Information About
Releasing Butterflies in the U.S.
Page last updated 09/03/2007
| Note: Click HERE for information about sending butterflies to Canada and the United Kingdom.
If you wish to release butterflies at your wedding or other special event, you have the choice of utilizing butterflies that occur naturally in your state, or ordering certain butterflies to be shipped to you from an out-of-state, commercial butterfly farm that is permitted by the USDA. Below is information that will guide you in selecting butterflies that are legal for release where you live. Interstate Transport of Butterflies for Release to the Environment
Interstate Transport of Butterflies for Release to the Environment Interstate transport of butterflies is governed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA has ruled that only nine butterfly species may be moved across state lines for release, and then only to certain states. In addition, for some species USDA have further divided release permissions by sub-species; for example, Western Monarchs may not be released east of the Continental Divide(1). In all allowed cases a USDA release permit is required. See the chart below to see which butterflies can be shipped in from out of state and released where you live. If you have questions or wish to speak with an expert regarding possible butterfly shipment violations, please contact: Dr. Wayne Wehling, USDA Click HERE for advice from Wayne Wehling of USDA.
To find out which butterflies occur naturally in your state, go to http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/map and click on your state on the map. These butterflies can be purchased from a butterfly farm in your state and released within the same state. USDA permits are not required to ship indigenous butterflies inside the state lines where they occur naturally. However, you should check with your state permitting contact to see if there are any special local requirements.
Click HERE for a table of IBBA members who breed butterflies commercially for release.
Click HERE to see photos of the nine USDA-approved butterfly species that can be shipped to you* from out-of-state, commercial butterfly farms. (* if allowed in your state - see table below.) The table below shows the nine species and the states in which they may be released. In the table a 'Y' indicates that this species / sub-species may be transported into this state for release, assuming that the shipper has the necessary USDA permits. (Puerto Rico: see note above.) In all other cases it is ILLEGAL to ship butterflies interstate for release.
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