Agricultural transport

[Ron Gatrelle]

   Honestly, one of my great fantasies is to catch a Caligo (owl
butterfly -- can't believe I just lowered myself to use a common name) here
in Charleston. This is entirely possible as Charleston is a very busy
commercial port. I just need the right batch of bananas to get on the right
boat to the right city (here) with a Caligo pupae attached. Upon emerging
locally, I just need to be at the right place at the right time.
    The unintended commercial transport of insects is a problem the world
over. For those who may not know, Point Pelee is just a few miles southeast
of Detroit, Michigan. It is the Key West of Canada -- its southern most
point. This peninsula over looks one of the most heavily utilized transit
areas in the world, the Great Lakes sea way. It is next to a major port in
Detroit. Why is it never mentioned that odd specimens in this area could
have just possibly arrived by commercial transit?
    Alan just referred to the capture of a cecrops hairstreak in...
"Saskatchewan, many hundreds of miles (perhaps 1000+ miles?) from the next
known record.  Migratory or not, this demonstrates that a hairstreak has the
ability to cover some ground.  And I don't think Red-banded Hairstreak is
considered highly migratory." This statement of Alan's is revealing, not
about the butterfly but Alan.
    The people who get these e-messages are scattered all over the world.
The clear message Alan has conveyed here to those who know nothing about
this Saskatchewan cecrops specimen is that it traveled hundreds perhaps a
thousand miles to where it was caught. He uses the phrase "this
demonstrates" as proof.
    Allow me to inform you about this specimen. It is mentioned in the
Butterflies of Canada on page 136 and 137 and is figured on plate 10. It is
perfectly FRESH!. It didn't fly in from anywhere. Read the text, I know Alan
has. The authors even call into question the authenticity of the specimen...
"The single Canadian specimen is damaged from mounting but looks _freshly
emerged_, which casts some doubt on the authenticity of the record."
    This specimen is either a falsified record or a specimen of commercial
import. I suspect commercial import. For me, this discussion has now gone
beyond strays and stays, opinions, climate, the pros and cons on how things
get someplace -- honestly.


 
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