Post by lepidofrance on May 22, 2020 6:37:25 GMT -8
As far as I know, Morpho hecuba does not grease! (I never removed the hecuba's abdomen and they did not grease). The copy of the video survived the First World War and is indeed very damaged. It is especially marcus, rhetenor and menelaus which grease, even also eugenia. And I don't remember meeting any greased live specimens.
M. menelaus and M. rhetenor in Patawa, december 2018:
Morpho telemachus metellus (Cramer, 1779), ♂. Montagne de Kaw, D6 près de Camp Caïmans, 13 décembre 2018.
Last Edit: May 22, 2020 6:44:20 GMT -8 by lepidofrance
Post by lepidofrance on May 22, 2020 1:02:54 GMT -8
The best times to collect butterflies in French Guyane are especially October and November, March, and July. Continuous rains from December to early March and from April to August. But January is the best time for Titanus giganteus. In French Guyane, as elsewhere in the world, the abundance of butterflies has been decreasing from year to year for the past ten years. However, this was not the case in March and April 2020. And Morpho swarmed on Kaw Mountain around ANL and Patawa. The decrease in abundance mainly concerns the diurnal lepidoptera. It does not affect Heterocerae. As for Beetles, I am not competent!
Archaeoprepona demophon, April 2020 in Patawa Lodge :
Morpho hecuba, same location, April 2020
Morpho rhetenor, Patawa, April 2020
Last Edit: May 22, 2020 1:07:28 GMT -8 by lepidofrance
As for the choice between Amazon Nature Lodge and Patawa, it's difficult to decide! The two lodges are located less than 10 km from each other, in the same forest environment with each one, close by, of numerous paths allowing to go far and easily in the forest. Patawa is less expensive than ANL and is managed by two real entomologists (one specialist of Arctiidae, the other from Cerambycidae and other beetles). Patawa is also more frequented by scientists. ANL is more comfortable.
Note that there is a third lodge called Camp Caiman, very well located and also very popular with entomologists. And we eat well!
As for the recent administrative restrictions on the collection of insects, you should know that they mainly target the tarantula T. leblondii and the cerambycidae Titanus giganteus which are the subject of enormous traffic. After negotiations between the administration and the entomologists of metropolitan France and Guyane, it is now possible to get out of Guyane 500 insects by filling out a form on the internet. That said, I come back from Guyane where I spent a month in March and April (a great way to experience confinement in the middle of the Amazon rainforest) and, when I returned to metropolitan France, I was not asked at the airport. Certainly, with the covid-19, police and customs have many other concerns than controlling a few butterflies.
Four pictures (and a map): Amazon Nature Lodge and Patawa (the bungalow and the restaurant)
Encounters in Patawa (March and April 2020):
Last Edit: May 22, 2020 2:42:03 GMT -8 by lepidofrance
Post by lepidofrance on May 17, 2020 4:03:04 GMT -8
Seen from France (or elsewhere), it is obvious that the Trump and Bolsonaro are great destroyers of the environment and biodiversity. Just as the Nuremberg Tribunal to try crimes of genocide was created, a new international tribunal should be established to try crimes of ecocides where these two demagogic leaders would be the first accused!
That said, it is better, in an entomological forum, not to deal too much with questions of politics and religion!
Post by lepidofrance on Mar 15, 2020 0:38:01 GMT -8
"Every so often I see these little bugs in my bathroom. I was able to take a picture of one. Can someone identify it."
I do not know in which country is your bathroom (Greenland or Brazil?). All I can say at the moment is that in a bathroom you can find silverfishes, cockroaches or ants, rather than elephants or giraffes.
Post by lepidofrance on Feb 7, 2020 9:30:09 GMT -8
I received this petition:
My name is Lucas Matos, I’m a Brazilian forest engineer. I live in Rio Branco, the capital of the state of Acre, in the heart of the Amazon forest. A new bill at the Brazilian congress threatens one of the most important biodiversity sanctuaries in our state called the “Serra do Divisor National Park”. This natural park is made up of countless waterfalls, mountains and more than 800 animal species, whether mammals, birds or reptiles. According to Unesco, this natural park is home to ten different types of forest within it, and a record for biodiversity. The sanctuary is located on the border between Brazil and Peru, making it a unique place. However, two members of Congress, Senator Marcio Bittar and MP Mara Rocha, want to abolish the Serra Do divisor National park. They are proposing to change the status of the park to pave the way for illegal logging, deforestation, agriculture and livestock in this ecological paradise in the Amazon. This directly threatens the way of life of the natives who live in this park. I know how important it is to preserve our environment, not only for Brazilians but for the whole planet. I ask you to help me by signing this petition to counter this bill and to send the following message to the Brazilian congress: we want to preserve the Amazon rainforest! This petition is also addressed to the United Nations, UNESCO, the United States and Brazilian justice. Keeping this natural park intact also opens up prospects for development for our country, such as scientific research and ecological tourism. We do not want political actions that rely on dismantling environmental standards and that only benefit criminals and those who take over the land. #AllForSerraDoDivisor
Post by lepidofrance on Feb 3, 2020 3:33:50 GMT -8
"Introduction to the knowledge of Pronophilini"
by Pierre BOYER
If the articles concerning the Pronophilini are numerous, especially for thirty years, it is essentially specialized work of systematic. A general approach of this group was therefore not useless, especially after the recent and immense progress on all levels: ecology, systematics, molecular analyzes, photographs in natura, etc ... We will find in this overview, that we have chosen to publish in several parts, various illustrated chapters relating to the history, morphology, systematics and behavior of the butterflies of this group.
Part one: General (Lépidoptères n ° 71 - December 2018)
Part two: Habitats and geographic distribution (Lépidoptères n ° 73 - September 2019)
Part three: The different genera of Pronophilini (Lépidoptères n ° 74 - December 2019).
These reviews are for sale (at the usual prices), either separately or grouped at a very attractive price for the complete dossier. You will find them by clicking below or in the "Pronophilini" category.
In all honesty doesn't really seem like it's worth it to go anymore. What a pathetic shame.
Why ?
In practically all the countries of the neotropical zone (Central America and South America), the collect and the exit of insects is prohibited. This is not the case in French Guiana where it suffices to complete a form on the internet to obtain the right to leave French Guiana with 1000 specimens.
It is therefore a remarkable opportunity! Especially in French Guyana, unlike many other countries, there is little deforestation and there are many trails allowing good privacy with the forest. In many countries, the forest has been razed or remains in Parks and protected areas. And, where the forest remains, it is often unaffordable because of the relief or lack of roads.
Post by lepidofrance on Jan 20, 2020 2:09:21 GMT -8
"Does anyone know if the Amazon Lodge is still in operation? Their Facebook page has no recent activity and I received no response to the emails I sent. Are there any other recommended locations? And would they be able to assist with the required paperwork?"
As far I know, Amazon Lodge is working. See this other webpage :
Camp Caïman is nice and frequented by many entomologists. I use to stay in the last one, the Relais Patawa, which is more devoted to entomology. More informations about Relais Patawa, on this page :
If you get by internet the collect and export authorization, no need to ask the lodges owners any help. Of course, they would be able to tell you many useful informations.
Post by lepidofrance on Jan 17, 2020 3:15:39 GMT -8
Since July 25, 2019, the collect of insects in Guyane and their exit from this territory are now regulated by a prefectoral decree.
To be in good standing, any person going to French Guiana to collect and bring back the lepidoptera thus collected outside this department, will have to make a declaration on the site of the DEAL of Guyane:
• Identification of the applicant, • The species or, failing that, the family or the taxonomic group, as well as the number of specimens collected and transported, • The localities of the samples, • The destination of the specimens (private collection, museum, etc.).
The decree of July 25, 2019 provided for a quota of 100 specimens of more than 1cm per year per person. This restrictive measure was the subject of two graceful appeals, one of which was initiated by The Lepidopterists of France Association (ALF) with which the SEF, ACOREP, OREINA and ENTOMO-FAUNA were associated.
Two meetings of an advisory committee set up by the prefecture of Guyane took place during the 4th quarter of 2019 in which Louis DIRINGER, vice-president participated on behalf of the ALF and the four associations which signed the graceful action.
The work resulted in a relaxation of the decree of July 2019 by bringing in particular to 1000 per year per person the number of specimens that can be taken and transported outside Guyana.
The text of the new decree of January 7, 2020 can be viewed below.
We invite all ALF members who wish to go to Guyana to sample lepidoptera to comply with the provisions of the prefectural decree.
Any violation of this decree may be penalized by a 4th class ticket (up to € 750 fine) per specimen exceeding the quota.
Post by lepidofrance on Jan 15, 2020 2:47:05 GMT -8
We in the Association of Lepidopterists of France are both authors and publishers of books. Publishing costs a lot of money and we have to, if not make a profit, at least compensate for our expenses. This is why, we are vigilant about the distribution of pdf: a little but not too much! The case presents itself at the moment with our publication, in three parts, of a large summary article on neotropical Pronophilini. We do not distribute a pdf because we have decided to combine these three parts into a single book which will be trilingual (French, English and Spanish). And, of course, if we edit it, we will have to sell it! So few pdf's that would restrict future sales.
It is secondary but it also deserves to be pointed out. We published a large book on Morpho sold for around 100 euros. The book weighs more than 2 kg. Even if we offer it to a friend in South America, the postage amounts to 55 euros! Which is huge! That said, this book is profitable. Given the number of copies sold, the investment is largely recovered. Needless to say, the profits go to the Association (to finance new publications) and not to the authors. It is not by writing on the butterflies that I can afford a vacation in Seychelles or the Bahamas!
Post by lepidofrance on Jan 9, 2020 16:51:25 GMT -8
Africaone wrote : "Did you yet collect in deep tropical forest ? males are commonly seen on the ground road or riverside but for feeding on mud, not to mate."
Here are two pictures of P. antimachus from Bobiri Forest in Ghana. Both are by Jan-Flindt Christensen. First photo: antimachus male (in the red circle) mud-puddling along a forest trail. Second photo ; antimachus male (same location, same day).
Many other pictures from butterflies of Ghana on these pages :