Collecting in Florida (Anne)

[Mark Walker]

Anne Kilmer wrote:


>My fellow lepers,
>May I gently point out that hunting butterflies in our Florida parks is a
bit like
>hunting chickens in a barnyard.

We are not, of course, talking about collecting inside the parks.  However,
if you mean that the abundance of Lep fauna in southern Florida makes
collecting butterflies unchallenging, I beg to differ with you.  The terrain
is not exactly what you would call friendly (and either are the natives).
And although a few of the species (H. charitonius comes to mind) can be
rather simple to net, they are not always easy to find or to get to.  Some
of my most challenging hunting has occurred in Florida, with many a defeat.
Heat exhaustion, deep cuts and scrapes, butterflies which torment you for 20
minutes, only to disappear into no-man's land...

(Has anyone else noticed that most butterflies will, after a miss, return to
further frustrate, giving you an even easier target followed by a more
humiliating miss?  And then they're gone for good)

....attacks of stinging and biting insects, ALLIGATORS, spiny, poking flora
which enjoys some sort of symbiotic relationship with the flying insects,
sinking mud, a net full of burrs, uncooperative weather, snakes, sunburn,
lightening bolts...

And of course the classic - you've netted one of casual interest, only to
see the lone specimen that you've been waiting all day for flutter by.  Of
course, you let the netted one go and run off madly (in vain).

>Come the revolution, we'll have butterfly farm/bean farms where you may
wave your
>net to your heart's content, in a lepidopterous safari. Yup, just like
those farms
>where you catch pond-raised trout. Oh boy.

Sorry, but all of what I've described above is what I love about collecting.
If it weren't both challenging and difficult, I would not be interested.
This is precisely why I insist that butterfly hunters are most interested in
the environment and the preservation of habitat.  If there weren't wide open
spaces on which to explore and where a rich diversity of naturally occurring
species could be found, I would cease to practice my beloved hobby.

Mark Walker
Castleton, VT