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Post by papiliotheona on Sept 29, 2015 17:59:34 GMT -8
If all "breeding" is covered then people raising crickets to feed to herps, etc. are in a lot of trouble!
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Post by papiliotheona on Sept 29, 2015 12:02:46 GMT -8
Chris, look at what I'm saying, closely. Nowhere am I advocating breaking the law. Yes, the CA law does apply to real scientific collecting and professional biological survey work, particularly in regards to ESA work. I never denied that. My comments are specifically in regards to "backyard" recreational collecting. There are only two real possibilities here: that recreational entomologists have been violating the law in California since 1957, technically or otherwise, or that they haven't.
I am not referring to the "similarity of appearance" blues in FL under the ESA--I have been told that technically, one needs a state permit to collect any part of any living or formerly living thing in the state, on any kind of property. I have been told something like this by two or three people. The law gives LE officers individual discretion in enforcement. It probably won't be enforced for a recreational collector on their city block, but for someone selling hundreds of E. atala pupae, from their own yard or not, the story may be entirely different. Texas has a law protecting "all" wildlife on highway right-of-ways, but the law is (for now) specifically not enforced for insects. Like I said before, Arizona also has a SCP law--maybe it is enforced less than California's (AZ State Parks do not prohibit collecting, also), but it's on the books. What I am saying is that if one really wants to go down the "rabbit hole", almost any collecting could be technically called illegal, anywhere.
Getting back to California--under an extremely strict application killing pests--spraying ants in your kitchen, stepping on a roach--would be against the law and has been since 1957. Is it really? Are extermination companies required to get the SCP? As for fishing, under a strict interpretation, there would be no difference between bait insects and recreational insects. CA state parks prohibit the take of everything without a state permit and the SCP, period, and the terms of CA State Parks permits make clear that there has to be a very good reason for the collecting--"recreational" is not a valid reason. As for "propagation"--well, as you may know, California is probably the leading state for licensed commercial butterfly breeding (like for weddings) and release operations and is surely within the top five for butterfly vivariums/exhibits, both of which obviously involve "propagation". These are obviously operating in plain sight, under the watchful eye of big brother--are they getting hammered with this? Finally, California is also probably the leading state in the USA for insect shows where specimens and livestock are dealt--at least half of which come from within California. These shows are carefully watched by wildlife agents--has someone gotten busted, yet, for selling P. zelicaon or mourning cloak pupae there?
I'm not saying you don't have a legitimate concern, just that posting that right now a permit is required for any and all insect-catching in California is premature and panic-mongering. If/when the state of CA gives a ruling that this is required for any and all handling of insects (because picking something up or taking something in to rear, even if it is then released, is "take"), then I will accept that and have no choice but to abide by that. Until then, we all know that the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" and that is usually a woeful thing.
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Post by papiliotheona on Sept 29, 2015 10:13:50 GMT -8
Chris, you really should check the laws for other states. Arizona has a SCP law too just for one example. Many, many states do. In Florida you technically need a permit to collect anything, anywhere. I'm not making this stuff up. How those are enforced, I don't know, but it is highly doubtful they regularly apply to amateurs.
Keep in mind, this is no new law--it goes back to 1957 in basically its present form. It has not been enforced for recreational collecting for all or most of that time. As of not long ago, Cal Fish and Game's official position was that you technically needed a fishing license to collect, but that it was not enforced. This I know for a fact. As of this summer, I also know for a fact that one could legally catch insects for use as bait. If this has changed, I want to see something in actual writing or a ruling from the state, not hysteria.
From what we know, the CA SCP law is (a) used as a business license by the State of California as a revenue-maker (in other words, a tax) and (b) a requirement for genuine biological research. It is enforced for State Parks for instance (but all collecting in State Parks is "scientific" by default according to state procedures). By making a ruckus about this we are more likely to get the law used against us than "amended" in our favor (if it even needs to be).
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Post by papiliotheona on Sept 26, 2015 20:17:59 GMT -8
Most states have a "scientific collecting permit" law on the books; most of the time, it's not really enforced for amateur insect collecting. California's SCP law dates back to 1957. In my opinion, Chris Grinter is doing more harm than good, because with all the attention he is drawing to Cal Fish and Wildlife, he is setting us up for a time when it really will be enforced for all.
Basically you need a SCP for ANY kind of biological field work with any living thing if it pertains to you making a living. If you are a recreational birdwatcher it isn't enforced (I would hope!), but if you are conducting a survey for ESA birds, it is. I have spoken to several professional survey workers on this matter and they mostly agree that this doesn't apply to us--yet.
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Post by papiliotheona on Sept 17, 2015 18:42:43 GMT -8
Feed females once a day if resting, twice a day if ovipositing, or every other day if in cold storage (ice chest) with a mixture of one part honey, two parts punch flavor Gatorade.
To get eggs, put females in a 1 gal. pot lined with a large paper lunch bag or paper toweling and a screen mesh top. This works much better than just the brown paper bag (except for S. cybele which doesn't seem to care). Throw some fresh violet leaves at the bottom of the pot. Put under a lamp. Allow to get warm but not too hot. You may want to give them periodic breaks. Whatever you do *do not* put outside in the sun or you will very rapidly kill your females.
Rearing the larvae is easy *if* you have an unlimited supply of the right violets, a lot of individual snap-lid plastic condiment cups, and three hours or so of free time per day.
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Post by papiliotheona on Aug 21, 2015 0:14:33 GMT -8
They are flying now in Alder Creek off Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Rd. (about 5 miles from the jct. w/Hwy 2) in the Angeles National Forest above La Canada Flintridge, California.
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Post by papiliotheona on Aug 21, 2015 0:13:19 GMT -8
If the specimen greases up, soak it in Odorless Mineral Spirits by Klean-Strip (not the California formulation, the real product you can get in the other 49 states) for a week. Take it out, drip it off, and put it in a drawer by itself until it all evaporates. There's no need to break off the abdomen.
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 28, 2015 10:07:41 GMT -8
Ah, now I understand the problem. Presumably "pretzel" is a US expression. I use Austerlitz pins available from Omnes Artes, and have never had such problems. However I use rather thicker pins (mostly number 5) as Papilionidae tend to be larger butterflies. Adam. Yeah these are thinner pins, #1s primarily. Also I am talking about the side pins, not the actual pin used for penetrating the specimen.
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 17, 2015 11:32:36 GMT -8
Bend up when trying to stick them into the wood
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 16, 2015 12:35:14 GMT -8
It seems to me that in recent years Bioquip pins pretzel far too easily.
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 7, 2015 20:08:05 GMT -8
It seems to me that for one reason or another collectors don't seem to live too long, and are laden with health problems.
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 7, 2015 19:53:31 GMT -8
Would enrollment in this course enable you to collect in Cave Creek South Fork which is off-limits to collecting?
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 7, 2015 19:48:25 GMT -8
If you are following the regulations as they (USFWS) requested, why would an agent make things difficult for you? They have your package in their possession, along with all the required paperwork, and someone in the agency takes it upon themselves to just do whatever they want based on how they feel about your shipment?!? That is exactly why I don't bother with foreign material, and just collect locally. There's just too much beyond my control. Because CFR gives them the legal discretion to do so based on their hunches. The burden of proof is on you, not the feds.
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 7, 2015 17:40:23 GMT -8
It is my opinion that there would be more interest in collecting here in the US if it were not for the ridiculous regulations imposed upon us by our own government. The people in charge of our laws invent regulations that are based on arbitrary opinions. Generally speaking they do nothing to actually conserve insect populations. We collectors are looked upon as an evil threat to butterfly populations, but when the chainsaws crank up, and the bulldozers roll in to completely wipe out the entire ecosystem, and totally decimate everything, nothing is ever done or said about that. The whole legal system is so backwards it literally makes me sick! A while ago I saw a bumper sticker that said " I Love America, But I Hate The A....les That Run It!" I'm sure there are silly regulations in other countries as well. Sorry for the rant. I just hate to see such a wonderful activity go down the drain due to our opinionated over-regulating government. Perhaps there are more collectors out there than I am aware of, even in my local area. They simply choose to remain discreet. It's just not a mainstream outdoor activity like hunting or fishing, so it doesn't get the same attention from the general public. Collecting insects gives an individual a real connection with all aspects of nature-(plant life, birds, reptiles, weather, moon phases, etc.)- that in my opinion would make a great activity for anyone. That being said I just can't understand why there aren't more people involved in it. Most other countries are worse than the USA for laws. Enforcement may be another matter.
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Post by papiliotheona on Jun 7, 2015 17:39:10 GMT -8
I agree that the Los Angeles area may be it for the USA. Is it for the world? I doubt it.
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