Butterflies detained at border for possession of milkweed - The Beaverton

Butterflies detained at border for possession of milkweed

LUBBOCK, TX – The annual migration patterns have been interrupted for a group of 50 monarch , who were detained at the US-Mexico border for suspected possession of controlled substances.

A brief magnifying glass search revealed the suspects were attempting smuggle in milkweed that wasn’t purchased in the US past border security.

“It was really a standard procedure.” says US Customs Officer Daniel Houtzer. “We noticed a few of the butterflies flying a little funny, so we got out our security net, caught a few of them, and gave them a look over.”

Houtzer also stated that the proudest moment for him was using the giant net, which he originally purchased to capture illegal immigrants, and has been waiting for an excuse to use. However, the mass arrest has led to outcry from naturalists, and animal/criminal rights lawyer Kara Creston is currently seeking legal action on the insects’ behalf.

“There is a good degree of certainty that some of those butterflies needed that milkweed for medical reasons, like consumption” Creston said in a recent press release. “Also, the conditions of the holding jar they were placed in were well below standards. They didn’t even have holes in the lid so they could breathe, let alone a twig or something. The border authorities are also refusing to acknowledge the butterflies triple citizenship.”

At press time, border security officers were interrogating the butterflies to learn the name of their dealer. The milkweed possession charges are the most severe placed on a butterfly since a Swallowtail in China was suspected of causing several tornadoes in the American Midwest.