|
Post by alandmor on Apr 2, 2016 7:41:49 GMT -8
Google recently launched a "totally immersive, virtual reality experience" which according to Google "lets you see, touch, smell and hear the world just like you do in real life." If you don't believe me and want to see it in action, watch the video below. www.google.com/get/cardboard/plastic/Truly amazing!
|
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Jan 23, 2016 8:39:01 GMT -8
Specimens from southern Togo, including Missahoe Forest, are D. micans s. str. (Drury, 1773). From De Palma and Frantz, 2011: "Specimens from south Togo and south Benin originally attributed to kouensis (Legrand et. al., 2006), pertain instead to the nominate subspecies."
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Jan 20, 2016 15:36:06 GMT -8
I didn’t know of this but it seems relevant given the nature of the recent discussions on collecting excessive number of specimens, collecting to extinction etc. It is a comprehensive Code of Conduct for Collecting Insects and Other Invertebrates updated in 2002 by the Joint Committee for the Conservation of British Invertebrates and the Royal Entomological Society. It covers all aspects of collecting including general collecting, trapping, obtaining permission to collect, data recording, environmental concerns and rearing and breeding. I quote “The code, of necessity, defines certain activities that should be avoided or restricted but it equally emphasizes the need to collect invertebrates in order to gain valuable information, much of which can aid conservation.”, and, “In view of these considerations, the Committee believes that collecting should always be limited to the minimum necessary for the purpose intended, as well as by full compliance with legal requirements relating to particular sites and species. This principle is enshrined within the following code of conduct, together with guidance on the safeguarding of collections and associated data.” It’s a bit long to include in full but a complete copy is attached and a link is provided below. www.royensoc.co.uk/InvLink/documents/Collecting%20Code%20(2002).pdfPlease don’t shoot the messenger!
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Jan 14, 2016 16:35:41 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Dec 30, 2015 14:05:38 GMT -8
Scanned versions of vols. 2 (1977), 3 (1982) and 4 (1987) of R. Miksic's Monographie der Cetoniinae der Palaearktischen und Orientalischen region, can be downloaded for free from the following Web site. I downloaded all three files (443mb, 551mb and 649mb respectively) without problem: www.ulozto.sk/hledej?q=miksicDoes anyone know of a scanned version of Vol. 1 (1976)? I've looked but they are not available at the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Many thanks.
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Dec 17, 2015 8:38:25 GMT -8
I'm going to be at the Smithsonian in DC just after new years and will be spending a couple days looking over the insect collection there (38 million specimens). I'm particularly interested in beetles, but they have something like 7 million specimens, which makes it a little daunting. I would be interested in hearing from anyone that had some experience there and had any suggestions for can't miss specimens or groupings while I'm there. FYI.....in March 1999, all the Smithsonian's scarab beetle holdings (minus the dung beetles) were transferred to the University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NB, where they remain as a long term loan. A trip to Nebraska may be in order as well! More info can be found at: www.museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/SI_coll.html
|
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Oct 28, 2015 11:16:22 GMT -8
Curious also if anyone has an update or knows the status of this case. Many thanks.
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Jun 1, 2015 11:48:16 GMT -8
Very sad news, passed away last week at home in London. He was a master piece if not THE master of African Butterflies. Thierry I had the pleasure of traveling with Torben Larsen in Ghana, in 2006. These photos are of Torben (and his ubiquitous pipe!) taking a break at Bobiri Forest Reserve and Butterfly Sanctuary, and compiling the days catch at Atewa Forest Reserve, both known for their rich butterfly fauna largely from his work. He will be missed.
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on May 18, 2015 9:28:06 GMT -8
The new caption headers for the classifieds are a big improvement! Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Mar 5, 2015 8:13:02 GMT -8
Does anybody know if there are LED lights that produce UV wavelenths? If so, has anybody used them to attract bugs? What wattages do they come in? How effective are they compared to MV and fluorescent UV? The Goodden GemLight is supposedly designed as a portable LED UV collecting light. From the manufacturer's Web site: The Goodden GemLight is a leap forward in technology, enabling serious moth trapping in remote areas without weighty batteries, cables, a generator or mains supply. Runs all night on 8 AA cells Daylight sensor puts the GemLight ON and OFF automatically. Built-in safety features. Extremely Lightweight. Ultra compact. No bulb to break. Ideal for travel. The Goodden GemLight, runs on 8 AA rechargeable batteries, weighs only 360g, including batteries, fits in the palm of your hand, and runs for over 10 hours on a single charge. The Gemlight uses specially produced LED emitters that are more powerful and effective than any other battery light. These are no ordinary LEDs. The Ultraviolet emitter is the final choice from many which have been evaluated and tested over several years. The GemLight is the result of years of research and investment. It has been tested both in the tropics and temperate regions. This is not a replacement for powerful Mercury Vapour (MV) but in off-peak seasons it has frequently outperformed MV. www.wwb.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&keyword=gem&product_id=5709
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Mar 2, 2015 9:21:43 GMT -8
I should note that these regulations apply to U.S. citizens residing in the U.S. I'm not sure how they apply to non-U.S. citizens visiting the U.S. and bringing specimens with them.
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Mar 2, 2015 9:10:50 GMT -8
Isn't this for commercial imports only? The "Policy" link on the InsectNet.com homepage has a lot of information on federal regulations regarding bringing specimens into the U.S., including the definition of "commercial": * Notes from Connie Hurt, September, 2005: The Federal Register Page 47217 Part 14 - on Import, Export and Transportation of Wildlife, clearly defines the word 'commercial' and 'export' and even 'accompanying baggage'. Simply said this regulation means people who leave the USA and collect overseas to collect for personal or exchange purpose, and people who trade or exchange via international mail with someone overseas, are required to be licensed, to pay fees each time this occurs, have inspections of specimens, and file import/export declarations. The regulations are the same for companies like Butterflies And Things, Insect World and similar high profile businesses. FYI, doing a google search for ss14.4 definitions one would find the entire ruling and law. In part as follows: SS 14.4 Definitions In addition to definitions contained in Part 10 of this subchapter, the following terms shall be construed to mean and include: (a) Commercial means the offering for sale or resale, purchase, trade, barter, or the actual or intended transfer in the pursuit of gain or profit, of any item of wildlife and includes the use of any wildlife article as an exhibit for the purpose of soliciting sales, without regard to quantity or weight. There is a presumption that eight or more similar unused items (except for antiques, collectibles, or curios) are for commercial use. This presumption may be rebutted by the importer/exporter/owner or by the Service based upon the particular facts and circumstances of each case.
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Feb 12, 2015 11:09:16 GMT -8
To anyone interested in the history of natural history and the naturalist's tradition, I recommend "Ordering Life - Karl Jordan and the Naturalist Tradition" by Kristin Johnson (2012). It chronicles the life of Karl Jordan, a German entomologist (1861-1959) and his work with Walter Rothschild (1868-1937) among others. The son of a wealthy financier, Walter Rothschild amassed one of the largest private natural history collections in the world, known as the Tring Museum, which upon his death was bequeathed to the British Museum where Jordan eventually worked. Jordan was a Tring curator, taxonomist and flea and Anthribidae specialist. He emphasized the need for large series of specimens to encompass both individual and geographic variation and was a major proponent of trinomials to describe subspecies. Rothschild's and Jordan's 1903 "Revision of the lepidopterous family Sphingidae" raised the bar among entomologists practicing "scientific systematics" and remains a classic. Ordering Life also details how all scientific endeavors are influenced by the social, political and economic climates of the time, in this case the European aristocracy and two world wars. Both had great impacts on the ability of naturalists to conduct their work as did the emerging fields of genetics and applied entomology. Karl Jordan, who alone or with a coauthor described over 3,426 species of insects, published his last of 420 papers in 1958 and certainly played his part in ordering life.
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Dec 28, 2014 12:00:29 GMT -8
For a brief overview of fruit trapping for scarabs in the tropics, see the article "Trapping with Bananas" by J. Touroult at the link below. museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/Newsletter/Scarabs21.pdf There are many different techniques and trap styles but a basic 1.5L plastic bottle, some string, some ripe fruit, a place to hang it and some sun is all you need. Good luck! Thanks! I wish the image of the trap itself was better there. Do you just basically cut a largish flap into the side of the bottle and bend it upwards? How does that trap the beetles? I have had good luck in the tropics with just a 32 oz. plastic cup with some ripe banana/beer in the bottom, hung in a tree and left in the field for 2-3 days. Cups have holes in the sides and/or bottom for rain to drain through. It is basically an aerial baited pitfall trap. I'm sure some do escape but many do not. Works for many Cetoniinae including: Goliathini, Cetoniini, Diplognathini, Gymnetini etc. although some species will not be attracted. Fruit traps can work well in Africa. By the time I've finished placing a trap line of 10-12 traps and am walking back, the first ones can already have beetles in them! Photos are from Vietnam:
|
|
|
Post by alandmor on Dec 27, 2014 8:43:03 GMT -8
I never had any real success with fruit traps in the tropics, the fruits need to be fermented for more than 3-7 days. It's the smell of the alchol that attracts the beetles to the fruits because alchol will give the beetles highest energy return to burn. I shouldn't have any trouble fermenting the fruit that long... though I assume the traps are different from those used for butterflies? For a brief overview of fruit trapping for scarabs in the tropics, see the article "Trapping with Bananas" by J. Touroult at the link below. museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/Newsletter/Scarabs21.pdf There are many different techniques and trap styles but a basic 1.5L plastic bottle, some string, some ripe fruit, a place to hang it and some sun is all you need. Good luck!
|
|