Idea: surplus specimen swap box

[exoticimports]

When I was a kid a long time ago Young Entomologists Society ran a swap box program that put "rare" specimens into young hands.

It works like this:

1. A box of many specimens circulates amongst members via mail.
2. You can take out up to five specimens
3. Whatever you take, you replace with equal quantity and value- or better.
4. If your specimens are still there the next time you get the box, take them out and replace them.
5. You send the box to the next guy on the list.
6. A member (suppose it could be me) is in the rotation and responsible for checking the box. Poor-performing members are dropped.

With the internet, this would be easy to track where the box is and what is in it. We could also add a "wish list".

Due to export frustrations, this would be limited to USA, though EU could do likewise.

The idea is to put locally caught (but not exclusively) specimens into the hands of others in different regions.

There can be rules:
1. Box must be forwarded within one week
2. No B quality specimens
3. "macro moths only" or "Leps and beetles only" or whatever the agreement is
4. No more than three specimens of any one species
5. Very subjective: if you load the box with junk or unwanted specimens, you get dropped

Is anyone interested?

Chuck

[coloradeo]

Chuck -- I was a YES member as a kid also and participated in the swap box program! It was great! I got some great sphynx and other butterflies and moths I could not get locally through the swap.

I'd be interested in doing something like that, but I'm afraid that since I'm really only starting up again last year in earnest, I probably would not have enough yet from Colorado or Wisconsin (the two places I collect the most) to interest folks. Maybe after the summer, if you get it going I could reach back out to you.

Eric

[multicaudata]

This sounds like a great idea! I wonder why we don't have this going on anymore... Just because of how few collectors there are these days?

[mantisboy]

You could count me in! I have mostly WI insects with a few from other places, and I think this would be a fun idea. Its funny though, when I saw "Idea" in the title, I immediately thought this would be a thread about the Idea butterflies of Asia!