|
Post by trehopr1 on Jul 31, 2017 21:01:39 GMT
I have from time to time wondered how many of us actually take up the net and get out to the field. I understand that work, chores, family commitments, and even poor health preclude many from having their private time to re-charge their passion. However, I sincerely hope that most can manage some measure of time to be your true self --- a naturalist. I sometimes find myself wishing I had all the un-fettered time in the world which I had as a kid for such endeavors. But, alas adulthood and responsibility came along; adventure and on hands learning has taken a back seat to everything else. Still, the force within remains restless especially in winter and spring so I make it a point to push myself to get out at least 4 or 5 times a summer to be myself; hell or high water. I even set out the Merc. Vap. Light here and there to see not only what comes in but, to enjoy a couple of cold beers and learn of butterfly collecting history thru Nomad's many articles.
|
|
|
Post by mygos on Aug 1, 2017 7:29:46 GMT
For the last 2 years, I am in the field with my camera (no net any more) almost every day. I have the luck to own a large property with a lot of biodiversity. If I don't go out to find a new butterfly, fly or beetle, to take a nice shot, I miss it very much. The same as my Gin and tonic in the evening ...
A+, Michel
|
|
|
Post by nomad on Aug 1, 2017 9:45:32 GMT
Being Britain, No net except for identification, as all the rich sites are mostly Nature reserves. I get out as much as possible but the weather is poor at the moment, the jet stream is to the south of the UK when it should be to the north. I was out and about yesterday, exploring the Oxfordshire fenland. I tend to spend the whole day at the sites I visit. No dashing about in the car from car park to car park, a few hours here and there. I use exclusively public transport, which means I get to use my legs, a nice walk across the fields, woods, downland etc to my destination. I am thankful someone enjoys my articles
|
|
|
Post by Adam Cotton on Aug 1, 2017 13:40:04 GMT
I am thankful someone enjoys my articles Lots of people enjoy your superb articles and photos. As for me, I used to go into the field to collect a lot (I made 17 trips to Laos between 2005 and 2008 mostly about 20 days each) but health problems and then the birth of my son in 2010 followed by recent serious financial issues have currently put paid to any collecting trips. Adam.
|
|
|
Post by nomihoudai on Aug 1, 2017 15:11:00 GMT
The last time I was out collecting was February 2016...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2017 15:37:32 GMT
I get out as much as time and health will allow, not always easy but I'm not the kind of person who is satisfied with just the cheque book method, I try and retain the enthusiasm that I had as a boy with no money, homemade equipment and a lot more energy, after all it's being out in the field as a youngster, pre internet and ebay, that got most of us started, and for me nothing replaces the joy of being out in a wood or field seeing the butterflies and moths alive, in nature, waiting through the long winter months for spring to arrive, whatever your joy, be it collecting, photography, breeding, life is too short to waste time, do it.
|
|
|
Post by nomad on Aug 2, 2017 8:57:14 GMT
nothing replaces the joy of being out in a wood or field seeing the butterflies I quite agree, only two months left of our Summer and it is pretty miserable at the moment. The best months for insects, June and July have rushed by, so hopefully August will be better. I am quite pleased with my insect tally this year, I have found some new and interesting things, with lots more to show here to brighten those winter days.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2017 11:15:25 GMT
and this south Yorkshire speciality
|
|
|
Post by miguel on Aug 2, 2017 12:03:59 GMT
I use to go to the field 10-15 days of the year,I´m waiting for tomorrow that I´ll go to look for Zygaena ignífera and Erebia zapateri.
|
|
ciervo
Aurelian
Posts: 161
Country: Australia
|
Post by ciervo on Aug 2, 2017 22:34:12 GMT
I used to plan for days and go for months. Now i plan for months and go for days.
New responsibilities and priorities have turned things around so much.
|
|
|
Post by neominois on Aug 2, 2017 23:56:36 GMT
I get out to collect as much as I can. Not as much as I would like, but I collect every season.
This year I spent three weeks in Germany for my job and got out to collect on three occasions, one excursion into the Alps and the other two in the Dachau area.
Once home I drove up into the mountains on a trip to collect some Colorado alpine species, as they are my favorite, one successful trip, one rained out trip. I have also light-trapped several times here in Colorado this summer.
Last week my daughter and I made a two day trip to collect in Arizona, down at the Pena Blanca Campground near Nogales. We had success on the first night, then got heavy rains the second.
All in all, I love collecting and get out as much as possible.
|
|
|
Post by Adam Cotton on Aug 6, 2017 14:12:47 GMT
In case everyone got the wrong impression from my previous post in this thread, I do occasionally go into the field. Every Sunday afternoon I take my 6 year old son out, and yesterday he said he wanted to go to the mountains to catch some butterflies, so that's what we did today. The weather wasn't ideal, but we went to Thep Sadet, about 1 1/2 hours NE of Chiang Mai and here's some proof: There weren't many butterflies flying, I caught 4 of these puddling at the edge of a stream and also saw a male P. paris and helenus but they didn't stop for a drink. We did see 2 females of Troides aeacus along the roadside as we were driving back. Adam.
|
|
|
Post by Paul K on Aug 6, 2017 21:12:49 GMT
Beautiful Lamproptera meges ... oh man I miss that place.
Paul
|
|
|
Post by trehopr1 on Aug 6, 2017 22:53:55 GMT
Bravo Adam, on spending quality time with your son in such a way. It helps to free your mind of adult issues for a little while and instills an appreciation for nature (with your son) which may last a lifetime. To this day, I remember quite vividly an outing my dad took me on when I was only 8 years old. He was a railroad worker who sighted a tall stand of sunflowers along this set of seldom used tracks. He brought me there one morning in September and told me to bring my net; he had to show me something. We stopped the car near the site and walked down the tracks 1/8 mile. A monarch migration was passing through and all over the sunflowers hundreds and hundreds of monarchs were to be seen pollinating the flowers for their long trip.
|
|
|
Post by Adam Cotton on Aug 7, 2017 8:51:05 GMT
Beautiful Lamproptera meges ... oh man I miss that place. Paul It's still there and looking good. Sadly there weren't any of the flowering shrubs in the forest up the hill that I expected there would be at this time of year, as I was hoping to catch some females of P. nephelus or helenus to take down to my farm to breed. Late July and early August is the best chance to catch females because these shrubs tend to flower now. Unfortunately there weren't any of these plants on the hillside at all, which surprised me. Here's a snapshot of my son with the view of the mountains and forest so people can see the scenery: Adam.
|
|