Glassberg tells reporters collectors "could wipe out" the Mia mi Blue

[Mark Walker]

How unfortunate for all that this guy decided to betray his own wisdom - and
chose to deal in insects that were illegally collected.  As far as I can
tell from the post forwarded by Paul, the guy at least started out with a
rational, legal, and acceptable position - hardly what I would call venomous
or "draconic".  And please don't anyone send me an email expressing shock
that I am sympathetic with evil, or I have some hidden agenda.  Obviously
this one post doesn't tell the whole story - but it does indeed show a
different side from the one we typically hear.  It just goes to show that if
"we" collectors really do have a valid position to preach and uphold, then
we had best be careful to mind our "P's" and "Q's".  It's that pesky terd in
the punchbowl problem...

Mark Walker

-------------------------------

Tom Kral wrote (back in 1995):

> Too many times, people find it easy to blame the only visible thing they
> think is a threat - the collector with a net.  In reality there has NEVER
> been a documented case of any insect being collected to extinction.  Just
> because someone printed an old yarn scapegoating collectors as the blame
> does not necessarily make it the truth.  If you want the truth, please
> refer to "chapter and verse" in: Annual Review Of Entomology, the paper
> titled Insect Conservation, vol. 26, 1981, p.241 - part of the paragraph
> on Overcollecting where it is stated:
>      Although often mentioned as one of the chief threats to insect
>      populations, there are no documented cases of extinctions or even
>      local extirpations of insect populations due to indiscriminate
>      collecting...
> This paper is authored by 3 leading conservationists, Pyle, Opler &
> Bentzien.  Infact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has not been able to
> produce any credible evidence to support the claim of "overcollecting"
> of any insect.
>
> Like all other collectors, I also agree in collecting
> within reason.  However by always blaming collectors, you are doing
> nothing constructive.  Rather you are "scapegoating" collectors and thus
> drawing attention away from habitat conservation and realistic
> environmental issues.
>
> I welcome you to debate this issue with me and show me some REAL
> evidence that insect collecting is harmful (no, the story about Lycaena
> dispar would not be good enough - blame the drainage of the fens for it's
> extinction in Britain, not the collectors.
>
> My impression of the great "insect collecting debate" amounts to
> nothing more than emotional views such as those expressed in the great
> "vegetarian versus meat-eater" arguement on this list in February -
> PLEASE folks, lets not repeat THAT arguement again.  However
> constructive arguements and specific evidence directly linked to
collecting
> is welcome.  No "anecdotal evidence" such as - "Erora laeta is extinct in
> Sleepy Hollow because I saw Leroy catching them all last week" type stuff
> either.  It would be nice to see some science rather than philosophy and
> new-age religion discussed here.  I truly welcome any reasonable comments
> direct, or posted to all recipients.

 
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