| Why are butterflies collected? Collecting butterflies was a way to gain information of butterflies in the past. It was also a hobby. There were private collections and scientific collections. These days, however, attitudes have changed and people have become more enlightened. Even though times are changing, there are still collectors and butterfly trade exists - you may have seen their ads online. Private collections are absolutely unnecessary, and even researchers can gain very little new information from collecting the species. This is because a great deal of scientific data is already available, and the kind of information we are missing can be best learned from observing the behaviour of butterflies. Scientific research should be made first and foremost observing live butterflies, and making use of photography. All animals that are reseached must be treated with dignity. Butterflies are killed in vast numbers Butterfly collectors want the most perfect, undamaged individuals for their collections. In practice this means usually young female butterflies. Females are also larger than males, so they are perfect for a collection. Butterflies will be killed on site, in vast number, immediately. Young female butterflies may be fertile with a large amount of eggs, but they will never reproduce. Butterfly trade results in destruction of many species Because the value of the butterflies in the market is low, the number of butterflies collected - killed - on site is vast enough to harm the population severely. Butterfly collecting is contributing to the extinction of some species. A site is raided to cover the collection costs, to pay off the "middle man", to cover whatever goes to transport, mounting, trade fairs, etc. What's more, many dealers raid the site of eggs, caterpillars and pupae. That destroys the species even faster, and a lot of dealers do it, even if it is illegal. When butterflies are killed that way, and in that extent, the ecosystem is harmed, and indirectly it affects us too. Destroying species and harming the ecosystem is detrimental, and dangerous for the habitat. There are also Butterfly Houses that raise and sell butterflies for collectors. This is harmful as well. To stay in business, they indirectly support on site collecting, and amount to the same harmful effects - destruction of habitat and species - that on site butterfly collecting has. So why do they collect, really? Butterfly collectors can be persuasive and find many reasons why they should go on collecting butterflies. They give you reasons, but none of them is intelligible. Their reasons are purely selfish: they like collecting! They don't care about the consequences. Should they be allowed to destroy species and harm the ecosystem just because they like to collect and own things? Of course not! What's more, collectors or scientists have no "right" to the butterflies, even though they try to convince everyone they do. Butterflies are a part of the nature. They belong to no one but themselves. What can you and I do? 1) For one thing, never buy one of those mounted butterflies on a frame. 2) Take a stand against butterfly collecting and butterfly trade. Say it out loud. Post it on the Internet. Talk to people. Write to a paper. Talk about it in class. Have a discussion with your teacher. You can have a brainstorm in class, or among friends/ a club or a society/ etc., and you'll find ways! Butterflies have a life. It is their own. Taina's Butterfly Page Home Photos and Information Butterfly Gardening |
| Taina's Butterfly Page Home Photos and Information Butterfly gardening Why Collecting Butterflies is Wrong and Detrimental to the Species |