A Drawer a day will keep the winter blahs away

[billgarthe]

And.....

[exoticimports]

Bill, aren't you going to run out at this rate?

Chuck

[bugboys3]

Dec 15, 2015 10:00:36 GMT -8 exoticimports said:

Bill, aren't you going to run out at this rate?

Chuck

That was my thought as well.

[timmsyrj]

I was thinking more of Clarke running out of space if too many join in, there are plenty of collectors out there to keep this going through the long winters nights but I think Bill has quite a large collection still even with letting a few drawers go.

Rich

[timmsyrj]

Dec 14, 2015 21:25:59 GMT -8 tv said:

Just out of curiosity, how long has it taken you guys to amass such beautiful (and massive) collections?

I started when I was 8 years old, though only local common stuff, at 16 I was off to college to study engineering and start a 5 years fitting apprenticeship so didn't really collect anything for a few years, my tropical collection really started when I was about 25 and just keeps getting bigger, around 500 cases of set stuff and 50+ boxes of papered still to set, I'm 48 now so 40 years in all with a short break for study.

Rich

[timmsyrj]

Again taken on my iPad camera under house lights..







Rich

[billgarthe]

Timmsyrj, those are gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.

[trehopr1]

Simply Awesome drawers timmsyrj ! I've only seen one other collector post pic's of that many rubianus in one place.

Billgarthe, those are two Awesome drawers featuring Lucanus elephas and Dynastes tityus ! Both are my favorite Eastern North American beetle species. You seem to have picked up most of them in Tennessee. Apparently, a rich haunt for them given all that richly forested state.

[billgarthe]

Trehopr1,

Yes, TN has been to me. I've also been fortunate to have reared both of them. KY and AL have also been fruitful with a few from souther IL as well. The D. tityus drawer has a pupal case in the lower right hand corner. Love these guys, but now only collect very large ones, specially marked ones, or for friends who want some. I probably let a few dozen go this last summer from my sheets....no need to kill everything I see.

[beetlehorn]

   

This is one of my favorite drawers. These are South American Nymphalidae. 
 

[billgarthe]

What's really neat is that your drawer is full of what u love ......and.......you made the drawer as well. That is complete? Nice bugs.

[panzerman]

I agree! I love Winter! Main reason is that I hate heat/humidity/insects....mosquitos/blackflies to be precise. Second, I am off all Winter, since I am in the lawncare business. During April-Dec I work 7 days a week , dusk to dawn. So, Winter is my time for fun, walking my Rottweiler "Loki" thru the woods on groomed snowmobile trails. Of course being out on the trails on a 195 HP "ThunderCat" snowmobile is great fun....no speed limit!

Third, time to fool around with my fav. hobby...rare gold coins, and whats left of my butterfly/moth collection. I sold my papilionidae coll. from Neotropics to buy rare coins.

Attachments:

[panzerman]

and some butterfly drawers...


John

Attachments:

[billgarthe]

Wow.....Apr. to Dec. seven days a week is demanding. Btw....cool coins and I don't have a gold coin to my name.

[panzerman]

Work hard, play hard!


Fantastic beetles!

I always wanted to get into those too, esp. lucanidae.

I always feel so sorry for people who have no hobbies...


John

[billgarthe]

Nice Teinopalpus drawer. I Lk,e the Lucanids as well.

[beetlehorn]

Here is a drawer of Hemileucas, both Eastern and Western US species.

[mothman27]

Those are some awesome drawers!

[joee30]

Next year, Tom, next year. Should be good for Hemileucas here in the west. ?

[johnnyboy]

Well done everyone, all the drawers shown are really fantastic! Really cheered me up seeing them all.

Johnny

[beetlehorn]

Here is a drawer of P. glaucus (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail)that displays some different forms. The female of this species has transitional forms from black to yellow which include several intensities of the intermediate form. In good years they can be found with some degree of regularity, though it does require patience and persistence. Bill Garthe and I had some good times collecting these a few years ago. Going through drawers of specimens like these brings back some fond memories.

   

[beetlehorn]

Here is a drawer of the machaon group. These swallowtails have always intrigued me. I still remember catching my first Papilio machaon in Germany so many years ago. It was nectaring on alfalfa. Going back to the location the next day, I found several more as I remember. I was so excited at the time, I still recall walking around in a state of euphoria. That time of my youth was filled with new adventures, and discoveries.

[exoticimports]

Tom, what's the location on those transitionals? I've seen yellow, and black, but not that wonderful mix.

I'm surprised nobody uses unit pinning trays. I can't live without them.

Chuck


Here's some Automeris from Ecuador

[billgarthe]

Chuck......I just never got into trays. I have my reasons, but the neat thing about this hobby is one can do up his collection just the way he likes.

[beetlehorn]

In regards to the question from exoticimports, I find the different forms in many locations. One I found in a parking lot of an AT&T store, a casualty from someone's car grill. I captured most of these in river bottomland along the Cumberland river west of Nashville Tennessee. I see good numbers at the height of their flight in July, and concentrate my efforts around nectaring plants such as thistle, button ball bushes and wild bergamot. Here is a close-up of four specimens. Tom