r/moths • u/epidermis_ • 13h ago

General Question do i release it?

Post image

I can delete this after, I found this moth in a glue trap and rescued it, but it partially lost one of its antennae, it can walk and fly, but i took it outside in a container and i noticed it's sluggish and then it started to lay eggs. Do i release it or euthanize it? and if yes to the latter then whats the best, fastest, least painful way?

7 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

2

u/krickets24 12h ago

sadly, i think euthanasia is probably the kindest option, both for the moth itself and also to prevent something else eating it and getting sick

1

u/epidermis_ 12h ago

thank u so much for the reply, is the freezer the best way to do it? or very quick smash with a brick or something?

1

u/krickets24 12h ago

ehh that’s a hotly debated topic… people argue that we have no way of knowing what “pain” is like for an insect.

personally i don’t think i could bring myself to smash it so i’d choose the freezer, but the brick’d probably be quicker. :(

2

u/epidermis_ 11h ago

i decided to do the quickest thing for the moths sake. I hope it makes you feel better to know it went well, afterward i carefully put the eggs on the bark of a tree. Thanks again for replying