Which Butterflies can be Released Where?

Choices

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

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:

Wayne Wehling, PhD
Senior Entomologist
USDA APHIS PPQ
Pest Permitting Branch
Wayne.F.Wehling@APHIS.USDA.GOV

Releasing Butterflies that Occur Naturally in Your State

To find out which butterflies occur naturally in your state, go to https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/checklists 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.

Finding an IBBA Butterfly Breeder in your Area

Click HERE for a table of IBBA members who breed butterflies commercially for release.

Butterfly Release Chart

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.

Original data in this table is based on the: USDA-APHIS Butterfly Environmental Release Decision Chart (Version 11) April 2012.

Click here to view the Xerces Society policy on butterfly releases.

A – I Gulf Fritillary Monarch(1) Zebra Longwing(3) Giant Swallowtail Mourning Cloak Eastern Black Swallowtail Red Admiral Painted Lady American Painted Lady A – I Latin Name: Agraulis vanillae Danaus plexippus Heliconius charitonius Papilio cresphontes Nymphalis antiopa Papilio polyxenes Vanessa atalanta Vanessa cardui Vanessa virginiensis :Latin Name Sub-species:   West East Tuckeri(3) Vazquezae(3)             :Sub-species Alabama Y   Y Y   Y   Y Y Y Y Alabama Alaska             Y   Y Y Y Alaska Arizona Y N(5)       Y Y   Y Y Y Arizona Arkansas Y   Y     Y Y   Y Y Y Arkansas California Y Y         Y   Y Y Y California Colorado   Y(1) Y(1)       Y Y Y Y Y Colorado Conneticut     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Conneticut DC Y   Y       Y   Y Y Y DC Delaware     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Delaware Florida(2) Y   Y Y       Y Y Y Y Florida(2) Georgia Y   Y Y   Y   Y Y Y Y Georgia (Guam)                       (Guam) Hawaii                       Hawaii Idaho   Y         Y   Y Y Y Idaho Illinois Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Illinois Indiana Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Indiana Iowa Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Iowa K – N Gulf Fritillary Monarch(1) Zebra Longwing(3) Giant Swallowtail Mourning Cloak Eastern Black Swallowtail Red Admiral Painted Lady American Painted Lady K – N Latin Name: Agraulis vanillae Danaus plexippus Heliconius charitonius Papilio cresphontes Nymphalis antiopa Papilio polyxenes Vanessa atalanta Vanessa cardui Vanessa virginiensis :Latin Name Sub-species:   West East Tuckeri(3) Vazquezae(3)             :Sub-species Kansas Y   Y       Y Y Y Y Y Kansas Kentucky Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Kentucky Louisana Y   Y   Y Y   Y Y Y Y Louisana Maine     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Maine Maryland Y   Y       Y   Y Y Y Maryland Massachusetts     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Massachusetts Michigan     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Michigan Minnesota     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Minnesota Mississippi Y   Y   Y Y   Y Y Y Y Mississippi Missouri Y   Y     Y Y   Y Y Y Missouri Montana             Y   Y Y   Montana Nebraska Y   Y       Y Y Y Y Y Nebraska Nevada   Y(5)         Y   Y Y Y Nevada New Hampshire     Y       Y Y Y Y Y New Hampshire New Jersey     Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y New Jersey New Mexico Y Y(1) Y(1)     Y Y Y Y   Y New Mexico New York(2)     Y       Y Y Y Y Y New York(2) North Carolina Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y North Carolina North Dakota     Y       Y   Y Y Y North Dakota O – W Gulf Fritillary Monarch(1) Zebra Longwing(3) Giant Swallowtail Mourning Cloak Eastern Black Swallowtail Red Admiral Painted Lady American Painted Lady O – W Latin Name: Agraulis vanillae Danaus plexippus Heliconius charitonius Papilio cresphontes Nymphalis antiopa Papilio polyxenes Vanessa atalanta Vanessa cardui Vanessa virginiensis :Latin Name Sub-species:   West East Tuckeri(3) Vazquezae(3)             :Sub-species Ohio Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Ohio Oklahoma Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Oklahoma Oregon   Y         Y   Y Y Y Oregon Pennsylvania N(5)   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Pennsylvania (Puerto Rico(4))                       (Puerto Rico(4)) Rhode Island     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Rhode Island South Carolina Y   Y Y   Y   Y Y Y Y South Carolina South Dakota     Y       Y Y Y Y Y South Dakota Tennessee Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Tennessee Texas Y   Y   Y Y   Y Y Y Y Texas Utah   Y         Y   Y Y Y Utah Vermont     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Vermont Virginia Y   Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y Virginia (Virgin Islands)                       (Virgin Islands) Washington(2)   Y         Y   Y Y   Washington(2) West Virginia     Y     Y Y Y Y Y Y West Virginia Wisconsin     Y       Y Y Y Y Y Wisconsin Wyoming   Y(1) Y(1)       Y   Y Y Y Wyoming Sub-species:   West East Tuckeri(3) Vazquezae(3)             :Sub-species Latin Name: Agraulis vanillae Danaus plexippus Heliconius charitonius Papilio cresphontes Nymphalis antiopa Papilio polyxenes Vanessa atalanta Vanessa cardui Vanessa virginiensis :Latin Name   Gulf Fritillary Monarch(1) Zebra Longwing(3) Giant Swallowtail Mourning Cloak Eastern Black Swallowtail Red Admiral Painted Lady American Painted Lady   State: A – I K – N O – W Note 1. Monarchs may not be transported across the Continental Divide. The Divide passes through four states: Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Click HERE for a map showing the approximate course of the Divide through these states.   Note 2. State has additional requirements. Make sure all documentation is complete. A contact list for individual state authorities is provided HERE. For New York release policy, refer to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). NYSDEC policy was revised in 2008 – further information can be found in the Permitting Corner. Note 3. The two subspecies of the Zebra Longwing are very similar in appearance. Click HERE to find out how to distinguish between them. (Information provided by Dale Clark)   Note 4. USDA does not permit continental U.S. farmers to send butterflies to Puerto Rico. However, a Puerto Rican butterfly farmer may raise and release native species within Puerto Rico. Note 5. Policy Change: Ref. USDA-APHIS Butterfly Environmental Release Decision Chart (Version 11) April 2012   The Nine USDA-approved Butterfly Species Gulf Fritillary Monarch Zebra Longwing Giant Swallowtail Mourning Cloak Red Admiral Painted Lady American Painted Lady   Eastern Black Swallowtail (male) Eastern Black Swallowtail (female)   [ Photographs © Oscar Gutierrez, David Liebman, Edith Smith, Paul Chesterfield ]

Note: Click HERE for information about sending butterflies to Canada and the United Kingdom.

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