ckswank
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Post by ckswank on Jun 25, 2011 3:38:48 GMT -8
Aside from the high fees & paperwork, if a person is caught importing or exporting without the permits, they can confiscate your entire inventory and/or collection which is what happened a few years back to the company out in Ft. Davis, Texas. I think they only found a few specimens that could not be documented, but they had to forfeit much of their inventory. Besides a fine, you also run a risk of jail time, depending on how much illegal importing/exporting was done. Just not worth it to me & a great many who collect here in the US.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Posts: 239
Country: USA
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Post by ckswank on Jun 18, 2011 1:47:31 GMT -8
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ckswank
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Posts: 239
Country: USA
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Post by ckswank on Jun 13, 2011 12:21:12 GMT -8
wollastoni -
Thanks for the tip with the sticky bands. I'll have to try that.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on Jun 13, 2011 1:27:33 GMT -8
Adam - I know what you mean about the natural disasters. Makes me cringe all summer long watching the Gulf of Mexico. Went through Hurricane Ike unscathed almost three years ago. My biggest concern are the damned imported fire ants we have. They come in the house occasionally through the weep holes around the foundation. If there is anything around for them to eat, they will be all over it in no time. I went collecting in SE AZ two years ago & didn't catch much because the monsoon season was very dry that year & had not received much rain. What little I did catch, I had on 3 or 4 spreading boards on a drying rack. The fire ants came in without me realizing it and within one day I was left with a few wings! Talk about being PO! At least so far, they haven't figured out how to get into my boxes of specimens! Just thought I would share my experience.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on Jun 12, 2011 19:43:13 GMT -8
Hmmmm, interesting! Guess I've been living in the south too long. LOL There is a museum in New Orleans that serves up different cooked bugs occasionally. I'll try to find it & post a link. I remember when I was a kid, my cousin & I had read about North American Indians eating roasted grasshoppers. Of course we had to try it. Thank goodness for chicken, pork, & beef! Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on Jun 12, 2011 19:22:41 GMT -8
Thanks for posting this, Clark. Very informative & interesting. Gives you a lot to think about, especially keeping a grass lawn instead of a meadow. Wish I lived in the country!
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on Jun 11, 2011 6:34:09 GMT -8
The area is rural & heavily wooded, near river bottoms, & the gas stations are out in the middle of nowhere along a state highway with very little traffic after midnight. Mostly oak & pecan, but I suspect there are other trees as well. It's about 50 miles from where I live, so I don't go down in the daytime, but I really should. The drought here is really affecting the insect populations. We are at about 15-18 inches behind in our annual rainfall & the year isn't half over yet! We usually average about 45 inches per year down near the coast. There were two tropical systems that made landfall down in Mexico last summer that brought a lot of rain with them as they moved north through Texas. That may be our only hope for some decent rainfall. I've also been told that D. tytius like rotting fruit, especially bananas, but I have not personally tried it. Wish you some success, as they are truly a magnificent beetle.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on Jun 9, 2011 21:56:17 GMT -8
I've read (and heard) that the adults like feeding on ash twigs. I've found 4 males here in SE Texas so far this year at gas station lights, two of them about 20 feet apart on the same night (May 21st) at one gas station! Only collected 1 male & 2 females all of last summer.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on Jun 6, 2011 20:43:03 GMT -8
Thanks for posting, Tom. I remember the 1970 emergence in east central Illinois where I grew up. I was doing some research on this brood this evening & came up with this YouTube video. Hope you enjoy it.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on May 31, 2011 22:11:24 GMT -8
I agree entirely. Thanks for posting this story. I have a 4 year old grandson who is fascinated with the moths & beetles I bring home. It's almost as if I am seeing them for the first time through his eyes.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on May 31, 2011 21:53:31 GMT -8
I'm no expert either, but the pictures on bugguide.net, the range map, & the dates seem to match up pretty well.
Charlie.
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on May 29, 2011 13:44:35 GMT -8
One of my favorites as well. Might try to rear some this year. They are very common here in SE TX. They have started emerging here already. I've found 4 or 5 in the last week. During their peak in July, I've collected as many as 12-15 in one parking lot in one night! Females seem to outnumber the males about 5 to 1.
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on May 29, 2011 13:34:42 GMT -8
Very good tip. Thanks! Probably good to look around logging operations as well, with permission of course!
Charlie
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on May 29, 2011 12:20:43 GMT -8
I found the DVD on eBay & bought it. It's mostly about the cultural differences between East & West when it comes to insects. Japanese children are introduced to insects at a very early age, which I'm sure influences them throughout their lives. They followed one beetle dealer driving a Ferrari, which he explains he bought selling beetles! The film is more of an overview & not a scientific documentary.
Charlie
PS - My wife & I enjoy House as well! Someone that I know who is an operating room nurse said that this series is the most accurate of any of the doctor/hospital shows on TV.
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ckswank
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Post by ckswank on May 29, 2011 11:02:05 GMT -8
Thank you for the link, Thierry. Very useful information.
Charlie.
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