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Post by nomad on Feb 26, 2015 14:57:30 GMT
Two old specimens of the endemic from Hawaii , Vanessa tameamea or the Kamehameha butterfly. There are reports that this species is declining and has become much scarcer in recent years.
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Post by xavm (Xavier) on Feb 26, 2015 16:43:20 GMT
I agree, this is a wonderful big Vanessa species.
This species is being rather scarce, hence some crazy proposals from butterflies vendors.
A nice video on carterpillar hatching:
Xavier
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jhyatt
Aurelian
Posts: 224
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by jhyatt on Nov 19, 2016 21:22:01 GMT
A friend of mine was in Hawaii about 6-7 years ago and found them fairly plentiful. I seem to recall Christoph Zoeller having them available not too long ago. J. Hyatt
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Post by jshuey on Nov 19, 2016 22:06:40 GMT
I reviewed a proposal for this butterfly last year. The gist was that it has contracted in range, and is now only found at higher altitudes. The proposal was to try and re-introduce it to sites that have been restored, in order to understand what it would take to get it back into habitats where it has not been seen in decades.
j
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Post by nomad on Nov 20, 2016 8:41:01 GMT
I believe it is a protected butterfly in Hawaii.
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jhyatt
Aurelian
Posts: 224
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by jhyatt on Nov 20, 2016 13:32:06 GMT
How time flies when you're having fun! I checked and it was over 10 years ago that someone I know reported seeing them in numbers in a moderately developed area. Apparently they have been in decline. jh
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Post by hypanartia on Jul 7, 2018 1:00:29 GMT
I was in Hawaii five years ago. It was very easy to spot them in areas where the mamaki grew. When I was there, they were mostly at the caterpillar stage. If you see any caterpillar frass on the plant, there was a Vanessa tameamea. The problem is that the plant is not where to be found at low altitude, and high altitude only at very specific kind of soil formations. In Oahu, were found in populated areas in the slopes behind Pearl Harbor because the mamaki was there. I think people should be more worry about the conservation of the host plant than into the conservation of the butterfly. To release butterflies, just like that into the wild, like always, makes no sense. Many years ago I was in contact with someone living in Kawai that tried to introduce the butterfly in the low lands of the Island. He produce many individuals from caterpillars of the interior, but failed to establish a population there.
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Post by exoticimports on Jul 7, 2018 12:06:25 GMT
I’ve spent time in Hawaii every year for the past 25 years and see it regularly
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Post by Ed on Jul 7, 2018 14:43:00 GMT
This is a lovely species.
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wolf
Aurelian
Posts: 132
Country: Norway
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Post by wolf on Jul 9, 2018 8:28:30 GMT
Im most likely going to Hawaii next year july/august. Is this butterfly protected in Hawaii? I would like to collect when im there.
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Post by nomad on Jul 9, 2018 15:37:56 GMT
"The Pulelehua Project website features a map of all of the sightings, which are automatically updated as new observations are submitted and confirmed. Like all native wildlife in Hawai‘i, the Kamehameha butterfly is protected by law and collecting the species is not allowed without a state permit. For that reason, the website will show sightings by region but not specific locations." from the link below. manoa.hawaii.edu/kaunana/the-kamehameha-butterfly-is-declining-and-needs-the-publics-help/
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