Q- Does touching a butterfly's or a moth's wing hurt it? 

A- No. Some scales may fall off, but it will not injure it. Lepidopterans lose scales every day. 

Q-Is collecting bad? 

A- Some people are vehemently against collecting. However, collecting responsibly is not bad. Insects reproduce at a tremendous rate. Collecting is not a cause of depletion. Still, it is not a good idea to collect tons of females and especially not isolated populations of endangered species. 

Q-Can I obtain tropical lepidoptera/insects in the US? 

A-Importing foreign insects violates the law. A PPQ permit is needed. 

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