Collecting in Florida

[Kenelm Philip]

	Chuck Vaughn mentioned a 'butterfly catching license' for parks
in Florida. I don't know how these matters are handled in Florida (although
I would presume that National Park protocols are pretty similar all over)
--but in Alaska it is possible for scientists (which includes serious
amateurs with an association with a major museum) to obtain insect col-
lecting permits for national or state parks. One does have to convince the
park resource manager that you have a valid reason for collecting--just
the fact that you want something for your own collection is not enough
(especially since national park material must go to a public institution).
I have found the national park people very cooperative and helpful--but
then in an area the size of Alaska, with only two resident collectors (at
present), the parks may not feel very threatened (and also realize they
need to know more about their own fauna).

	And all would-be park collectors should know that unpermitted
collecting in national parks is most definitely illegal (and has been so
for many years). Harmful?--not in most cases. Illegal?--yes indeed.

	As for Hank Brodkin's comment about a ranger's objection to posting
park butterfly records to the Web, when are they going to start suppressing
the Lep. Soc. Season Summary?  :-)   I suspect that this was _a_ ranger
rather than being National Park policy--Denali National Park has not
objected to my recent Season Summary reports which included Park data.

							Ken Philip
fnkwp at aurora.alaska.edu