[leps-talk] value

[Neil Jones]

On Friday 31 May 2002 06:08 pm, Anne Kilmer wrote:
> Chris J. Durden wrote:
>
> One of the horror stories I have read tells of a collector taking all
> mature butterflies, all larvae, and removing all the host plants in
> order to make his little prizes far more valuable. (Obviously this was a
> species close to the edge, anyway.)
> That was a while ago, perhaps in Wales (Neil will undoubtedly be able to
> fill in chapter and verse) and there was a stark simplicity about the
> action.
> It is this sort of blithe ruthlessness that we fear, and we have to
> hope that the world of collectors is self-policing. What I have seen of
> it indicates that it is, indeed.
>
> Setting the wolf to guard the hen house is exactly how we got guard dogs
> in the first place, and I can think of no better system. As all of you
> have agreed, the butterflies are worth far more in the field than they
> are in little boxes, and that's your focus.
> Anne Kilmer
> Mayo, Ireland

It wasn't in Wales but I can give you the original posting that was made on 
the subject back in 1995. Here is the relevant extract. It was followed by 
several condemnatory statements, as you would expect.   As far as I can find 
there are only 9 colonies left in Flanders. It is a very interesting species 
in that the larvae are adopted by ants who feed them mistaking them for queen 
ant larvae. A butterfly equivalent of the Cuckoo.
-----------------------------------------------------------

I know about a place in Belgium where the vulnerable Maculinea alcon was
found. A 'commercial collector' came by and caught as many he could. After
this he digged out ALL the Gentiana pneumonanthe (food-plant of M. alcon) he
could find.  He argued: this makes me be sure that I collected the LAST one
in this reserve (wich makes its commercial value higher...)
That's what I DO NOT AGREE WITH.
----------------------------------------------------------
Bart Vanholder
Belgian Migrating Lepidoptera Survey
Droeskouter 33
B-9450 Haaltert
Belgium
e-mail: bvholder at innet.be


--
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.butterflyguy.com/
NOTE NEW WEB ADDRESS
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve

 
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