[leps-talk] value

[Hank Brodkin]

Years ago, when we visited New Guinea for birds, we stopped off at the
butterfly farm near Wau - that seemed to be quite an operation.  We were
told that they raise and ship birdwings and Ulysses, and probably others all
over the world.
I am sure that farm is still in existence and probably many of the tropical
specimens that are for sale come originally from farms like this which, I
imagine, supply to distributors all over the world.
This is a much more efficient method of supplying these bugs then our
picture of a lone collector making his fortune by thrashing about in the
tropical forests of the world.  Also these farms also provide employment for
local people.
Most of the folks on this list however would, I imagine, rather collect
their own specimens, given a choice.  A lot more fun, a lot more
educational, and a lot more satisfying than ordering from a catalogue.
And we all need to let the tourism departments in tropical countries know
the reason we are spending our tourist dollars there, whatever our interest.
Perhaps this might
get them to realize that it is worth saving their forests and other
habitats.  Also it might ease the difficulty of obtaining permits that most
of you seem to have to have for collecting in tropical countries.
Perhaps they might even get the picture across to these well-meaning folks
that it is the dwindling natural habitat that is causing these insects to
become rare (if indeed they are becoming rare) - not because a few folks are
taking butterflies
--------------------
Hank Brodkin
Carr Canyon, Cochise County, AZ
hbrodkin at earthlink.net
SouthEast Arizona Butterfly Association (SEABA)
http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabasa/home.html
"Butterflies of Arizona - a Photographic Guide"
by Bob Stewart, Priscilla Brodkin and Hank Brodkin
http://home.earthlink.net/~hbrodkin/book.html

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Vaughn" <aa6g at aa6g.org>
To: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Saturday, June 01, 2002 8:03 AM
Subject: Re: [leps-talk] value


> Mark,
>
> > Incidentally, I paid $12 for the birdwing pair I bought from BioQuip -
and
> > that was painful enough.  I can assure you that the Red Sox will win a
> > National Championship before I ever consider paying high dollar for a
dead
> > bug.
>
> That's very inexpensive! Have you ever checked out the birdwings at
> Insect World? If not, you'll find it eye opening. :-)
>
> http://www.insectworld.com/info/index.asp
>
> Click on "Birdwings List."
>
> Chuck <aa6g at aa6g.org>
>
>
>
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