I cannot believe the Prices!!

[leptraps]

I have a small series of Phoebus avellaneda, 3 males and 2 females. I collected two males in the Dominican Republic in 1981. The other 3 specimens were given to me in 1987. These were also from the Dominican Republic and were collect in 1980. All the specimens were okay but not perfect. I thought I would like several perfect specimens. So, I placed an add here on Insectnet: Wanted to Buy. Twenty-four hours later I had six (6) offers. Males from $164.00 USD TO $475.00 USD. And females, only two offers: $500.00 USD and $750.00 USD.

WOW!! I was socked to say the least. I was thinking $10 or $20 bucks. Then I went to Insectnet classifieds and began to look at specimen prices. Again, I saw a Swallowtail for $1,500.00 USD. I saw several other butterflies for hundreds of dollars. Then I went directly to EBay and was stunned at the prices.

I am in the wrong business!

I am retired and financially sound. But I do not have that kind of money.

And you guys piss and moan at the Prices of Leptraps products.

How many lottery winners are on Insectnet?

[exoticimports]

Most of those who spend a fortune on specimens don’t collect in the wild.

[Deleted]

Ebay prices are a joke, I have a pair of Chilasa carolinensis on the way and there is no way I could get them at ebay prices, I gave up on it a while ago, I suppose many of us are ebay millionaires, just as an example take a look at this for stupidity, my male funebris, I have a few, cost around $15, females about $30 www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Butterfly-Sasakia-funebris-China-Yunnan-C-of-Mt-Nushan-1Pcs-7496/323509705039?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


Leyroy, could you post some pictures of your avellaneda? If you took one from the Dominican republic it's sure not to be avellaneda, either that or the data is wrong.

[Paul K]

Value of money is different in China and rest of the world.
What ever costs in Europe or America $100.00 for Chinese it is $1.00 you must always cut off two zeros. That is the real value.
Europeans can’t afford anything anymore.

[Deleted]

This, in case anyone doesn't know is avellaneda, do your specimens look like this?

[Deleted]

"Europeans can’t afford anything anymore"

Quite a sweeping statement and wrong.

[Deleted]

What is going on? www.ebay.com/itm/Butterfly-Sasakia-charonda-China-Yunnan-N-of-Mt-Nushan-2Pcs-7434/223197680793?hash=item33f79e5499:g:vjIAAOSwR~tbzB8T:rk:3:pf:0

[Deleted]

It's madness

[Deleted]

My British specimens came very cheaply indeed but I know what you mean, and once again with the extinct material I have I could cash in on the madness and go and visit Mr Mercedes but I'd rather have the specimens.

[leptraps]

Well, I went and looked. All of my Phoebis avellaneda are from Cuba. I check my card file, they were given to me by George Sutton of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.in 1992. He visited Cuba when Canadians were allowed and USA citizen could not.

However, I reared this creature in 1999.

[nomad]

You only need to visit one of the big European fairs, its nearly all European collectors with a smattering of world travellers. They are big fairs and they are there every year.

[Paul K]

“Chinese are suppliers not customers”
Not anymore, here in Canada Chinese are buying off everything, i don’t know yet how is in Europe.
Don’t forget that most part of wealth is accumulating there, not in America or Europe. You like it or not but that is today’s reality.

[Paul K]

“There you can say what Europaens offer for 100 you can get from them for 50.”

This is very true, but can you see what are the consequences?
No one want to buy from Europeans therefor all cash goes to China.
And now they are buying us with our own money.

[Paul K]

“Try to visit some of the fairs and you will see what can Europeans afford to buy”

Come on!!! I wasn’t talking about few bugs at the fairs and by Europeans I meant all white race.

[LEPMAN]

Oct 27, 2018 7:48:08 GMT -8 @inachisio65 said:

Ebay prices are a joke, I have a pair of Chilasa carolinensis on the way and there is no way I could get them at ebay prices, I gave up on it a while ago, I suppose many of us are ebay millionaires, just as an example take a look at this for stupidity, my male funebris, I have a few, cost around $15, females about $30 www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Butterfly-Sasakia-funebris-China-Yunnan-C-of-Mt-Nushan-1Pcs-7496/323509705039?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


I’m pretty sure that you can find funebris for cheaper than 15$ if you deal directly with the collectors in China. Personally I acquired my funebris by trading a pair of P.glaucus with a Chinese collector.