[LEPS-L:7875] Re: [SoWestLep] Mexico expands monarch butterfly habitat

[Ron Gatrelle]

Leroy,
    I concur fully about the ebb and flow of insect life in the keys. My
first visit there was in 1968. Here is just one observation from a trip in
the 80's. I was standing in the middle of the road on the north end of Key
Largo. The mosquito plane flew over on one side of the road spraying away.
Within seconds I saw several Black Witch moths fly from the Hammock on that
side of the road into the hammocks on the other side. They obviously "felt"
harassed, didn't like it.
    Part of the endangered species act is directed against the harassment
and disturbing of endangered species. There is no doubt in my mind that the
spraying of mosquitoes by government agencies (local, state, and federal)
harasses any endangered insects that might be in the area. This is a
violation of law. But, as usual, the same governments that prosecute their
citizens for offenses against endangered species exempt themselves from the
same. (Bug zappers in National Parks but no moth collectors allowed.
Bulldoze the area for new camp sites. Build a logging road in the Wildlife
Refuge.) I need to quit here before we get into the
military-industrial-complex-created / environmental-crisis-ploy /
government-confiscation-of-private-property /
to-gain-access-to-private-resources /
because-the-complex-has-depleted-the-public-property-resources conspiracy
theory. Hey, I have a better one than that.  Why did the Black Witch cross
the road?...

----- Original Message -----
From: <Leptraps at aol.com>
To: <cherubini at mindspring.com>
Cc: <LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2000 4:45 PM
Subject: [LEPS-L:7872] Re: [SoWestLep] Mexico expands monarch butterfly
habitat


> I spent many years collecting butterflies in the Florida, as a visitor and
as
> a Florida resident. Spraying insecticides to control mosquitos was a
common
> practice going back to the early 50's (my best guess at a date). At the
same
> period of time, the growth of development accelerated and by the mid-90s
> began to take a serious toll on invertebrates in general with the
exception
> of mosquitos, which continued to be a problem (a perceived problem, no, a
> nuisance pest, yes). When I returned to Florida in 1998, I ran traps
(Light &
> Bait) in the Keys. There were nights that I would take only a few
mosquitos
> at best. However, the practice of spraying insecticides began to decrease
in
> 1996.
>
> North Key Largo with its hammocks began to recover from development
clearing
> and the majority of the it fell into state and federal hands. North Key
Largo
> is very lush and green and looks spectacular. One would think that there
> would be an abundance of bugs, other than mosquitos. There were few bugs
to
> be found in 1998.
>
> The best year in the Keys since 1991, was 1999, the Lower Keys provided
some
> great collecting while the Upper Keys were improving. Although there is no
> "scientific proof" nor a real study, it is very evident that when the
> insecticides stopped, the bugs recovered, somewhat.
>
> I am an ardent collector, I enjoy getting among em. However, the spraying
of
> insecticides does kill what ever it can, including butterflies, moths and
any
> invertebrate that comes in contact with it. The longer the period of
> spraying, the more harm done.
>
> I do not approve of NABA and the anti-collecting attitude. I do, however,
> agree with there assessment of mosquito control.
>
> Leroy C. Koehn
> 202 Redding Road
> Georgetown, KY  40324
> Tele.: 502-570-9123
> Cell: 502-803-5422
> E-Mail: Leptraps at aol.com
>
> "Let's get among em"
>
>
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