Live Batesian Mimic specimens WANTED

[guthrie]

Hello one and all,
I hope you're all well and safe.
I'm quite new to entomology, so please forgive me if I have placed this in the wrong forum. This is similar to another request in the Coleoptera forum, my apologies for repeating myself.

I'm looking to film live specimens of the Batesian model Common Jezebel Delias eucharis and mimic Painted sawtooth Prioneris sita, for an upcoming series for television. We're based in the UK, and would require them towards the end of July. Does anyone know a supplier they could point me towards?

If not these, we'd be interested in other species such as:

· Black Jezebel Delias nigrina and the mimic Jezebel nymph Mynes geoffroyi
· Pipevine swallowtail Battus philenor and the mimic Black swallowtail Papilio polyxenes
· Bredow’s sister Adelpha bredowii and the mimic Lorquin’s admiral Lienitis lorquini

Thank you in advance, I look forward to hearing from you all.

All the best,
Guthrie

[Adam Cotton]

I doubt that you will be able to obtain live specimens of these species to order for the date of your choosing for several reasons.

Firstly they would have to be sent to you as pupae and there is no guarantee that they would hatch when you want them, never mind the issue of transport during the current pandemic.

The next problem is that many such species are seasonal, and often the model and mimic don't actually fly at exactly the same time. In many mimicry situations the model emerges several weeks before the much rarer mimic so that by the time the mimic species emerges the local predators have already learnt to avoid that particular colour pattern.

On top of that, I really doubt that anyone is breeding Delias nigrina and since it is almost impossible to export live insects from Australia you couldn't obtain them anyway.

Sorry to sound so negative but there are other alternative examples of Batesian mimicry in butterflies that would be easier to obtain, such as Papilio polytes female and the model, Pachliopta aristolochiae.

Adam.

[Paul K]

Don’t mention that to import live specimens you would need a permit which is also not so easy to get. I suppose for filming purpose you could obtain one but that also takes time to arrange.

I suppose it might be easier to get your crew to SE Asia and film those species mentioned by Adam than trying to bring them to UK.

Another option is to visit your local butterfly greenhouses, they might be of some help as they already have permits and contacts with farms in the south.

[guthrie]

Many thanks, Adam and Paul.
Yes, we have been in regular contact with many breeders in the UK, we're just exploring further avenues as well.
Adam, you mentione Papilio polytes and Pachliopta aristolochiae, did you know a breeder/supplier?
Thanks once again,
Guthrie

[Adam Cotton]

I have both species flying around here in the right seasons, but neither is available throughout the year and I am not breeding them at the moment. Even if I was, it would be impossible for me to send pupae to you as I would need to travel 500 miles to Bangkok in order to get an export permit, and in any case there are currently no planes going to the UK due to the pandemic.

I know one Thai breeder who lives relatively near Bangkok and supplies Stratford with pupae of various butterfly species, but I guess he cannot send anything right now anyway.

There are also closely related Philippine species, Papilio alphenor which most people still call P. polytes and Pachliopta kotzebuea. These are often also available in the UK, but I suspect not right now due to the pandemic.

Adam.