Removing legs in nets...

[Ron Gatrelle]

Ken,
Two things. First, the topic I introduced was about my opposition to the
netting of specimens (by inexperienced or not too dexterous persons) for
the purpose of handling them for identification and _release_. This is
often much rougher treatment than an experienced collector renders who
immobilizes and kills the specimen as quickly as possible. Hand
examination - by novice watchers often damages the important life function
legs and antennae. Alex attested to this as a 1 in 10 event as an
experienced watcher himself which is why he usually differs from this
activity now. Some good suggestions were offered as to how to
non-traumatically do this - zip lock bags (odor free), and revamped CD
jewel boxes. Bottom line - don't try this at home. It looks easy but these
are very experienced professionals you see doing this on the field trip.
Practice on mosquitoes and house flies.

My second point has been confirmed by yourself in the below post. And that
is that collectors want to harvest ( how is that for politically correct or
an oxymoron - beats murder) as perfect specimens as possible and thus
become very adept at not damaging specimens (with 60 years experience - it
is now totally a reflex routine with you ). I'm a pincher too. (I do not
mash, smoosh or squish - which would mess-up, smudge and.... can't think of
another s word.)
RG

PS  Ken is a scientific collector.
PPS Let us know how the legs fare when you catch 37 blues. Even small
nymphalids (e.g. Phyciodes) have much sturdier legs than hairstreaks,
coppers, and especially blues or small satyrs - which are precisely the
critters that are in more need of close up looks for IDing.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Kenelm Philip" <fnkwp at aurora.alaska.edu>
To: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 1:41 AM
Subject: Removing legs in nets...


>
> There was a thread recently on the topic of legs (and antennae)
> being inadvertently removed from butterflies while they were being netted
> and examined for determination. It was claimed that the proportion of
> injured individuals was quite high.
>
> A couple of days ago I had occasion to collect 37 specimens near
> Fairbanks. At the time of collecting I was not thinking about legs at
> all, nor trying to be careful not to remove them. I was, in fact, using
> the 'pinching' technique, which involves using firm pressure on the
ventral
> thorax--which tends to be a bit hard on legs.
>
> The next morning I went through the catch, and then remembered the
> Leps-L discussion about legs. So I checked each specimen for the 4
walking
> legs (these were all Nymphalidae). _One_ specimen was lacking one of the
> 2nd legs--the others had all their legs intact. Since I was taking no
> special precautions with legs, I conclude that it is possible to net and
> handle butterflies without much loss of legs. No antennae were visibly
> injured.
>
> I have been handling butterflies for over 60 years--so perhaps I
> have learned how to do it. But can it be _that_ difficult?
>
> Ken Philip
> fnkwp at uaf.edu
>
>
>
>
>
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