Blood, flesh and stuff!

[Neil Jones]

In message <0.5cfc0dd1.25322445 at aol.com> Leptraps at aol.com writes:
> 
> Many species of butterflies and even some moths will feed on the liquids, 
> including blood from fresh road kills. My father-in-law was a farmer, when 
> visiting him early in the fall some twenty years ago, he slaughtered a hog. 
> The pigs blood was soaked the ground and Polygonia comma and Polygonia 
> interogationis visited the blood, just like a mud puddle club.
> 
> I know a little bit about bait and bait traps. If you want Nymphlids, 
> especially Polygonia and Nymphalis, take a small snake and or toads/frogs, 
> mince them in a blender (I suggest you use a blender other than your 
> families), add a small amount of table salt or rock salt, place in contain 
> and into trap. For best results, keep moist. As the bait ages like fine wine, 
> it works even better. The smell may be unpleasant, but it will work. I used 
> this bait numerous times when I lived in the mountains of western Virginia 
> and trapped Polygonia progne, Polygonia faunus smythi, Polygonia comma, Polygo
> nia interogantionis, Nymphalis antiopa, Speryeria atlantis, and Feniseca 
> tarquinius in great numbers.

UGH! sounds revolting. No doubt it works though. I have seen fish baits
used to great effect in the tropics. Personally I would feel a little
squeamish about putting frogs into blenders, but I am reminded of
something I saw once in the tropics. A frog squashed flat on a road
covered in dead squashed Acreas and live Acreas feeding on top.

-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve