Bend the Facts

Leptraps at aol.com Leptraps at aol.com
Wed Jun 13 17:26:07 EDT 2001


I did not bend the facts. I stated them very clearly. I chose to disagree with your opinion that collecting and releasing as I know them are fundamental the same. Unless however, you are collecting specimens for sale and the releasing butterflies for a profit, then you are correct, they are same.  Or as Martha stated, she raises local butterflies in the class room and releases the adults back into the wild and a Lepidopterists collecting specimens for a collection (Private or institutional), they are also the same. A Lepidopterists is in it for the love of the science.  A person who sell butterflies specimens or butterflies to release is a business man and is in it for the money. There is a difference.

Paul is correct that many of the places I visit to collect where originally virgin forest. However, 200 years ago our ancestors could care less about habitat loss, they probably cared even less about butterflies. Most of the habitat loss 200 years ago was for agriculture. 200 years ago there were millions of acres of virgin forest to cut and burn. This is not the case today.  Those who oppose collecting have little to say about habitat loss.

Paul is also correct about insecticide used on crops and he is correct that millions of insects are no effected. However, those opposed to collecting have little to say about the use of insecticide that does kill millions of insects, including butterflies.

Paul is not correct in regards to pest control. Pest control includes all forms, including every can of raid. The Wall Street Journal last year hpublished an article on the pest control industry. It is a multi billion dollar a year industry. Virtually every home and business in North America has or uses some type of pest control.  I lived in the private and gated community  of Winston Trails in Lake Worth, Florida. The lawns and shrubbery  of the entire community of 2600 homes, were treated by a pest control firm. Butterflies were far and few between. Rearing in my yard was a no no. One out of ten homes in North America are treated by a proffessional pest control firm. You cannot have a multi billion dollar a year pest control business that is trivial.

It is very evident that paul twists and bends the facts to justify his own ends. 

I can’t wait to see Paul's response to this post. He enjoys disagreeing, even when he is wrong. He must live in California. It must be the smog!

Cheers,

Leroy C. Koehn
202 Redding Road
Georgetown, KY
       40324-2622


 
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