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Post by pittendrighinsects on Nov 29, 2012 14:01:00 GMT -8
Since I have a week in mid march (march 15-22) off of school, I was wondering if there are any good places to visit around this time for butterfly collecting. I was thinking of maybe returning to Peru (once went collecting in Cuzco Andes area around this time), or maybe going to Morocco or the Dominican Republic. Any ideas of places (not too expensive like New Caledonia) and with easy access to collecting area/ few or no legal issues and a good amount of biodiversity? Thanks
Quintin
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Post by Adam Cotton on Nov 29, 2012 14:12:28 GMT -8
If you only have a week, including long distance travel, I would only consider going somewhere you know. I very much doubt that you could turn up in a country you don't know, find a good place to collect and return home ready to continue your studies all in a week.
Adam.
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Post by pittendrighinsects on Nov 29, 2012 14:33:46 GMT -8
Well, its one five day week plus two weekends, so it is nine days. I was especially thinking of going to Morocco, but I don't speak Arabic so that will be difficult. Maybe I can go to Greece and collect with Thanos  . One spring break, I was able to go to Peru, though we only spent one day in Machu Pichu, so I couldn't really collect in the rainforest, though I was able to collect in Aguas Frias and other areas in the High Andes, quite an amazing diversity of pierids I might add. Dominican Republic may also be a good place, if March is a good collection time there. Quintin |
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Post by timsbugs on Nov 29, 2012 20:05:38 GMT -8
Ever think ot Panama CA? I stayed at: mounttotumas.com/welcome.htm in Jan. 2011. It was Amazing! There will be even more bugs in March. Jeff, jeffreydietrich57@gmail.com is an awesome host, and even has his own light rigs that he will set up for you to use.. Give Jeff an email, he will answer all your questions. Tim |
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Post by timsbugs on Nov 29, 2012 20:23:00 GMT -8
PS
Make sure to check out the pictures, Jeff is a great photographer!
It helps when you live where he does.
Tim
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Post by nostrodamus on Nov 30, 2012 9:26:09 GMT -8
Quintin, Where are from ? You don't need to speak Arabic to go to Morocco !!  |
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Post by bobw on Nov 30, 2012 11:02:07 GMT -8
Everyone in Morocco speaks French, and quite a few speak English.
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Post by pittendrighinsects on Nov 30, 2012 14:48:04 GMT -8
Good, I know enough french that I could go. I've already been to Costa Rica, there were many common species around the hotel grounds, though very few in the rainforest (b/c many are canopy sp.). I was able to see common stuff like P. polyxenes stabilis, Papilio astylaus etc. Is march a good time for collecting in Panama or Morocco? Thanks.
Quintin
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Post by zdenol123 on Nov 30, 2012 15:37:46 GMT -8
Collecting what Quintin ? For Tenebrionids, Nitidulids, Curculionids, Alleculidae, Staphylinids, Histerids, Melandryidae, Oedemerids... maybe yes....but are you interested in these ? > joke. First butterflies will be out - very little and very few " interesting " beetles could be as well. Interesting - bigger, colorfull....other than that, you can make a snowmans in the mountains  . The best collecting season in Morroco for those big and beautiful is around May - July. |
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Post by pittendrighinsects on Nov 30, 2012 16:23:20 GMT -8
Ok, Europe and North Africa are out of the picture, so what about collecting in the Dominican Republic, Mexico or any other Central American country? I would be mostly interested in Nymphalids, and Papilio/eurytides/battus species. Also would not mind going to Argentina, but it may be a little late in the season for collecting there.
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Post by pittendrighinsects on Nov 30, 2012 16:27:29 GMT -8
I have checked on the web and stuff like Z. rumina and P. machaon is out in early march, even sometimes in February, so why would Morocco not be a good option? I do not plan to go the the Atlas mts., so will not be collecting in the mts.
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Post by papilio28570 on Nov 30, 2012 18:14:58 GMT -8
One consideration is which country allows collecting and transporting out of the country. May need permits in some. Also need to consider import back to your country.
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Post by pittendrighinsects on Nov 30, 2012 18:22:10 GMT -8
Legally importing specimens into the US is easy because I wont resell them, so it is for non-commercial reasons. Though some countries such as Brazil enforce their collecting laws to the greatest extent, most don't bother and countries such as Morocco and Dominican Republic probably don't have these laws.
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evra
Full Member
Posts: 230
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Post by evra on Nov 30, 2012 20:18:34 GMT -8
I'm pretty sure that you can't simply say that if you collected for non-commercial purposes, everything is legal when you bring the specimens into the U.S. If you get caught, USFWS might be less likely to prosecute you because you don't intend to sell them, but that doesn't mean that they can't. There was a recent incident where some grad students got their specimens seized coming across from Mexico, and I believe that they even had permits to collect in Mexico, and they certainly didn't intend to resell the specimens.
On a related note, I've heard that French Guyana is the most friendly country to insect collectors.
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Post by pittendrighinsects on Nov 30, 2012 20:51:25 GMT -8
Though it is true that French Guyana is very collector friendly, most countries wont care if you collect a few common species. Most countries, such as Mexico and others have bigger problems such as from drug cartels, kidnappings, etc, so I don't think the authorities will go after you for collecting butterflies.
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. One spring break, I was able to go to Peru, though we only spent one day in Machu Pichu, so I couldn't really collect in the rainforest, though I was able to collect in Aguas Frias and other areas in the High Andes, quite an amazing diversity of pierids I might add. Dominican Republic may also be a good place, if March is a good collection time there.
. The best collecting season in Morroco for those big and beautiful is around May - July.