25 January 2024 , 13:41
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An emerging trend for releasing butterflies at weddings, christenings, and funerals is facing huge backlash from experts. The insects, believed to be symbolic of 'new beginnings and new life', have become a popular choice for many couples getting married.
The beautiful creatures are kept in a box for "mass release" or even in an individual envelope sometimes, and when prompted, are thrown into the air for entertainment. However, the reality is that they rarely survive. In many cases, the winged insects die before the event, and many are calling for the practice to be banned.
A debate erupted on social media when a future bride raised the topic. Posting in a wedding planning Facebook group she asked what others thought of the "beautiful" trend, but she was soon met with a negative response. "This is probably one of the grossest wedding ideas I've seen to date," blasted one person in the comments. "This should be illegal," someone else said, adding it was "horrible". Others shared there are often "truly awful" outcomes for the insects trapped inside which are often "starved or dehydrated" before being released.
There are many companies in the UK offering the service, with the costs ranging from £235 for 100 Painted Lady butterflies. In addition to this breed, many also sell wanderer butterflies, also known as monarch butterflies, as their orange-brown with black wing veins look visually striking - especially when seen flying.
The trend to release the insects at weddings has grown in popularity (MediaNews Group via Getty Images)
The butterflies are often stored in flat boxes and die as a result (Getty Images for ACM)"As an organization, we don't support it. It's not very humane," a spokesperson from Bribie Island Butterfly House told Yahoo News. "If they're not transported correctly, it results in a very high mortality rate, which is not very humane.
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Andrew, from Southern Cross University, agreed the trend is "weird" and problematic, not just for the safety of animals but for the environment. He also confirmed that "it does cause pain to the insect" and even though they're "migrating" butterflies a change of environment can be harmful.
"I would anticipate that most of the individuals released aren't going to survive because they're in a very different environment to where they were actually reared," he explained.
"There's also the potential for them not to perform as well as you'd expect because they haven't been acclimatized," he added. "It's like if we go from being an air-conditioned room out into 38-degree heat, we get that really big impact. And for insects that can just kill them straight away."
Animal Welfare group PETA also condemns the idea saying butterflies are "]often flattened and sealed in envelopes or tiny boxes and then shipped over long distances". "Many are crushed or die from exposure before they even reach their destination," it says on its website.