CONSERVATION - Not OUR problem?

[Anne Kilmer]

Pierre le Roux wrote:
> 
> Dear Leps L readers,
> 
> This week I'm attending the workshop on commercialisation of
> invertebrate species mentioned in earlier postings.
> 
>  My views are that one should be able to farm
> the common, showy butterflies, preferably for sale as dried material
> to overseas collectors. This obviously is a miniscule market, and
> would not provide a decent income for a community. The alternative is
> to breed massive quantities of a few showy species, and make them into
> wall mounts, and sell them specifically with the view of raising
> funds for conservation. This should be a workable solution, provided
> you can find a chainstore who would do this type of thing.
> 
>snip
> The questions addressed to the group I felt were pertinent, and deserving
> of comment, but I have only the comments ( about 130) on the American
> situation) and TWO(!) direct replies on my own questions, to take to
> this week's workshop.
> 
> I hope this is not a general attitude: As long as it does not happen
> on MY doorstep, it doesn't bother me.
> 
> Regards,
> Pierre le Roux Tel&Fax:+(27)-15-583-0084
> P.O. Box 8
> 0929 Levubu
> South Africa

You're quite right; this is a topic that concerns all of us. In the 
"developed" countries, it's equally important to set aside areas where 
bugs can proliferate. 
This could be farmland, if we set up a market for dried butterflies and 
harvested caterpillars to rear, mature and sell. But people in general 
have the feeling that it is wrong to have dead butterflies around. 
This is odd in view of the fact that we spray them casually without 
thought, even kill them as a side effect.
Most bug zappers kill more butterflies in a day than most bug collectors 
kill in a year. (I just now made that up, but I bet it's true.) And 
spraying fields of beans and cabbage could be replaced by the eager 
hands of children collecting caterpillars and beetles and so forth. 
I see Riker mounts with assorted squash bugs, stink bugs etc. in the 
hands of enthusiastic children, and I wonder if encouraging bug 
collecting might be the way to go.
 
There's also the possibility of bug-watchers and bug-collectors' safaris 
into areas where the butterflies are splendid, where rare butterflies 
can be caught (or photographed), bags counted and paid for, and habitat 
therefore protected.
Unless the dollar and the bug have some sort of equation, I think it's 
going to be hard to protect and preserve insects. As with tigers (that 
eat villagers) pandas and elephants (that invade farms and destroy 
crops) you need an immediate tangible payoff in order to persuade the 
locals that conservation is to their advantage.
Here in South Florida we have many nurseries raising plants to attract 
and feed butterflies. A caterpillar-infested plant is attractive to 
buyers; they think they're getting a bargain. 
Cabbage, on the other hand, is better unbitten. 
I hate to set a dollar value on Nature, but harvesting butterflies is 
really no worse than eating chicken or lamb, as long as you planted or 
cared for the plants the butterflies ate. No worse than harvesting cut 
flowers, if you think of it. 
The Victorian glass cloche with dried flowers and butterflies prettily 
arranged might be the living-room decoration of the ecologically aware.
	I notice that framed butterflies are offered in "green" 
catalogs. I think that if we hope to preserve rain forests, veldt, and 
other wild areas, we need to help support a sustainable agriculture, 
whether it be harvesting brazil nuts or gathering bird wing caterpillars 
and rearing them out. 
I also think there are a lot too many people, but I'm not willing to 
leave yet. 
Pierre, I wish your enterprise well, and I hope you get better advice 
than mine. 
Anne Kilmer
The Random Gardener
The Palm Beach Post
West Palm Beach
Florida