Strays vs. stays

[Ron Gatrelle]

    Very true Jeff. You have opened the door for me to make a comment I had
decided to let pass. Alan stated that the two male ontatio were worn as if
this was proof they had had a long tough journey. Worn specimens are also
half dead specimens which ran out of migration energy the several days ago.
We all see worn specimens all the time. 99% of the time they are locals
whose season has come to an end. Many seem to have missed my point. I surely
know about strays,  migrtants, 1000 miles out to sea records etc. -- I've
been a lepidopterist for over 45 years. I also know about F. favonius
ontatio. My only point all along is that my experience tells me that the
Ontario ontario are not from Virginia, but just around the corner.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Crolla/Martha Hancock" <jeff at primus.ca>
To: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2000 7:02 PM
Subject: Re: Strays vs. stays


> Kenelm Philip wrote:
>
> >
> > It might be worth noting that the _R. hastata_ that were blown
> > across 200+ miles of northern Canada to the Kuujjua River on Victoria
> > Island arrived in excellent condition. I have three of them in the col-
> > lection, and they are not worn or 'frazzled'. The date on all three is
> > 1 July '75--but the first _hastata_ we saw turned up on 28 June--two
> > days before the first butterfly appeared. So transport by wind does
> > not have to involve any damage to lepidoptera...
>
>
> E.B. Ford makes the same point in Butterflies (1945) (p. 161):
>
> "..Lepidoptera are much more quickly damaged by contact with grass and
> bushes
> than they are by sustained flight. Migrating specimens do not encounter
such
> obstacles, and therefore they often arrive after immense journeys almost
as
> if newly emerged. The statement is constantly made that a rare species
must
> have bred in England because an example of it has been obtained here in
> perfect condition. This is quite worthless evidence."
>
> Jeff
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> Jeff
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