One concern is an artificial change in butterfly phenotype and genotype in a large group of bugs raised by the industry. Darwinian selection is harsh for insects in general. Selection is also an ongoing process. Mass butterfly populations raised under ideal circumstances are likely going to be a little different genetically than butterflies that have survived predation on their eggs, pupae and adults. That should not matter much for backyard breeders, but the industry produces large numbers of butterflies for release. Spread of genes and gene-regulation mechanisms from industrial, mass-produced butterflies may have some negative fitness impact on the wild bugs they impregnate. Getting away from butterflies, one can read of problems with farm-raised fish escaping to spread disease and altered genotypes to wild populations. Consider, also, that a cactus raised from seed in a greenhouse is going to present a different phenotype and probably will have different patterns of gene regulation than a plant that succeeds in sprouting and surviving in a desert venue. Cactus collectors used to buy field plants in some numbers because they look so distinctive; hopefully a conservation ethic has persuaded many hobbyists to buy commercially raised plants or to sprout their own from seed. Summing up, I think the large commercial butterfly operations probably will do some long-term harm to the species they raise and sell.

We use gatorade. I forget which flavor is the favorite but anything except the citrus flavors. I also use a honey water. Just not raw honey, or boil it, due to the bacteria. I put a puddle on a plate, take a large needle, grasp a monarch and unwind the proboscis into the puddle. Usually once the proboscis is in the puddle I can let go and the butterfly will sit there and feed. you have to have a non-slip surface though, like a paper towel for them to sit on. Once they I have done this once or twice with them, they learn and feed from the plates themselves. We have pipevine swallowtails come out really early before we have any annuals planted and they learn to use the plates. Cheers, Elisabeth

Bernergirl, Sounds like the migration has come to your neck of the woods. I'm hoping my Monarchs head for Mexico and I get a whole bunch of migrating Monarchs coming through! I can only remember a couple of migrations where the butterflies descended out of the heavens in numbers that were mind boggling and lit on every nectar plant in the garden. We haven't had a spectacular migration in at least 4 or 5 years. It's about time for us to have one again. Last year I had to use binoculars to actually see the migrating Monarchs, they were so high in the sky. They didn't stop at all. Are you tagging this year? Sandy

Oh my gosh! Those numbers are incredible! We released our first today and it was such a rush. hadn't intended to raise one. But I'd been outside about to pull up my milkweed because I hadn't seen a single Monarch. When I bent over there was a Monarch cat eating away.....and only 4 inches away was a black swallowtail cat in the clutches of some bug that was sucking it's guts out. So I had to save it! Dell