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Post by coloradeo on Oct 19, 2015 19:41:18 GMT -8
Hi all -- I saw the note about the Cal Poly Pomona insect fair and it got me thinking -- What are the annual USA insect fairs? Are there any that have the range or scale of some of the European ones that I've seen pictures of on this site and others? Which are the best and why? Thanks for your opinions.
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Post by admin on Oct 25, 2015 11:12:37 GMT -8
Probably the best one here in the USA is the Fair at the LA County Natural History Museum in the month of May. All the other ones are typically family-oriented events with very few serious collectors or vendors in attendance. That's just the way it is. So, the market is open for improvement.
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Post by myotis on Oct 26, 2015 4:20:04 GMT -8
Is there just not enough interest to make them worthwhile, or other reasons or both? I go to reptile shows and even though they seem to be doing well and get plenty traffic. Their vendors are always in fear of the USDA, FWS and DNRs. Doesn't matter if you are legal, they confiscate first and ask questions later or just hound you until you pull off the table what they don't like (doesn't matter if it's legal) I've seen it happen lots of times.
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Post by exoticimports on Oct 26, 2015 5:24:20 GMT -8
It's a lot of work to get a bug show going. I tried to get a New England museum to host one, but when my contacts twice left the organization I figured I wasn't going to start a third time.
The question is where to do it? It would have to be in a major metropolitan area where people have a high level of interest in science AND have money to spend. Then WHEN? In New England nobody is going to a bug show in Summer; in Spring and Fall mom & dad are too busy doing yard work..that leaves winter, and any storm could eliminate attendance.
It might work elsewhere in USA do to a bug show as a rider to a reptile show- use their insurance, their marketing, etc.
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Post by admin on Oct 26, 2015 11:41:42 GMT -8
Is there just not enough interest to make them worthwhile, or other reasons or both? I go to reptile shows and even though they seem to be doing well and get plenty traffic. Their vendors are always in fear of the USDA, FWS and DNRs. Doesn't matter if you are legal, they confiscate first and ask questions later or just hound you until you pull off the table what they don't like (doesn't matter if it's legal) I've seen it happen lots of times. This might have something to do with it - for insect vendors too. The USA seems to have more wildlife restrictions than the other countries. It's harder to do insect business here. |
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Post by vabrou on Dec 6, 2015 12:53:51 GMT -8
That is precisely why there is little participation, the fools and buffoons that want you to stop your activities and attempt to confiscate things that are 100% legal, but they are too stupid to know better. Keep these clowns out of the picture and there would be tremendous interest. The crap that occurs in the US, occurs no where else in the world. In California and Florida there are hotbeds of these uneducated non-taxonomist clowns.
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Post by trehopr1 on Dec 6, 2015 20:45:32 GMT -8
I'm certain the reason we have a lack of any tangible insect fairs here in the U.S. is largely due to the fear of selling anything that could be questioned. That fear factor is VERY real and credible and nobody (in their right mind) should dare take such a gamble. It's not worth it. Also, it could be said that any dealers left here in the U.S. are largely in their 70's and are only "puttering around" with some very common things just to keep themselves busy.
Starting up such a business takes serious money (like most things do) and, you have to have a fairly reasonable influx of new, fresh species choices to keep your regulars interested. Kudo's to exoticimports for mentioning the thought of using a insect fair as a rider to a reptile show(for insurance and marketing purposes).
Of coarse there are no guarantee's to that thought as I attended the Toronto insect fair a few years back; and despite it being used as a rider to the reptile show it failed to attract enough viable audience to keep it going. It was dissolved only 2 years after I visited --- never to return.
I also think the very culture of collecting insects as a hobby has always been FAR more ingrained in European and Asian cultures than over here.
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Post by papiliotheona on Dec 10, 2015 14:47:27 GMT -8
That is precisely why there is little participation, the fools and buffoons that want you to stop your activities and attempt to confiscate things that are 100% legal, but they are too stupid to know better. Keep these clowns out of the picture and there would be tremendous interest. The crap that occurs in the US, occurs no where else in the world. In California and Florida there are hotbeds of these uneducated non-taxonomist clowns. Most countries have stricter laws than the USA--in France all Papilionidae are protected, in Spain you can't collect anything without a permit, in India and Brazil you can't collect anything and there is no permit available. However, the US probably enforces the laws it has better than anyone else. |
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Post by nomihoudai on Dec 11, 2015 0:18:43 GMT -8
in France all Papilionidae are protected Since when, and through which law? This would be news to me. |
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Post by papiliotheona on Dec 11, 2015 1:23:57 GMT -8
in France all Papilionidae are protected Since when, and through which law? This would be news to me. The link is on Chris Grinter's blog; I believe the only non-protected Papilionidae is machaon. |
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 12, 2015 4:16:49 GMT -8
All French Papilionidae are not protected :
Non protected :
Papilio machaon
Iphiclides podalirius
Protected :
Papilio hospiton
Papilio alexanor
Zerynthia rumina (though very common)
Zerynthia polyxena (though very common)
Parnassius apollo (though very common)
Parnassius mnemosyne
Parnassius sacerdos
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