jhyatt
Aurelian
Posts: 224
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by jhyatt on Jan 17, 2016 15:58:20 GMT
I wonder: Are there many collectors out there who share my penchant for specimens that are not perfect?
I know some collectors who reject any specimen which isn't "scale-perfect", as the saying goes. I have seen and admire such beautiful collections, but personally I have no problem whatsoever with collecting damaged specimens. In fact, I'd much prefer to have an old birdwing with that typical forewing edge wear and tattering, than a fresh captive-bred example. I collect wild butterflies, not farm animals.
A worn or nicked specimen with good data is, to my mind, just a valuable as any other. It shows what was flying at a given time and place, not inside a farmer's rearing cage. And of course if I'm buying or trading, accepting obviously flown specimens generally effects a significant economy!
Of course I have a lot of perfect specimens in my collection, and if I'm in an area where something is abundant and I have the luxury of catching a lot of examples (for myself or for exchange), I'll keep only the good-looking ones. But if I'm lucky enough to stumble across a rarity, I'm happy to put it in my collection no matter what shape it's in.
Does anyone else share my odd predilection?
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 17, 2016 16:08:53 GMT
This will be my answer from my collection :
Some would have neglected the left specimen... well it is a rare form rectimargo of Delias pheres, nearly absent of all Delias collection ! I caught it in the Baliem Valley of West Papua in 2009.
I am like you, I prefer B- specimens with collecting data than A1+ without data. But of course, I have nothing against A1 specimens with collecting data !
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jan 17, 2016 16:41:15 GMT
I am also happy to have very poor quality specimens (especially with good data). Obviously A1 or close (with data) is best, but for the rarer taxa or from unusual localities then even C grade specimens are valuable in their own right.
Adam.
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Post by bobw on Jan 17, 2016 17:47:46 GMT
Anyone who collects for genuine scientific reasons would agree with your views.
Bob
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Post by deliasfanatic on Jan 17, 2016 18:45:43 GMT
Agreed, of course. All other things being equal, I'll choose the specimen that's in better condition, but I have no qualms about keeping damaged specimens with scientific interest. Some, I'm sure, would be appalled at some of my rare dardanus female forms!
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Post by trehopr1 on Jan 17, 2016 21:00:06 GMT
When it comes to wild collecting butterflies we are all pretty much left to the whims of good or bad fortune in securing really nice examples. And like all of you I accept the best I can get but, I am willing to expand somewhat the parameters of my picky nature to accept unusual, seldom seen, or otherwise tough finds for the sake of a record. Now when it comes to purchasing anything that I can't self collect I'm pretty strict with my standards. I am a collector of modest means and I place a high value on the labor it's taken me to save up for specimens. I seek out only A1 quality and I have no problem passing over anything less (in my eyes). I accept the fact that there are things out there (even commonplace) that I may never own because I just can't find a good enough example. But, that's ok because it's a big hobby, there are a lot of choices, and I'd rather own a smaller collection of fine material than a large collection of fair material. I suppose it's because I feel that my collection is the one thing in my life I can control --- and little else.
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Post by nomad on Jan 18, 2016 18:26:47 GMT
I expect every collector would like A1 perfect specimens in their collection. If you collect Delias that is usually not possible, all are nearly flight caught, so being on the wing and feeding they might show flight wear. No one has discovered any of the life histories of the mountain Delias. You must remember butterflies are living things, they are not stamps of coins, nor will they rarely be mint. I do like as good as specimens as I can obtain and will pay the higher prices for better specimens, I do not buy A2 because they are cheaper. However, if I was offered an A2 specimen of a species that I was unlikely to get again, I would probably buy that. The data is important to me. I see that most of the Delias sold today by dealers and including those on ebay has very little data, just the date and Island or country, no locality or altitude details at all. A bit of a poor show really.
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Post by cabintom on Jan 18, 2016 21:06:39 GMT
I've previously posted a picture of this specimen somewhere on one of these forums. Someone at the time, justifiably, called it a "rag". Bebearia plistonax (female) Caught 1/III/2014 Along banks of the Tumani River, near the village of Mbogi, Ituri, DRC (1°41'N, 30°07'E) 1250m I was standing near the edge of the river, which was rather fast flowing. The ground along that stretch of the river was a mixture of gravel and mud, which attracted a lot of butterflies, and was also quite flat, which made capturing the mud-puddlers fairly simple. The one draw back to the spot were the numerous holes littered everywhere that had been dug into the ground by the village boys/men who panned for gold in the river... but you can't blame them for trying to earn a living. Anyways, the river banks were perhaps 15 feet wide before the dense wall of the jungle rose out of the ground. Frequently various species more accustomed to staying beneath the canopy would rush from out of this vegetation to dash directly across the river into the safety of the forest on the other side. If you were lucky, you might get one swipe of the net at these guys. It was far more productive to wait for those which came settle on the dirt nearby. At the time I caught this specimen, I was fairly focused on the ground searching for something new among the various mud-puddlers, when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and swung at the large fast-moving butterfly. This is what I found in my net: So far it's my only specimen of the species... so I'm holding on to it. I'm also surprised that I so vividly remember catching it... Incidentally, I'm hoping to return to that spot next weekend. Hopefully, my plans work out.
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Post by nomad on Jan 18, 2016 21:15:29 GMT
I do find it amazing that a butterfly can fly in that condition, but they do, I have seen that for myself.
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Post by Paul K on Jan 19, 2016 2:29:28 GMT
...and sometimes I release specimen with small chip or scratch on the wing. Seeing your example Tom I think I should start to be less picky .
Paul PS I released few A1- specimen with plans to find perfect one and according to books the species should be common but so far I have never find another even A2.
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Post by cabintom on Jan 19, 2016 4:37:05 GMT
I released few A1- specimen with plans to find perfect one and according to books the species should be common but so far I have never find another even A2. That's why I almost always keep the first specimen of a species that I capture. From there I "upgrade" until I'm satisfied with my series.
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