We do so because many Monarchs bred in captivity tend to be more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections as well as a harmful protozoan parasite. Any infected butterflies released into the environment have the potential to also infect and harm local Monarch populations. Butterflies are available for releases only during the months of March through October. We similarly restrict butterfly releases to Georgia and South Carolina only. We firmly believe that butterflies bred locally should be released locally in an environment where they can survive.
Butterflies require warm temperatures and good environmental conditions to fly.
If it is raining or the temperature is below 60 degrees F, butterflies will have considerable difficulty flying and may be severely harmed. There are however several alternatives. Often typical Southern thunderstorms or showers are heavy but brief and a few minutes here or there can often make all the difference. Gently open up the envelope and coax the butterfly onto a branch or other structure where it can safely rest until the rain stops. In the wild, butterflies typically seek shelter from inclement weather within vegetation.