Live butterflies are not a good match for June weddings
The month of June is fast approaching. Many a love-struck couple schedules their nuptials during that month, which is traditionally devoted to such things.
I applaud those persons that strive to make their wedding ceremonies ecofriendly. An increasingly popular wedding ceremonial event is to have all of the participants do an outdoor release of captive-bred, live butterflies. Although this practice would, on the face of it, appear to be nonoffensive and of no particular significance, I am of the opinion that it would be wise to refrain from doing this.
Some prominent scientists have called into question the dangers that are inherent in willy-nilly releasing of farm-raised butterflies into the environment. The charge is that there is the potential of introducing butterfly-specific diseases into butterfly populations where those disease do not currently exist.
In addition to that, the scientists question the wisdom of putting new sources of unique butterfly genetic material into wild butterfly communities where those specific genes do not currently exist.
It’s not my intention to pour cold water on your parade. In order to mollify the negative tone of this article, I’ll take this opportunity to offer up an alternative: The wedded couple could gift each of the wedding ceremony participants a potted live plant for them to take home with them. If that’s judged to be far too pricey an undertaking, you might want to make the gifts something like a packet of native plant seeds. I am fond of the plant called “butterfly weed.” The one that is native to central Oklahoma is Asclepias tuberosa.
Thank you, in advance, for striving to do something good for the environment at your upcoming wedding.