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Post by Ed on Jan 28, 2018 14:17:44 GMT
It all comes down to how much you know of where your food comes from. Ed. Cannot connect on any level with that statement. Does that apply to the population of India (including all the rural areas) where collecting is usually not permitted!! Collecting is not permited in many countries..one of those countries is India. Ofcourse religion can be a factor to consider regarding India, but Im pretty sure the general population would not bother you if you are collecting. In fact an Indian friend collected me some specimens in India and from what she told me nobody bothered her, not even when she collected near a temple.
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Post by jmg on Jan 28, 2018 18:15:43 GMT
About collecting in India. Maybe fifteen years ago, I collected butterflies with my net in the big garden of a small hotel near Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu). Without knowing if this activity was or was not lawful (at the time I was still naive and did not imagine that this activity should be prohibited!). No problem with local people . Until the moment when, capturing Papilio hector , an old farmer informed me that it was perhaps the avatar of his grandfather that I murdered . Yes, the belief in metempsychosis damages the prestige of insect collectors!
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Post by trehopr1 on Jan 28, 2018 18:52:02 GMT
Ed, I wouldn't think any too much about any perceived "struggles" European collectors have in their collecting exploits. Each country over there has it's own regulations regarding the capture of localized or rare fauna. And just like here in the U.S. their National Parks are off limits to collecting of ANY kind (plant or animal). Of coarse, each country over there upholds their regulations to varying degrees; with some being strict and others perhaps being laxidasial in the effort. But, keep in mind that Europe (including Britain) every year regularly host a variety of both small and large insect fairs. Material from all over Europe is sold as well as from other far away places. The dealer network there is huge and it seems the only limits are how much cash you can carry with you to spend. You can be an avid collector over there (even in Britain) and never swing or even pick up a net. You only have to jot down the date of the next fair in your respective country (or the neighboring one) and you are off on the hunt again for something else. I can't begin to say how green with envy this makes me feel... Meanwhile, here in the U.S. I don't think collecting is as frowned upon (in the general sense) as it is say in Britain; but, you are looked upon as probably being weird, eccentric, or odd. We still have our rules against collecting in National Parks and to some degree one must tread lightly and preferably out of sight in state parks or get an official permit. We have no Insect fairs here at all on the Eastern seaboard. And only California still hosts a singular fair in May. Of coarse, unless you live there or one of the neighbor states it's prohibitively expense to go. Not much left for specimens after air fare, lodging, and food. Least not if your a "regular joe" like me and not some Henry Rockefeller with bottomless pockets. Our dealer base has eroded to both time and torture or (threat of it) from a certain agency. And our hobby is a mere shadow of itself nowadays with kids doing everything else but getting involved with age old hobbies. The only way I ever add anything to my collection is if I collect it myself or get the rare opportunity to pick through someone else's collection; and those old collections are getting harder to come across. So, if we have to compare apples to oranges (so to speak); than I think we have it a lot tougher here in the US trying to maintain our passion than any of those fellows overseas.
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Post by nomad on Jan 28, 2018 22:30:42 GMT
That quite true in Britain, we are lucky in that we have a few insect fairs but the ones to aim for if your pocket can afford it is the big ones in Europe. I guess those that still collect "Butterflies" here aim to go somewhere else to swing their net. Unfortunately this is not always possible, so some collectors here look forward to pick up a bargain or two at a fair.
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Post by Paul K on Jan 28, 2018 23:40:11 GMT
The main thing is when out collecting there is always a chance to find something new, new species, subspecies or new record for the locality or country. It is more difficult with all previous work which has been done but the possibility is still out there. If we would only focus on insect fairs where is always the same old stuff as those rare or plain small species are not attracting collectors to much bigger scale the discovery of new species could stop. We need to go out to search! But with all laws and anti collecting trends this is becoming harder and harder.
Paul
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 29, 2018 8:44:25 GMT
And most of Europe remains "collecting friendly". Just come and collect in France, Italy, Switzerland, Central and Eastern Europe and you will spend excellent time! I see more and more British people collecting in France. Good wine, good food and good butterfly species !
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Post by Paul K on Jan 29, 2018 9:06:45 GMT
And most of Europe remains "collecting friendly". Just come and collect in France, Italy, Switzerland, Central and Eastern Europe and you will spend excellent time! I see more and more British people collecting in France. Good wine, good food and good butterfly species ! Same in Poland, there is still strong entomological community and to collect there is no problem. In Canada I heard once from old lady: it’s a shame you’re killing butterflies. Now if someone asking me what do you do I simply answer: studying insects and they leave me along. Insects most people connect with flies, bugs, vasp and mosquitoes, butterflies not included.
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 29, 2018 9:58:33 GMT
Yes "studying flies" is a good answer to uneducate people. I had some excellent collecting weeks in Canada too (Quebec, Gaspésie).
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Post by nomad on Jan 29, 2018 10:23:40 GMT
I study those anyway, so I would have to be truthful, and this season in some areas there will be a rather large sweep net with me, so it looks like I am in for some fun, I let you know what comments I get.
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Post by jmg on Jan 30, 2018 8:52:02 GMT
I sometimes think that to collect with a butterfly net, you would have to wear a T-shirt or a jacket where you would write something like "Dengue Research Unit" or "Chikungunya Control Group". In order not to attract derogatory remarks ...
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Post by nomad on Jan 30, 2018 16:02:17 GMT
That is a good idea JM, I going to get a black t-shirt made with big bold white letters, " Studying flies". Everyone then will keep their distance because they will think I am a loon. Excellent idea for the UK! I have seen some big nets but i believe Watkins sweep net beats them all. Gosh not only will I have my excellent t-shirt but when my net is folded, everyone will believe I am carrying a large white umbrella on a hot summers day.
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Post by jmg on Jan 30, 2018 17:40:25 GMT
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 30, 2018 17:56:05 GMT
That is a good idea JM, I going to get a black t-shirt made with big bold white letters, " Studying flies". Everyone then will keep their distance because they will think I am a loon. Excellent idea for the UK! I have seen some big nets but i believe Watkins sweep net beats them all. Gosh not only will I have my excellent t-shirt but when my net is folded, everyone will believe I am carrying a large white umbrella on a hot summers day. LOL Or you can do some "greenwashing" as our governments are doing : put this Greenpeace T-Shirt , hat and so on Anyway the best answer is : "I am doing a survey on the rhopalocera of this biotope, do you have any useful scientific information to share ?" 99% of the time, they will have an ackward smile and leave...
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Post by Adam Cotton on Feb 13, 2018 8:37:32 GMT
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Post by exoticimports on Feb 22, 2018 0:16:49 GMT
That was a great read. Factual and sadly entertaining.
I’m trying to think of something India does properly and I’m coming up blank.
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