USDA Information About Releasing Butterflies in the
U.S.
Page last updated June 2008
Information from the Internatiuonal Butterfly Breeders Association
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.
|
Butterfly Release Chart for Flutterby Gardens
The table below shows the six species
raised by Flutterby Gardens 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
|
|
Gulf
Fritillary |
|
|
Giant
Swallowtail |
Eastern Black
Swallowtail |
Painted Lady |
Latin Name: |
Agraulis
vanillae |
Danaus
plexippus |
Heliconius
charitonius |
Papilio
cresphontes |
Papilio
polyxenes |
Cynthia
cardui |
Sub-species: |
|
West |
East |
|
|
|
|
|
| Alabama |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Alaska |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Arizona |
Y |
|
|
|
|
Y |
|
Y |
| Arkansas |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
|
Y |
| California |
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Colorado |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Conneticut |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| DC |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Delaware |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Florida(2) |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Georgia |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Hawaii |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Idaho |
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Illinois |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Indiana |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Iowa |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Kansas |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Kentucky |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Louisana |
Y |
|
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Maine |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Maryland |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Massachusetts |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Michigan |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Minnesota |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Mississippi |
Y |
|
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Missouri |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
|
Y |
| Montana |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Nebraska |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Nevada |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| New Hampshire |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| New Jersey |
|
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| New Mexico |
Y |
|
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
|
| New York(2) |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| North Carolina |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| North Dakota |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Ohio |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Oklahoma |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Oregon |
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Pennsylvania |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Rhode Island |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| South Carolina |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| South Dakota |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Tennessee |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Texas |
Y |
|
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Utah |
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| Vermont |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Virginia |
Y |
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| (Virgin Islands) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Washington(2) |
|
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
| West Virginia |
|
|
Y |
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Wisconsin |
|
|
Y |
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
| Wyoming |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
|
|
