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Post by Paul K on Dec 20, 2015 2:40:57 GMT
I remember Fred Gerrits (Australia) had a specimen of nominate callima in his collection. Perhaps someone should apply for a job at one of these mines and collect Delias in their spare time. If that would be myself I would work for the mining company in my spare time Paul
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cyane
New Aurelian
Posts: 14
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Post by cyane on Dec 20, 2015 5:29:02 GMT
Re decoying Delias etc : In the Blue Mountains of NSW, Australia the males of D harpalyce can be brought down from the treetops where they patrol by wrapping a piece of white paper in a small stone and throwing it up in front of them. They swoop after it as it falls back to earth. If you're quick enough with your net you may catch it, but you only get one swing. I've never seen females of D harpalyce flying an apparently set path as the males do. Both male and female will come down to feed at various flowering shrubs and small trees. Again in the Blue Mountains D nysa males and females can be found feeding at the flowers of the large shrub/small tree known as the "Mint Bush" (probably Prostanthera lasianthos). I've also seen males and females feeding at Buddleia (in fact I once caught a male at Buddleia in my garden, although god knows where it came from). In the Solomon Islands I went to Tatamba on Santa Isabel specifically to look for D schoenbergi isabellae. At about 8am on my first morning there I caught a female fluttering in the grass at my feet. I think it had just woken up and was warming up. Generally the males flew rapidly in a straight line along a ridge top at tree top height. There is a large clearing on the ridge top above Tatamba, apparently there was once a prison here. All that remains are a flight of steps about 6 foot high. I stood on top of these steps with a flexible thin branch maybe 3 foot long. I had tied a scrap of white paper to the end of this branch and whenever I sighted a schoenbergi I wiggled it. The schoenbergi (always males) would usually zoom down to it, allowing just one swing, like the harpalyce. Female schoenbergi at Tatamba were mostly (but not commonly) seen close to sea level fluttering slowly around, presumably looking for mistletoe. At Kolomola, inland Southern Isabel, schoenbergi would come to a large flowering Ixora in a village garden where both sexes could be easily caught. David Hall
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Post by nomad on Dec 20, 2015 11:31:02 GMT
Interesting observations David, I guess if your paper stone lure also hits the ' Delias' no need for a net.
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Post by nomad on Jan 2, 2016 19:21:05 GMT
In fairly recent times but some years ago now, a Delias collector was on a weekend trip to the fair city of Paris. In Paris he decided to pay a visit to the famous Natural History shop of Deyrolle not far from the banks of the River Seine. On entering the hallowed entomology room he pulled out the cabinet drawers, one by one. Imagine his surprise when one drawer that he pulled out contained several rows of the rare D. bornemanni. They were not perfect, some with antennae damage or chips in their wings. However, none had data but it was a rarity he could not resist and he bought a few. Those Paris D. bornemanni looked very old, perhaps he thought, they came from Meek, but he is usually known to have placed data on his specimens.
I am afraid, that it is no good rushing off there today to see if any of these treasures remain, for in 2008 the whole Deyrolle building was sadly gutted by fire and all of its entomological historical specimens were destroyed along with its famous taxidermy exhibits. On hearing of this tragedy, kindly collectors from around the World rallied to help Deyrolle and they later reopened to the public.
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 2, 2016 22:26:24 GMT
That's a lucky man !!! I confirm there is no more Delias bornemanni for sale in Deyrolle, they don't sell rarities anymore. Their customers come for the beautiful insect displays, not for rare insects.
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Post by nomad on Jan 3, 2016 12:41:07 GMT
A Meek specimen of the nominate, Delias Kummeri.
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