the way it was in suburban habitats
Grkovich, Alex
agrkovich at tmpeng.com
Wed Jan 23 10:38:02 EST 2002
And, of course, killing everything that is even remotely threatening. Such
as snakes, spiders, etc. Our first evening on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
last week, my wife and I came across this remarkable tarantula on the
exterior walkway (i.e. hallway) of our hotel not far from our room. It was a
good 3 inches in length. Absolutely unthreatening, not to mention totally
harmless. We never saw "him" again in the following 8 days we were there. I
have been wondering whether some "misguided" creature didn't purposely step
on the poor thing.
"Bambification" is a good term for today's "modern science". "Don't touch
it". And, of course, don't come to know it.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert Dana [SMTP:robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 10:06 AM
> To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: RE: the way it was in suburban habitats
>
> A term for the general phenomenon that appeals to me is the
> "Bambification" of the natural. Seems that for many people, loving
> something means converting it into some kind of childlike entity.
>
> *************************************************************
> Robert Dana, Ph.D.
> MN DNR
> Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program
> 500 Lafayette Rd, Box 25
> St. Paul, MN 55155
> 651 297-2367
> Email: robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us
> *************************************************************
>
> >>> "Grkovich, Alex" <agrkovich at tmpeng.com> 1/23/02 7:52:57 AM >>>
> Here in Massachusetts, it was recently reported by a "watcher
> organization"
> that (the very rare, at best) Erynnis persius (Persius Duskywing) had
> been
> recorded "again" this past spring from the "southeastern portion of
> the
> state". This particular watcher organization, by the way, is composed
> of a
> membership of almost everything but Lepidopterists.
>
> Since reading about this "record" last month, I have continually
> wondered
> how this very difficult observation was made. How was the specimen
> determined to have been persius? Was it made by sight? Was the
> specimen
> photographed in the field at rest? Heaven forbid, but was a "voucher"
> specimen perhaps taken (and just keep in mind that persons from this
> organization had asked me over the course of the past summer, when I
> was
> still posting to the group [and I don't waste my time anymore doing
> that] to
> "please do not mention the word 'voucher' in your postings to us")?
>
> As we all know very well who have ever attempted to study the group,
> Duskywings are very difficult in most cases (except for juvenalis- and
> down
> south even that species can be difficult) even with spread voucher
> specimens.
>
> To me, humankind has recently been regressing into the "age of
> anti-science". Misidentifications (often made either on purpose or
> totally
> without concern), man-made "butterfly gardens" where children can be
> introduced (while being programmed) to controlled unnatural scenery
> rather
> than taken to wild habitat to be properly introduced to natural
> science,
> etc. etc.
>
> This morning there was an article in the Boston Herald (one of our two
> local
> Boston newspapers): "conservation groups" are now pressing for laws
> which
> would require fishermen to immediately report their "catch" to
> authorities
> via e-mail (or something like that). It's not just us Lepidopterists,
> apparently. Anyone who would like to read the article, let me know.
> I'll
> either fax it or mail it.
>
> "SAVE THE WHALE!" Remember that one?
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Robert Kriegel [SMTP:kriegelr at msu.edu]
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 5:28 PM
> > To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> > Subject: Re: the way it was in suburban habitats
> >
> > Bob, Paul, Patrick et al.
> >
> > >My experience is that Roger is a pretty truthful observer. However,
> > >It is still antedotal as opposed to science. we get a lot of that.
> > ...
> > >> I think it is curious that when lepidopterists are especially
> > >> motivated to find butterflies in suburban habitats (such as when
> > >> trying to document species occurrence in hopes of blocking land
> > >> development plans) they may have remarkably good luck.
> > >>
> > >> For example, I came across the following impressive species
> > >> occurrence list for a park threatened by development in Ann Arbor,
>
> > >> Michigan:
> > >> Roger Kuhlman
> > >> Northeast Area Park, Ann Arbor, Michigan Butterfly Sightings in
> 2001
> > >> Species Scientific Total Last
> > ...
> > >> Wild Indigo Duskywing Erynnis baptisiae 123 10/3
> > >> Juvenal's Duskywing Erynnis juvenalis 3 6/13
> > >> Horace Duskywing Erynnis horatius 1 7/31
> > >> Sleepy Duskywing Erynnis brizo 1 5/17
> > ...
> >
> > A _lepidopterist_ would have _voucher_ photographs or specimens
> whose
> > identity was independently verified by an expert. A butterfly
> watcher
> > makes well intentioned visual observations. These observations were
> made
> > by a knowledgeable group of hard working butterfly watchers.
> > Unfortunately, as Bob Parcelles stated earlier, they do not qualify
> as
> > science. They also do not qualify as evidence in a court of law.
> It
> > takes
> > evidence to stop bulldozers, anecdotes just get you tears.
> >
> > Erynnis baptisiae is a threatened species in Michigan and is seldom
> > encountered in the field. I do find it odd that E. baptisiae is the
> most
> > frequently observed duskywing skipper at this location, far
> surpassing the
> > total for the usually very common E. juvenalis. In fact, E.
> baptisiae was
> > the 6th most common of the 46 butterfly species observed. Duskywing
> > skippers are notoriously difficult to tell apart on the wing.
> >
> > P.S. The Michigan Lepidoptera Survey (MLS) database contains the
> most
> > comprehensive set of verified records for Michigan's 52 endangered,
> > threatened and special concern species of Lepidoptera. The MLS
> database
> > does not contain any vouchers for E. baptisiae from above location.
> > Hopefully, we can get Mr. Kuhlman's group to submit some verifiable
> > photographs next season.
> >
> > Bob Kriegel
> > Bath, MI
> >
> >
> >
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