RE: Regal moths

[Deroplatys]

Generattions down the line and you do manage to breed a large surplus of them, do you think they ever have a chance of being exported to the UK?
We have Robin moths in culture over here but Regal moths would be a nice addition

I think that would be a very bad idea.

Why exactly?
We already have Robin moths in culture here, their from the USA the last time i checked...

You want to risk having an alien species take hold in foreign ecosystems? haven't we seen enough of that?

You may have but i dont think how importing a few regal moths into a captive culture is going to do any harm, people have been breeding USA species of moths over here for years, some lucky few have already kept regal moths, is every time the was a risk of introducing species into the wild this hobby would have zero species :/

 

[Travis K]

A know a guy that could talk your ear off with examples, the Chief Entomologist of the Pest Program/Plant Protection Division - Washington State Department of Agriculture. He and I were having a conversation about invasive species in Washington State and I think there are somethings that ought to not be allowed if they can gain a foot hold in non-native environments especially flying insects.

But yeah you have a point. There wouldn't be very many species available for a lot of people.

 

[DITB]

i loled when i saw it really was taken to another thread

 

[Travis K]

i loled when i saw it really was taken to another thread

Me too, but I have been mulling this issue over in my head about this kind of stuff since starting this journey - http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1056&start=0

Needless to say I am not sure where I stand with this issue ATM. All I know(think) for sure is that if a person has a species alive in there collection which could pose a threat to invading said persons area/environment then extreme caution needs to be exercised to not allow contamination of alien species which 'may' become invasive.

The Chief Entomologist for WA States Agro. Dept. was telling me about alien fire ants in Seattle, the Spotted Wing Fruit Fly (Drosophila suzukii), and 'Event Butterflies". The Event butterflies for example are typical South East species from N. America and are not found naturally in WA State, but have a very real potential of greatly disturbing native wild butterflies. They are let go at weddings and such to look pretty, and technically they must obtain a permit to do so but because it is considered a positive revenue for state businesses WDFW will not attempt to do anything about it. Same with D. suzukii, it's a horribly invasive species that ought to be getting a lot of attention but because it does not really affect commercial growers the State is sort of turning a blind eye to the problem which will end up effecting just about every back yard grower as well as the small organic farms in the state.

And IF a hobbyist entomologist was to intentionally or unintentionally have something get out and disturb an ecosystem it could spell bad news for people like us. Really I was probably just over reacting with getting worked up over the whole thing.