UF RECEIVES $4.2 MILLION GIFT FROM A COLLECTOR

[Leptraps at aol.com]

>>Do you have any evidence of the existence of the "collectors-are-murderers"
>>crowd?
 
There is a Collectors-are-Murderers crowd that lives in the shadows, and they
are real. I learned this in May of 2000 when one of my bait traps destroyed
and two others were tampered with. I posted the incident on this list
resulting with a large response from the anti-collecting crowd. I was called
a "Butterfly Killer," "Butterfly Murderer" and worse. I was placed on the
same level as Adolph Hitler. I have also learned that these individuals, much
like the antiabortion and animal rights (PETA) folks, believe that they have
the legal right to prevent, by whatever means necessary, anyone from
"killing" butterflies. Some of them actually believe that they are above the
law.
 
>>I have been on this group for many years and I have never seen any real
>>evidence of their existence.
 
To the best of my knowledge, there is no real group, mostly individuals who
are vehemently opposed to collecting. However, NABA takes most of the rap for
the anti-collecting crowd, however, one of the individuals who destroyed my
trap was a member of the Lepidopterists Society. Also, I recently attended a
winter meeting of the Ohio Lepidopterists Society and I was approached by an
individual who was present when the traps was destroyed. He said that when
the traps were first discovered that these two individuals were advised not
to tamper with them. They came back to the traps a second time and destroyed
one trap and tampered with two other. He said that when he learned later that
they were destroying the trap, he was appalled. He advise both individuals
that they would be held responsible should there be any reaction from the
owner.
 
The anti-collecting crowd is out there and they are real!
 
>>I ask this because I am conservationist not an animal rights activist.
>>There is a difference and I don't support the banning of collecting.
>>I do think that some very rare species should not be collected though.
 
The word rare is very misleading, I prefer seldom encountered. Some of the
very rare species can be very common when you discover their habitat. There
are several species of butterflies and moths that I seldom find as adults, I
can however, find the early stages (larva) in abundance.
 
Cheers,
 
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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