In a way, this post follows on from Pip Howard’s Guest Blog this morning about once-alive invertebrates encased in perspex, except this post concerns actually-alive butterflies sold as extras for celebrations such as weddings etc.
A reader of this blog alerted me to this and wrote that ‘I was at a wedding recently and was appalled to see butterflies (and non-native at that) being released in the churchyard. Many of them were manhandled, mostly by children, and left to die injured and flapping amongst the gravestones. Crucially, why would they release animals to certain death? How is this allowed?‘.
The RSPCA response to an enquiry seemed a little off-hand to me:
‘Butterflies are, unfortunately ,not the subject of animal welfare law i.e. their welfare is not legally protected, however the RSPCA promotes kindness to all animals. These creatures do not suffer or feel pain in the same way as a mammal or bird and nature needs to be left to take its course.
As a charitable organisation we can only investigate situations which identify an impact on an animal’s welfare.‘
but I was considerably more impressed by Butterfly Conservation’s response which addressed issues of recording integrity, genetics, disease spread and the messages sent by such releases and ended with ‘If anyone contacts us regarding releasing butterflies at weddings we strongly advise them against doing so for the reasons above.‘.
That seems a pretty sensible response to me. Although, I do feel a bit of guilt in condemning an activity which is based on an appreciation of the beauty of the natural world – who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by natural beauty on special occasions? However, an appreciation of natural beauty has to be more than fleeting, and deeper than a shallow liking for prettiness or else it can harm that beauty, exploit it, and harm the individual creatures on which it depends.
Or do you think I am just a killjoy?
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Agree with you entirely. If churchyards and the grounds of other venues are managed right then people could be surrounded by natural beauty at their wedding (including butterflies hopefully, at least in the summer) without having to import any! Of course, if you choose an urban registry office you might be out of luck. Could even be a selling point for a wedding venue: a beautiful haze of butterflies at your wedding. Funeral anyone?
You are not a killjoy!
This sounds appalling to me. Firstly you mention they are not native, so surely this should be illegal. They will therefore die needlessly in the alien environment! Would wedding guests be allowed to release chipmunks for fun? I think not!
I think some would call me a killjoy, wishing to see balloon and lantern releases prohibited. I’m thinking of probable damage to the world around us; you are talking of actual destruction of wildlife!
No I don’t think in this respect you’re a killjoy Mark.
I had no idea this even happened – how appalling.
And based in one of my favourite parts of the country, the New Forest.
Dumbstruck.
Do the people who go for this really do it based on an appreciation of the natural world?. Anyone who does have that appreciation wouldn’t even consider it. And slightly disappointed to see the RSPCA drawing a line between different forms of life when it comes to suffering, illegal or not. Perhaps they don’t want to be seen as killjoys!
No I don’t think you are a killjoy. As with the issue of encasing insects in plastic it betrays a much wider disconnect with the natural world. Such a disconnect can lead to dangerous policy decisions and stupid statements, like with Biodiversity Offsetting – the nature we ignore is vital for the nature that is loved. Does the ecological pyramid mean nothing anymore? One thing I did not mention in the blog is that my work is soil based, I work with many, unknown to science, soil microfauna – which we are understanding increasingly have a vital role to play in the life of a tree. The fluctuations of populations as a result of offhand human intervention can be catastrophic. Just because we don’t know doesn’t allow us to treat so badly. I strongly believe that we all should be highlighting what we don’t know over and above what we do – would this surely not promote more to become interested and most importantly value nature even more.
Utterly disgraceful – someone should be thrashed!
No you’re not a killjoy – this is just irresponsible and a straightforward case of exploitation of the natural world. What’s wrong with confetti?
By a co-incidence just watching an Attenborough programme about butterflies including Monarch butterflies in Mexico, who migrate there in the tens of millions. The passenger pigeons of the butterfly world?
What is wrong with confetti. There was a spate of releasing white doves at weddings but at least they would have returned home I presume.
Butterflies ?! Blimey, if folks want more wildlife at their weddings then what is wrong with the good old fashioned Tyto alba ?
http://www.flyingtheknot.co.uk/
(N.B – other suppliers of this tacky and distasteful service are available)
Wrong in 1969 and wrong now
Butterflies treated as disposable decoration.
What message is this giving the children allowed to manhandle and injure these living creatures? Not surprising though, in a society whose laws allow the slaughter of animals and birds as a matter of course, with no regard given for the suffering or value of wildlife.
Astonishing abuse….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r03Hqa5RTbk
UK source…
http://www.butterflyconnections.co.uk/wedding_releases.html
Confetti is banned from many church yards as it is litter.
What reaction to the Barn owl flying down the aisle of a wedding with the ring!
http://www.talon-falconry.co.uk/html/barn-owl-ring-bearing.php
I see many companies offer this one but some times it goes wrong!!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/barn-owl-wedding-due-deliver-2278729
Weddings in nature reserves will be next. Imagine all the guest in the scrape hides at Minsmere with the ceremony taking place out in the middle! Less damage than that pesky Badger!!
Disgusting. This is not about appreciation for the natural world, it’s about tacky decoration (butterflies) or goolish fascination (dead bugs in plastic). Damaging and irresponsible.
Perhaps if you got down off your moral perches or soap boxes for a moment, I have first hand knowledge of this Company and can say for sure that they do not and have never sold or sent non native Butterflies to anyone. I made my own enquiries into this for a Friend of mine.
I have also witnessed (from this Company) a butterfly release at a Funeral of a this friend of mine who buried his wife of only 42 years old, the Butterflies went a long way for him to help say his ‘goodbyes’ to his dear wife who loved these beautiful creatures all her short life, the Children of my friend who lost their Mother now recognise when they see a Butterfly the connection that it has made for them. Is that wrong for them to have done this? should you be the judge and jury?
I know that people have opinions, but please ask the questions first, speak to the people before you try and condemn them, when was the last time you killed a spider, a wasp or any insect for that matter without a blink of an eye?
Just my thoughts and opinions. I’m sure they count for something.
Sorry Suzanna…they only sell non-natives, quote “We will usually supply either Monarch and Swallowtail butterflies, depending on availability”. Neither are native in UK. They are captive bred, they will not survive very long, but they could be carrying disease etc
Planting a tree lasts a bit longer….
To briefly give Suzanna the benefit of the doubt here ; the firm based in Lee on Solent (your link Cm) supplying monarchs (and all manner of other spp.) because ‘their slow flapping flight means they stay in the area unlike smaller faster species which (naturally) get the hell out of there, pronto’ (somewhat paraphrased) is a different firm that Mark linked to in his blog and Suzanna might have partially researched based (based in New Milton) which seems to prefer painted lady releases.
Two firms based on the Hants coast.
Both highly undesirable.
Apologies.
Might have over ‘based-ed’ that particular sunday roast.
Having looked at the company web site, I would find it deeply unpleasant to witness this sort of thing. I would be shocked if anyone I know were to treat living things in this way, and it would be a dreadful thing to encourage children to take pleasure in it.
Very often the species ‘of choice’ at these occasions is the painted lady butterfly which is a regular migrant to our shores -occasionally in large numbers.
This species can and will breed here but cannot survive our winters at any stage of its life cycle. It does not hibernate nor can its pupa survive here over the winter.
It is thought that some adults attempt to migrate back to the continent or north africa come the end of the summer… but many die here on in their attempt.
One might think that captive-bred Painted Lady butterflies would probably have a very slim chance of breeding successfully here (ie mating, laying eggs which turn into larvae, eat enough food to grow large enough to think about pupating, then emerging after a time as a new adult, feeding up for a long migration south and successfully making that migration) especially if they are released after June or July.
Even if they are released early in the summer one might suppose the odds are against them.
So the word “native” is irrelevant in many of these instances isn’t it?
“irrelevant”
Yep. Valuing life as worthless while profiting from it by selling a mawkish gesture
I presume every objector is a vegetarian then?
Thought not.
The ‘outrage’ is hilarious. Considering how the vast majority of people live their lives.
Seems like there are far too many grown Men (middle aged probably) with too much time on their hands commenting on this blog, why not save your efforts, as this practise will not be going anywhere soon, ie there are no laws to enforce the Butterfly releases, and spend them on something worth while? perhaps something that will seriously harm our environment and or our race!
I echo your thoughts Steve – well said!