Butterfly book and supplies info needed...

[Randy Emmitt]

Mark,

I was also thinking of the mentality of fourth graders. First off a 9-10 yo boy
will as I did, kill about anything and everything like bugs just to have some
fun and gross out the girls, that`s not being scientific now is it? A 9-10 yo
girl is generally much more conscience of butterflies and will tend enjoy them
alive or be afraid to kill them.  I`ve spent many an hour in our local butterfly
house and observed the kids and their reactions. The best interaction I saw was
a woman and her two kids about 9 and 11 one with a camera the other with a video
camera. These kids got more out of the butterflies than ANY other kids I`ve ever
seen! The worst reactions were the kids that deliberately tried to stomp any
butterflies he could find.

I agree with Kenelm about collecting for those who can take a serious approach
to it. Most fourth graders may not be quite mature enough to be responsible,
some may be. I am not against collecting what so ever, though I wouldn`t lead a
collector onto a rare butterfly that is very seldom seen. I was and am giving a
second option.

And to Mark, I am very scientific, as I do study the behavior, habitat and
collect and report field data of butterflies in the wild. I also have collected
nearly 150 species of butterflies on 35 mm slides and can check them out in
great detail on my PC as well as educate others on the web from my photos and
observations. Mark I respect you for collecting and should expect you to do the
same with me and my butterfly watching/photography!

Sincerely,

Randy L Emmitt, Nature Photographer
Rougemont, NC
Butterflies found in NC online!
http://www.rlephoto.com/butterflies/butterflies.html





Mark Walker wrote:

> Randy Emmitt wrote some stuff to an educator that was genuinely interested
> in stimulating his students to perform an interactive and scientific study
> of insects.  Like so much of what is being projected by well-meaning and
> environmentally minded folks, Randy has discouraged real science by his
> denouncing the collecting and killing of insects.  This is really an
> unfortunate attitude.
>
> Are we going to ask the biology teachers to stop dissections as well?  How
> can we begin to hope that any of the young students of today will begin to
> have an interest in things scientific - an interest in learning why things
> should be conserved in the first place - if we aren't allowed to perform
> science in the classroom?
>
> Not to mention my ongoing issue with the hypocrisy of it all.  Who is anyone
> to make another feel guilty about the way that they interact with the
> natural world?  We're all guilty of trampling, consuming, and spewing - none
> can claim a higher level of achievement when it comes to conservation.  We
> leave scars where we step, we deplete what we consume, and we leave refuse
> where we spew.  Self-righteousness doesn't play well here any more than it
> does else where.
>
> Please don't lay guilt trips on people who are doing the right sorts of
> things.  Teaching children about the world of insects through nets, killing
> jars, and spreading boards is good for science and good for conservation.
>
> Mark Walker
> Mission Viejo, CA
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Randy Emmitt [mailto:birdcr at CONCENTRIC.NET]
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2000 4:11 PM
> > To: minnehan at infinet.com
> > Cc: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> > Subject: Re: Butterfly book and supplies info needed...
> >
> >
> > Randy,
> >
> > Please don`t take this in the wrong light. With young kids these days
> > learning good things like recycling and hopefully a little
> > conservation, you
> > might just consider changing your plan just a little.
> >
> > How about getting a few good field guides like Jeffrey Glassberg`s
> > Butterflies thru Binoculars(eastern US) and/or Paul Opler/Amy Bartlett
> > Wright`s Western Butterflies Peterson Field Guide(western
> > US). And then get
> > your nets and a few temporary holding jars (recycled) and let the kids
> > capture the butterflies study them, then release them after
> > they find out
> > what they are.
> >
> > Another thing you could do is use a digital/video camera to
> > capture the
> > butterfly and upload the photos to a PC and or a web site
> > like Harlen Aschen
> > does with his class room at http://www.homestead.com/vcs/
> >
> > There`s many more possiblities of what you could do without
> > harming the
> > butterflies and I`m sure the children would learn a great deal more.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Randy L Emmitt, Nature Photographer
> > Rougemont, NC
> > Butterflies found in NC online!
> > http://www.rlephoto.com/butterflies/butterflies.html
> >
> > Randy Minnehan wrote:
> >
> > > Hi everyone,
> > >
> > >    I am a elementary school teacher (Grade 4), and I'm
> > looking for a few
> > > things for my classroom, getting ready for an in-depth
> > exploration of
> > > butterflies by my students.  This is a wonderful age for engaging
> > > students and creating live-long interest in science.
> > First, I'm looking
> > > for a book... I was told the "bible" of professional leps
> > is BUTTERFLIES
> > > OF THE WORLD by Paul Smarts.  Is this true?  I cannot seem
> > to find any
> > > information on it... I guess it's out-of-print, but I
> > cannot locate a
> > > copy anywhere.  Anyone know where I might be able to find a
> > new or used
> > > copy of this book?  Can you suggest any other excellent
> > butterfly books
> > > I might look for?  I'm not looking for books geared towards younger
> > > students, I'm just looking for the best reference sources available.
> > >
> > >    Also, I'm looking for supplies... butterfly nets,
> > mounting boards,
> > > the works.  Can someone direct me to a good source,
> > preferably with a
> > > web page?  Any suggestions where to locate inexpensive yet excellent
> > > sources for finished, prepared butterfly mounts?
> > >
> > >    Any help or direction would be appreciated!
> > >
> > >    Thanks!
> > >    R. Minnehan
> >