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Post by cabintom on Sept 11, 2016 19:57:37 GMT
jedgar I'm curious, before taking on this current position, what did you do? Have you been working with insects or at museums for a while? I hope you don't mind my asking.
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jhyatt
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Post by jhyatt on Sept 11, 2016 21:05:45 GMT
But I always thought stressemanni was from Ceram -- Does anyone know whether it flies on Bachan (I still prefer Wallace's spelling "Bachian"). Cheers, jh Yes, stresemanni is from Ceram, with no known subspecies. G. batjanensis (nominate) is from Bacan; there are also two described (and little differentiated) subspecies: wayabulaensis Hanafusa 1998 (Morotai) bambai Yagishita 2007 (Halmahera). Thanks, Deliasfanatic. Now I'm committing the sin of envy - yet another species I don't have in my collection, and I didn't even know about it! Regards, jh
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 11, 2016 22:08:59 GMT
jedgar I'm curious, before taking on this current position, what did you do? Have you been working with insects or at museums for a while? I hope you don't mind my asking. Don't mind a bit. Here's the story. I don't have a Ph.D in entomology, but I do have a lot experience and I've been a dedicated enthusiast of entomology/natural history my whole life. I've worked on my own collection since the `50s. I've learned a great deal from books and hands on experience with my own collection. I was taught quite a lot by older collectors from my youth into my teenage years and am still learning. I've been fortunate to spend time with people overseas and study their collections and collecting habits. One was D.B Janson whose shop was across from the British museum on Great Russell St. Another was Dr. Edward W. Diehl, who, at the time, was the world's authority on Sumatran Sphingidae. I really enjoyed my time with him at his place near Parapat, Sumatra learning from him and studying his amazing collection of Sumatran Sphingidae. Dr. Diehl included me on a night collecting expedition in the jungle on the slopes of Mt. Toba, Sumatera Utara once. I really enjoyed that and came away with some wonderful specimens. Another learning experience came from was Stan Sterling at his museum/natural history park near Kuranda, Australia. He was a great resource and friend as well. I have very steady hands and I'm very nearsighted so I'm real good at repairs. I seem to have a capacity for taxonomy in that I can remember scientific names, but have a hard time with common names. My undergraduate degree is in marine biology, graduate work was marine ecology. I've worked as a professional photographer since the `60s. It isn't regular income but my work has won awards and been published in books and magazines. I own a publishing company, Sea Bird Publishing, Inc., (created it in 1996 as I was weary of dealing with unscrupulous publishers who wouldn't pay me for my work) and mainly edit/publish history books. I've also written a good bit about history for magazines and historical societies. No regular income from that enterprise either. I served 10 years as an elected official on the Sebastian Inlet Tax District in Florida. During this time my knowledge of marine biology served a good purpose. Most of the museums I've worked with have been military museums. I probably know as much or more about antique military gear and military history as I know about insects. My wife and I have frequented/worked at militaria shows around the USA for the last 20 years. The last ten in our RV. The economy tanked, the shows went sour, we had to find some work. We were up in Minnesota in April when we hit the wall financially (lost all our savings in real estate and stock market crashes some years back) because the shows just flopped. I landed us a job for a few months working on a huge collection of antique military uniforms and accoutrements at a museum warehouse in Nebraska. That job wound down in mid-June. Knowing the collection at the May Museum needed help I asked them if they'd hire me. They took a chance and did. They're very happy with my work, want me to stick around and all. I'm sure that over time I can turn this collection into the world class collection it should be. I know what needs to be done and I'm happy to do it for them. The military museum warehouse job in Nebraska alerted some other military museums to what I can do though and now there is a military museum in Branson, MO trying to get me to head that way and work. I'm really quite happy right here in Colorado, loving what I'm doing. Every day is Christmas because even though I've been here over 2 months and worked on hundreds of cases and drawers I still haven't seen the whole collection. I keep finding amazing specimens. They have some phenomenal specimens here. It is a privilege to save them from the Dermestid beetles. I figure only about half the collection is even mounted and in cases. The other half is still in the paper the specimens were shipped in, 40-50-60 even 70 years ago, all labeled and stored in airtight tins that are now full of fresh fumigant. I sincerely appreciate the feedback and info that other members of this forum have generously lent. I expect that there are those out there who figure that lacking a Ph.D in entomology makes me little more than a hack. I have thick skin (I was a politician) so detrimental remarks sent my way don't faze me one bit. I have been insulted by paid experts. I cannot share photos of my collection because it is at home in Florida. I can, however, share this photo that I took in 1987 in the then People's Republic of the Congo. I was the photographer/biologist on an expedition into the vast swamp region in the northern part of that country. It was a dream come true for a lepidopterist. Some of the specimens I collected were ones I had dreamed of collecting most of my life. Two in particular, Papilio zalmoxis and Papilio antimachus, got me rather excited when I caught them. The attached photo shows a number of Congolese species feeding. Some Charaxes sp. etc. As you probably know Charaxes sp. are a bit hard to capture. The photo shows them feeding on feces left by one of the natives and covered in palm leaves. They were not moving so I got a nice photo and then caught them all just by dropping my net over them. Yep, species in the feces and my net needed washing afterwards, but they are all in my collection now. Jim
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2016 22:20:42 GMT
Hello Jedgar,
That is quite a life history, sounds like you've seen a lot in your time. Could you please elaborate on the species you encountered in Africa? What methods did you use to collect the zalmoxis and antimachus? Also, which Charaxes species did you encounter on the trip? Thanks and looking forward to the response!
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Post by deliasfanatic on Sept 11, 2016 22:36:05 GMT
Nice to read your story, Jim. I'm also a professional photographer with lifelong interest in Lepidoptera and taxonomy, among many other things...small world, as they say.
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 11, 2016 22:36:28 GMT
Hello Jedgar, That is quite a life history, sounds like you've seen a lot in your time. Could you please elaborate on the species you encountered in Africa? What methods did you use to collect the zalmoxis and antimachus? Also, which Charaxes species did you encounter on the trip? Thanks and looking forward to the response! I was very lucky capturing my specimens of both P. antimichus and P. zalmoxis. In both instances I was standing under some trees near a village by a river, tropical net in hand, and they came flying toward me. Their last mistake. I was shaking afterward each time. Without looking at my collection I couldn't tell you off the top of my head exactly which species of Charaxes I collected in the Congo. My collection is in Florida, I'm working in Colorado right now. I caught quite a few though once I figured out they really liked poop deposited by the locals. I was on `em like stink (yuk-yuk). I caught one outstanding Charaxes while standing in the middle of an open area in the Bangombie village of Djeke on the banks of the Likouala River in the Congo. They fly like a buzz bomb and I heard it coming behind me, whirled and it wound up in my net. Pure luck. I was equally lucky bagging a fine Charaxes in Australia. I have learned it is pointless to try and run after Charaxes and the big papilios. They just pick up speed and I don't run too well. Jim
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 11, 2016 22:40:52 GMT
Nice to read your story, Jim. I'm also a professional photographer with lifelong interest in Lepidoptera and taxonomy, among many other things...small world, as they say. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. And the story continues daily here in the Rocky Mountains. Yep, it's a small world.
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 12, 2016 0:12:47 GMT
As I mentioned in a previous post I can't show you photos of mounted specimens in my collection until I get home and take some photos, but I can show you photos of insects that I've taken. This photo of the Cairn's Birdwing was taken at Stan Sterling's Tropical Attractions near Kuranda, Australia. No collecting allowed there. I caught two before I left Australia though.
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 12, 2016 0:15:12 GMT
And here's a shot of Graham Wood and Stan Sterling on a collecting trip we went on at Crystal Cascades near Kuranda, Queensland.
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 12, 2016 0:57:44 GMT
Here's a shot of the second oldest insect in the May Natural History Museum's collection. The oldest is from 1888 and the species of Sphingid, but this one is a better specimen.
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Post by nomad on Sept 12, 2016 15:41:22 GMT
Another neat trick of Meek was that he would specially prepare the abdomens of the males of his O. alexandrae so that they would not loose their shape or turn greasy, as most Ornithoptera specimens do. He slit the underside of the abdomen and stuffed them expertly with cotton Wool. Apart from the pairs he gave to Rothschild, he sold 42 perfect bred pairs to the London dealer Janson, so there are a few around.
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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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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 13, 2016 2:31:55 GMT
Another neat trick of Meek was that he would specially prepare the abdomens of the males of his O. alexandrae so that they would not loose their shape or turn greasy, as most Ornithoptera specimens do. He slit the underside of the abdomen and stuffed them expertly with cotton Wool. Apart from the pairs he gave to Rothschild, he sold 42 perfect bred pairs to the London dealer Janson, so there are a few around. Here's a photo of the underside of the male O. alexandrae in the May collection. Yes, the abdomen is slit and expertly stuffed with cotton. I don't think that you can read the tag on the pin but it says "Mambara R. New Guinea." I realize that it should be spelled "Mambare" but it appears as "Mambara" on the tag under the specimen. Mr. May slit the abdomens of many of his specimens and stuffed them with cotton. I've seen everything from Birdwings to Locusts to Phasmids to Tarantulas done in this fashion and I've seen photos of him performing the task. I will attach one if there is interest. At home in Florida I have photos (B&W) from 1964 inside D. B. Janson's London shop on Great Russell St. One of them is of the chair Darwin used to sit in when he'd visit the shop in D. B.'s great-grandfather's time. Another is of a beautiful pair of perfectly mounted O. alexandrae. I'm amazed to learn that they were most likely a pair from Mr. Meek. I sure did want them, no way I could afford them though at the age of 14. I turned 14 in London that trip and bought a specimen of Prepona proschion collected in 1902 from Mr. Janson for my birthday. It is a treasured part of my collection still. My family remained in London for about three weeks. I'd ride the tube just about every day to go to his shop for a visit and then head over to the British Museum to wander about. Mr. Janson and I remained in touch for many, many years. Trading letters, specimens and phone calls even after his retirement. He was a fine man. I treasure those memories.
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 13, 2016 2:55:28 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. Here's a nice specimen of a large Australian Phasmid in the May Museum collection. The tag reads "Acrophylla titan grey Cape York Australia June 19, 1948 ♀" J.F. May stuffed and mounted this specimen.
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jedgar
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Post by jedgar on Sept 13, 2016 3:07:05 GMT
A nicely prepared pair of O. victoriae in the collection of the May Museum.
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