[Pollinator] Distribution of Live Monarchs - bad or benign?

[Sharon Browder]

>Hi Folks,
>
>I haven't posted before, but I am a biologist who is interested in 
>pollinator conservation and I try to support this through my landscape 
>design and consulting business as well as my children's school.  I 
>recently received some information regarding free distribution of 
>butterflies and milkweed to schools across the nation from the Live 
>Monarch Foundation http://www.livemonarch.org/.  I would like to know if 
>these efforts are supported by any real science.  In casual discourse with 
>those truly involved with butterfly conservation, I have been led to 
>believe that random introductions of captive butterflies into a local gene 
>pool is more likely to cause negative effects by spreading disease and 
>interjecting genes from distant population.  Can anyone supply information 
>on whether or not this program is likely to be damaging?  I don't want to 
>distribute the information or support this if it is.  On the other hand, 
>if it seems benign from a population standpoint, I wouldn't mind getting 
>kids more interested in butterflies and their host plants.  If you have 
>information on this, please contact me directly via email 
>(stonehouselandscape at earthlink.net).
>
>Thank you,
>
>Sharon Browder
>
>Sharon Browder
>Stone House Landscape Design
>P.O. Box 535
>Victor, MT  59875
>E-mail:  stonehouselandscape at earthlink.net
>Web:     http://www.stonehouselandscape.com