huge range of Butterfly and Moth livestock, both native and exotic, common and scarce. Many claim their stock is from trusted sources and not removed from the wild but nobody can ensure where the original stock came from.
I never remove native livestock of protected species but those not protected I release to the exact site I originally collected them from.
Pros and Cons:
From my own experiences as a breeder of butterflies and moths for a number of years, I can say the process is a very rewarding experience. The reason I do it; to observe and photograph the life cycle of these beautiful insects. Photographing every step, from egg to the emergence of an adult, from a tiny larva through a magnificent transformation with wings of a delicate butterfly or moth. The entire process is mesmerising and I wish to share it with all those who have never seen it but appreciate its beauty.
I have brought many of the insects I've reared to public events to show and educate young and old, I find that children always respond with more interest and excitement to the living creatures first hand and interact with them. They are able to see for themselves the transformation up close, many being inspired to pay more attention out in the field!
Many however do not agree with the practive or at least the releasing of livestock.
Butterflies and Moths which have been reared or bred should only be released if it is to the same location where they were originally found. Releasing purchased livestock to a new area can create a number of problems, primarily the introduction of disease and/or mixing of genes that could do more harm than good to wild populations. Releasing species that aren't native or are uncommon can lead to false records which can then damage conservation efforts or confuse vital scientific data.
Captive Breeding Programmes:
Captive Breeding programmes are used both in the UK and abroad for a wide range of species and not specifically for butterflies and moths. This practical approach can ensure the survival of livestock such as caterpillars whilst offering the unique experience of rearing these insects first hand. This, can in turn, promote conservation, knowledge, education and awareness of the state of these insects and the trials they face out in the wild.
