False connection (not really)

Fri Jun 15 18:00:29 EDT 2001

I am pleased to report that novices will not need their binocs indefinately
for most species. At least not for simple identification of most species.
Investing the time to learn the local butterflies usually results over time
in being able to identify most species with nothing but the proverbial naked
eye. Females of Speyeria leto can certainly be identified confidently and at
a glance at 30 or 40 feet. With some practice even small species can be
recognized at surprising distances by using clues such as the normal flight
period, nature of the flight, habitat - in other words, see enough of
something and the human mind develops a gestalt - or search image - that
will do the job of recognizing the whole organism without having to look for
particular diagnostic characters. Of course there is the shear esthetic
pleasure of having a large image filling one's vision. But a lot of
butterflies can be viewed very closely without any equipment, most notably
when they are puddling. I have no problem telling a E. pacuvius from a E.
persius from a E. icelus by looking down at a butterfly sitting on the
ground near my feet. Some people claim they need to examine the genitalia to
identify these butterflies. Maybe some people do :-) Puddling spots should
be at the top of all watchers and collectors places to visit and loiter
about. I wish everyone a good weekend of watching, collecting,
photographing,releasing, pinning, breeding, snipeing, whatever turns your
crank :-)

-----Original Message-----
From: Heath, Fred [mailto:Fred.Heath at power-one.com]
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 2:23 PM
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: RE: False connection (not really)

Dear Jim,
	Normally I wouldn't have answered your posting, because it is
obvious that nothing I can say will change your feelings about NABA. However
since many of the readers (and I assume there are less and less as this
thread is wearing a little thin) have not seen the editorial to which you
refer, I'd thought I'd set the record straight because you have implied that
it is anti-collecting. I had thought of mentioning this editorial in my
original post, but since, as I will demostrate in a minute, it was clearly
NOT anti-collecting, I made no mention of it.
	The Editorial was in Volume 5, Number 1, the Spring 1997 issue of
American Butterflies. It was entitled "Release That Net, You Need Two Hands
for Binoculars!" To give some idea of Jeff's motivation, the editorial
starts off as follows, " When people think of other people who are seriously
interested in butterflies, many, if not most, probably envision them running
through fields with nets. This is a view of butterfly enthusiasts that NABA
would like to change. Why? Well, for one thing, rightly or wrongly, (FH- The
radical Glassberg actually admits there might be two sides to this
argument!!!) the thought that a net is required for butterfly appreciation
turns off a large percentage of people who otherwise might join with us as
butterfly enthusiasts."  Again this is Jeff''s idea about appealing to the
largest possible audience (Marketing 101).
	So what about this anti-collecting you refer to? A few sentences
later we find the following: "Let me emphasize that I am not discussing
collecting butterflies in this editorial. (FH- Pretty clear, if taken at
face value) If specimens of live or dead butterflies are needed for a
legitimate scientific inquiry, obviously a net is required. Here I only
consider the practice of netting butterflies to examine and identify them,
followed by their subsequent release--unharmed (usually)."  He goes on to
tell why he believes that butterflying through binoculars is superior to
capture and release, mentioning such things as behavior being noticed
better, how the whole experience is less intrusive, and finally pushing his
feeling that identifying most butterflies can done more quickly with
binoculars than a net. 
	In this editorial, he is addressing people who already have close
focusing binos and doesn't discuss those completely novice groups which have
nothing but their naked eyes. I myself am leading such a group at a local
park tomorrow and I will bring my net and plastic baggies (after giving them
the Chris Sniff Test) and maybe capture a butterfly or two (please don't let
this get back to NABA headquarters or I may be burned at the pin...er, I
mean, stake for heresy) to give the participants a close up look. I will
also bring a spare pair of binos to lend to those folks who would rather do
it that way. 
	If you know of any other anti-collecting editorials which I may have
missed please let me know. Thanks.
---Best regards, Fred

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	James Kruse [SMTP:fnjjk1 at uaf.edu]
> Sent:	Friday, June 15, 2001 9:47 AM
> To:	Fred.Heath at power-one.com; leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> Subject:	Re: False connection (not really)
> 
> on 6/14/01 7:07 AM, Heath, Fred at Fred.Heath at power-one.com wrote:
> 
> > Being closely involved with NABA since its beginning, it surprised
> > me to find out that there were anti-collecting editorials (which are all
> > written by Glassberg) in American Butterflies. Assuming that Jim was
> correct
> > and my memory was faulty, at his suggestion, I dug out the first five
> > volumes (from Feb 1993 to Winter 1997) and scanned the editorials for
> all
> > this anti-collecting propaganda. I could find none.
> 
> Oh give me a break Fred, what do you think that whole anti-net editorial
> was
> about? What is the most common way of collecting butterflies?
> 
> Hmmmm, I guess I _should_ be accused of academic snobbery for using the
> term
> 'proboscis' or 'larva'.
> 
> These editorials are seething with anti-science, and collecting is a tool
> of
> science where butterflies are concerned.
> 
> James J. Kruse, Ph.D.
> Curator of Entomology
> University of Alaska Museum
> 907 Yukon Drive
> Fairbanks, AK, USA 99775-6960
> tel 907.474.5579
> fax 907.474.1987
> http://www.uaf.edu/museum/ento
> 

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