Online Butterfly Sales Causes A Flutter In Hong Kong

The Covid-19 pandemic has left very little untouched in Hong Kong. But now it seems the impact of the virus is being felt even by the butterflies in Hong Kong.

Environmentalists say they’re concerned about a new trend in the city, as some parents – many of them eager to keep their children entertained – would purchase caterpillars and raise butterflies at home.

The CEO of Environmental Association, Yau Wing-kwong, said as many parents are hard pressed to keep the kids occupied, the idea of making the look after a butterfly larvae is taking wings in the city.

Offers of larvae sale have popped up in the social media, with some saying these have been collected from the wild.

Yau said it is being offered at HK$100 to HK$200 per larvae and some parents think it is a good idea.

“They think it maybe a good thing to do to learn about the biodiversity and also to learn about how the butterflies emerge from the larvae,” he said.

Yau said this is unethical as it is like taking a baby away as the caterpillar is being taken away from where it was born.

He also said even if they manage to hatch them, the life of the butterfly will be affected as it will be in a concrete jungle, away from trees and environments it needs.

The expert said if this trend becomes popular and more larvae gets taken away from its natural surroundings, it will have a significant impact on the environment also. He also warned parents who buy them that some of the leaves these creatures feed on can be poisonous to humans

Yau told RTHK's Priscilla Ng that he will urge the lawmakers to find a way to control the sale of such things over the internet as the existing regulations are outdated.