Border Patrol run-ins
Paul Cherubini
paulcher at concentric.net
Thu Jun 24 17:03:05 EDT 1999
Like Mark Walker, I've encountered the most trouble with the border patrol in Texas. I
like to visit the border areas in October when monarch butterflies are passing through into
Mexico. Agents seeing me wielding my huge 3.5 foot wide butterfly net have been
reluctant to buy my story that it is solely being used to catch butterflies. They think my
"butterfly collecting" is a cover for other kinds of activities. I've had my car inspected for
drugs and guns and then (like Mark) warned that I should avoid border areas for my own
personal safety.
On the positive side, a couple friends had a pleasant encounter with a California highway
patrol officer along interstate 5 in central California. They were collecting monarchs in a
milkweed field growing within a freeway cloverleaf (technically state property). The
officer stopped to inquire, then said "it's my lunch break, can I help?" There was a sight
to behold - a CHP officer waltzing through a milkweed field with a butterfly net!
Paul Cherubini
More information about the Leps-l
mailing list