Some fads are harmless fun while others do serious damage. Butterfly releases at funerals and weddings wreak ecological havoc and need to stop. The Pete Moore Hospice House engages in a yearly June release of painted lady butterflies as a memorial — for a donation a butterfly will be released in honor of loved ones.
The North American Butterfly Association, the American Museum of Natural History, the National Wildlife Federation and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are against such releases of commercially farmed butterflies.
Commercial butterfly breeding resembles puppy mills. Butterflies can end up rife with bacterial, fungal and viral issues. They are trucked cross country and are capable of spreading devastating disease to local wild populations. Many arrive dead or dying. Such operations assure buyers their insects are disease free. This is a big business. Puppy mills claim the same thing.
The fitness of wild populations can be decreased by interbreeding with captive breed butterflies. Genes are introduced that are not optimal for local conditions. Captive butterflies may not orient properly or have their migratory physiology turned on.
Scientific studies demonstrate confusion is displayed by local wild populations when confronted with releases of farmed butterflies.
Threats to butterflies can end up as a threat to plant life. Butterflies are major pollinators of various plants.
Captive butterfly releases confuse wild population distribution and migratory studies.
Better rituals exist. Planting pollinator gardens or trees, making donations to butterfly conservation groups, or having a musical or poetry event are fine alternatives. Butterflies are living creatures, not misguided symbolic expressions.
Karen DeBraal
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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