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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 25, 2016 2:06:31 GMT
My suggestion is to first brace pin the body of your weevil so it does not move. Then nicely spread out the legs as you wish and let dry for a week or two. Then get yourself a piece of file folder stock or otherwise thin but, stiff cardboard stock you can cut with scissors. Cut a rectangular piece just slightly longer and slightly wider than your specimens body. Put a droplet of elders glue in the center, let it get tacky, and then place your dried specimen on it (centering it). This is how most European collectors present their Coleoptera collections. Don't forget the data underneath on a label. To see how this looks just look to this forum on any threads featuring photos of Juvisy Paris. There you will see images of how Coleoptera look on card stock and that they are sold that way to collectors all over Europe. They really look great as all the legs, antennae, and mouthparts (palps) are easily viewable. So much better than just pushing a pin through the specimen and allowing the legs to just dangle underneath. A method used often by lazy collectors and researchers who don't want the bother of teasing out their material. They are of the type unconcerned with aesthetics. You will find that some of the Curculionidae and Tenebrionidae possess just about the toughest cuticle in the insect world. Sometimes, trying to push a pin through them actually damages them as the pin sometimes pushes through (or out) of the coxa (the 1st segment of an insect's leg). Thereby causing the leg to fall off and need repair. So un-necessary. Also, a pin can sometimes cause the elytra to buckle slightly so as to leave an unsightly gap (between the wings). Best regards
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 22, 2016 6:20:02 GMT
Wow, thanks mcheki for that enlarged photo. One would never of known that they possessed the iridescence they have (based on your original photo). Their wings look at thin as rice paper ! What a way cool and most unusual butterfly. I well imagine that if one is even able to secure such specimens they must be hard to get nice examples of !
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 20, 2016 5:20:28 GMT
The colias are nice but, the real standouts are those Pseudopontia ! They are indeed ghost-like and are something I've never seen before. Thanks so much for introducing them to us. I will now have to find out more about that most unusual butterfly.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 19, 2016 6:22:43 GMT
Thank you deliasfanatic and dp1965 for your kind and knowledgeable comments.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 18, 2016 22:44:02 GMT
I just saw on EBay a crazy bidding battle going on over a male of O. Tithonus cytreae. Now, I'm hardly knowledgeable enough to differentiate the many different subspecies of Tithonus of which I have read their are at least 4 named. This subspecies is not one of them. At least, to the best of my knowledge using the books that I have. The thing is the crazy price it has already reached ($1050.00 U.S.) and the bid does not end until Thursday Sept. 22nd. I've never seen a Tithonus go this sky high. Am I just out of touch on market value, or subspecies rarity. Or is this yet another case of 2 or 3 collectors beating each other up monetarily to get the "win" and bragging rights ?
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 18, 2016 21:20:26 GMT
I sincerely doubt that you will be able to get caterpillars to the 5th instar by late Oct. - Early Nov. Caterpillars need lush nutrient rich green leaves to properly develop. Most states on the Eastern seaboard are well into fall by the 2nd week of Oct. when the leaves are changing colors. Therefore, they would likely die off either from not eating or from not getting enough nutrients from the dying leaves. I well remember finding full grown 5th instar Polyphemus larvae near my childhood home (near and around silver maple trees) at about this time of the year back then. So they had at least 3 months to get that size in time to make cocoons by Mid-Late Sept. I live in Illinois. In these parts the adult moths usually would emerge Mid-June for the single brood to be ready by Mid- Sept. I personally do not profess to be a breeder of Lepidoptera. But, my knowledge of their sorted cycles is based upon personal observations here in the Midwest. I am afraid to say that at this point your efforts and time would likely be in vain.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 16, 2016 8:38:48 GMT
Could you see if the male O. chimaera also bears janson's name on it. It too is spread like the male O. alexandrae. Might we have another possible Meek specimen present here?
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 14, 2016 7:37:45 GMT
You know the thought came to mind today that specimens which are prepared in this unique manner need to be fresh and pliable for them to turn out well. I have purchased 4 large phasmids over the past year via EBay and they all arrived with fresh vibrant color and all had cleverly stuffed abdomens obviously done after their dispatch but, before packaging. None has greased or discolored. On another note, I purchased about 30 specimens of some remarkably prepared tarantulas from a collection of a spider breeder several years ago. I was told the breeder would on occasion pick out a choice specimen for his collection and dispatch it with a hypodermic. He would then make a small incision on the underside of the abdomen, remove the contents, then quickly fill the void with cotton. As the specimen dried the abdomen retained it's shape as the cotton lent it support. This fellow did get better at it in time as evidenced by his first few specimens which seemed to lack the right amount of cotton fill. Practice makes perfect !
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 12, 2016 18:52:31 GMT
Interesting note Nomad on that specialized preparation work by Meek. That same procedure has been incorporated in the preservation of the larger Phasmidae as well as Theraphosid spiders since the mid-to late 1980's. Just about anything (in those 2 groups) in years prior to that time frame either greased up or the abdomens collapsed. In the skilled hands of a practiced preparator/collector the material turns out great. I have to agree with you on the appearance of that male looking a lot like a Meek prepared specimen. The preening out of those forelegs along with the spreading "style" of the raised forewings and bright abdomen; are a trademark of Meek. I suppose it's always possible someone was trying to replicate Meeks stylized method. It's a very attractive look which is utilized these days by some Japanese collectors. The female however, does not bear this same style so if that male is a Meek specimen than the female is probably unrelated to the male. Perhaps, the male was sold to (May) separately at the time. Those 42 pairs could have been partially broken up over the years as the species became more exclusive to the wealthier collectors. Various dealers could have doubled a pairs net worth breaking some pairs up. Of coarse, the data does not reflect a Meek specimen. The date and especially the location is ambiguous as pointed out by deliasfanatic.Could be that the data is from the female specimen which was perhaps collected years later in 1930 (if that is to be believed). All of us true collectors know un-scrupulous dealers through the years have changed dates and "fogged" specifics of species locality. It's still a nice pair to have as I've seen much worse. And indeed a highlight of that collection. However, that data does not lend much provenance to the specimens.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 12, 2016 4:32:05 GMT
Nice report cabintom on your African adventure. Love the on site pictures which were taken. Feel like I'm right there with you ! My compliments on your specimen preparation. Really well done. I absolutely love well done material. And your photos always do your specimens justice.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 10, 2016 20:04:16 GMT
I wish you well in your endeavors jedgar. I'm sure the part of the collection (out of the public eye) still holds many nice treasures. The specimens you have shown us all seem to be quite nice. Look forward to any future photos of your curation work. Sorry, for the pessimistic opinion of the public collection but, I have unfortunately seen several collections in varying states of neglect, poor storage, and general dis-interest. A travesty really to the individuals who took the time in their life to care about something oblivious to most people.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 10, 2016 17:35:04 GMT
I do hope that the supersize cases you have worked so diligently on are not passed on to the public environs of the museum. That would be a pity. I have a fellow collector friend who visited there about 5 years ago. He only saw the public area of that building but, took lots of pictures. Lots of goose-necked incandescent lamps throughout the museum as testament to the countless hundreds of ruined specimens (due to light damage). Plenty of other broken or poorly re-glued non-leps present as well as evidence of the traveling road show mentality that once prevailed. Hopefully, whatever else remains out of the public eye will remain there, be properly curated, be kept out of light, fumigated, and be of some scientific as well as aesthetic value ! On a side note, I personally dis-agree with the idea of re-glueing anything back on to the individual specimens. Too much chance of attaching something that does not belong. Instead, you should be placing any parts (which are positively associated with a specimen) into a small glassine envelope which is than placed on that specimens pin. Any other stray parts throughout any drawer are then placed into a medium or large glassine envelope and pinned into the corner of the drawer (if you wish). This is the professional approach if one day it is hoped researchers will come to view the material. Travel costs researchers or their institutions and they won't recommend anyone else visit if what they see is lil' Billies half baked attempts at "saving" his bug collection.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 5, 2016 21:00:13 GMT
Wow, Paul now that's one heck of a load to cull through. A sheet like that will keep you going till sunrise if you don't remain specific on your desires. Then you won't get much sleep as the next day will have to be spent either "field pinning" the material or "papering" it prior to your next nights outing. Night's like that are kind of a double edged sword: phenomenally productive and exhilarating but, a whole lot of work sorting out and preparing what you keep ! Rock on.....
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 5, 2016 20:40:17 GMT
Based upon the story which you related I think it's safe to say that the material you found was most likely wild collected by someone who visited there. I draw this conclusion from the fact that they have as much specific data as they do. Most material from that time frame and sold to dealers (by local collectors) would not have such specifics. The whole lot will need to be frozen to prevent any further infestation or damage. Even at that each envelope will have to be individually inspected for specimen condition. If the specimen is badly compromised it's basically trash. Papilio's if present may have some value in reasonably good shape. I don't know offhand of their being any rare Papilio's there. As for everything else it is most likely common stuff collected by that collector who never got around to preparing it up. There is probably little value in most things individually. Better to sell off the remaining good ones as a "lot" on EBay. I've seen it done before. Costa Rica was collected by many during the 1960's,1970's, and into the 1980's when the gov't finally required permits to collect their fauna. Much of the butterfly fauna there is familiar to collectors who either have material already or have Phil Devries 2 books on the "Butterflies of Costa Rica" volumes 1+ 2.
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Post by trehopr1 on Sept 5, 2016 0:39:41 GMT
This butterfly is the only carnivorous butterfly species in North America. It's larvae feed on various aphid species ! It lives in wooded areas near streams close to alders. My friend has been very fortunate in collecting this species in various places throughout our state of Illinois. I have never personally encountered it in any of my collecting jaunts. It is generally considered a scarce species. I'm still not fond of shingling specimens but, it is still impressive none the less to see such an assemblage of a seldom encountered item.
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