I just got back two days ago from a 5 month collecting trip in Costa Rica. Permits are very easy to get and they take about a month from start to finish. I even spent time within some well known national parks collecting. Permits involve filling out a form, getting a support letter, and emailing that along with your project proposal to the individual in charge of your collecting area. there are several conservation areas that the country is divided into. You can also just send it to the director and they can help you get permits from multiple areas if you don't want to apply to each area individually. They really are pro research so it was a breeze getting my permits for multiple areas. Now for export permits that's a little more involved but still 100% possible if you apply at least 30 days before you export.papiliotheona wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 9:55 pm I don't see how this is worth it unless you get a collecting permit while you are under their employment, and CR is one of the toughest countries around.
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Re: Research position in Costa Rica!
by EdTomologist » Mon Apr 22, 2024 5:24 am
Dive into the fascinating world of insects! Explore my blog, Instagram, and website. Don't miss our newsletter and the latest from butterfly adventures!
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Re: A parade of Catocala moths
by billgarthe » Mon Apr 22, 2024 4:06 am
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Re: A parade of Catocala moths
by evra » Mon Apr 22, 2024 3:19 am
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam
by nikiahloch » Mon Apr 22, 2024 1:53 am
I sent an email to the Vietnam Department of Agriculture and still haven't heard back from them and that was 8 months ago, I leave the 30th of this month. I've contacted the US Department of Agriculture and even talked to someone and they said I don't need permits for importing dead insects in the US. I think at this point its a matter of hoping for the best.Chuck wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2024 12:00 pm In short: AFTER obtaining export approval (paperwork) from VN, you need to:
1. Have a USFWS import/ export license
2. File a form 3-177 with the import into USA and pay for an inspection
You can do #2 two ways:
1. via post
2. Schedule an inspection upon arrival at a USFWS-designated airport
#2 is actually safer, since they generally conduct the inspection under your watchful eye. If they process by post, then it may not be handled so carefully. You can also avoid some level of ignorance "no, that's not an Ornithoptera, it's a Pierid. Not everything is an Ornithoptera."
Sending specimens via mail without license and 3-177 is unlawful, no matter which country of origin. Doing so to avoid costs and/ or oversight is smuggling, and is not taken lightly.
Further note for travellers: Customs (not USFWS) may search to see what you're importing for duty purposes. So many travellers play games and mail the receipts ahead, tear them up, etc then import three $10,000 watches as personal goods. That's what gets people in trouble. The duty on most things is so trivial, just declare the value. If it's under a few hundred $$ in duty most Customs officials just waive you through, it's not worth their time. Customs also looks for bootleg items (purses, jackets, etc.) and those they will take.
And about Vietnam: VN was the hotbed of Sapphires (and rubies in Thailand) but in both cases they've been largely tapped out, so what you see in stores are lab made. The Hmong outfits and jewelry you see these days are reproductions, they are not original/ antique- that ship sailed 15 years ago. Wood carvings and such are, like butterflies, USFWS items.
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam
by nikiahloch » Mon Apr 22, 2024 1:45 am
Well, I do know that there are no permits required for the impost of dead insects in the US. I've seen this information on the USDA websitekevinkk wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:18 pm It may be safe, but it's not legal to send insect material of any sort through the mail without a permit, especially from overseas. That includes sending
material to other countries from the USA. I've already had that argument at the post office.
I've thought that using the mail would be a good option while out of the USA, but it's still smuggling.
The few exceptions are papered natives, or non-native deadstock already here, or the few native ubiquitous
species as living material.
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam
by nikiahloch » Mon Apr 22, 2024 1:44 am
I know export from Vietnam isn't banned. I purchase insects from private dealers all the time over there and they always show upCassidinae wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:26 pmOfficially, the export of insects from Vietnam is banned.nikiahloch wrote: ↑Sat Mar 16, 2024 12:55 am is it safe to just send the speciems I collect back to the U.S in the mail? Instead of going through the hassle of bringing them in luggage and dealing with customs
-edited by admin- "Be careful with what you write on a public forum".
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Re: Moths of North America (MONA) Catocala
by Trehopr1 » Sun Apr 21, 2024 8:13 pm
When you think about it having multiple authors part of such a project is a conundrum to begin with. Everyone has different schedules, family issues, work responsibilities etc. For each individual it would be much like allowing "only hobby time" for it.
As an individual author it would require the borrowing of specimens, the viewing of specimens if you cannot borrow, all sorts of past literature by previous authors, and modern colleagues with a similar strong knowledge who could serve as sounding boards of opinion.
None of this is easily done. There is a lot of mistrust out there from many different angles. Also, I think it would take one's unfettered and concentrated effort to bring it all together in a sensible time frame.
Perhaps NOT PERFECT in everyone's eyes but, at least further enough along to say I've gotten this far and at this point "things make a little more sense now" and someone else can take up the baton from here someday.....
Just my thoughts.
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Re: Can anyone identify these insects?
by whatisthis » Sun Apr 21, 2024 6:09 pm
That's perfect, thanks very much for sharing your knowledge.livingplanet3 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 21, 2024 5:53 pmThey are insects in the order Psocodea -whatisthis wrote: ↑Sun Apr 21, 2024 4:35 pm Hi All,
Found these insects in the wood pile (ash) and am curious to know what they are; they don't look much like a wood-boring insect but perhaps they are? They seem to look almost like an ant...
There are 2 types that have appeared in abundance; some have wings and some don't; are these perhaps a male and female or 2 entirely different insects?
Thanks in advance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psocoptera
The example in your 1st photo may possibly be in the genus Amphigerontia -
https://bugguide.net/node/view/149401
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Re: Can anyone identify these insects?
by livingplanet3 » Sun Apr 21, 2024 5:53 pm
They are insects in the order Psocodea -whatisthis wrote: ↑Sun Apr 21, 2024 4:35 pm Hi All,
Found these insects in the wood pile (ash) and am curious to know what they are; they don't look much like a wood-boring insect but perhaps they are? They seem to look almost like an ant...
There are 2 types that have appeared in abundance; some have wings and some don't; are these perhaps a male and female or 2 entirely different insects?
Thanks in advance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psocoptera
The example in your 1st photo may possibly be in the genus Amphigerontia -
https://bugguide.net/node/view/149401
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Re: A parade of Catocala moths
by Trehopr1 » Sun Apr 21, 2024 5:49 pm
found in our upper northeast region of the US.
Some western records exist as well and are
associated mostly with the Rocky mountains
and nearby ranges.
The Ribbed or Briseis underwing (Catocala briseis)
is a very nice boldly marked/patterned species.
This particular specimen hails from Michigan and
was acquired from an old collection. I have never
encountered it here in northern Illinois and I'm
unaware of any collector friends having found it
here.
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Can anyone identify these insects?
by whatisthis » Sun Apr 21, 2024 4:35 pm
Found these insects in the wood pile (ash) and am curious to know what they are; they don't look much like a wood-boring insect but perhaps they are? They seem to look almost like an ant...
There are 2 types that have appeared in abundance; some have wings and some don't; are these perhaps a male and female or 2 entirely different insects?
Thanks in advance.
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Re: Moths of North America (MONA) Catocala
by 58chevy » Sun Apr 21, 2024 3:23 pm
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Re: Moths of North America (MONA) Catocala
by kevinkk » Sun Apr 21, 2024 3:15 pm
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Re: Anthocharis sara, stella, julia
by Paul K » Sat Apr 20, 2024 7:50 pm
Does anyone know reliable location for Anthocharis julia sulphuris ?
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Re: Moths of North America (MONA) Catocala
by vabrou » Sat Apr 20, 2024 4:18 pm
The general public is totally unaware that the first MONA fascicle (N.A. Sphingidae) left out 8 different species known at that time captured in the USA. And that didn't include the several handfuls of taxonomical errors and misidentifications that were also published. Also, there are hundreds if not thousands of errors in all of these half century of MONA fascicles, all of these kept a complete secret by the governing board of MONA (past and present). I have some of these secret lists of errors in MONA. All of the entomologists who were instrumental in starting MONA are no longer with the living.
Keep in mind, no one person can be an all-knowing expert for even a single state, much less for worldwide knowledge as there are hundreds to thousands of now documented new invasive species from throughout the world into N.A.. I know as I have published about dozens of these lepidoptera species. Every person makes mistakes, the only persons who do not make mistakes are those that do not do anything.
If one wants to discover new species, start collecting microlepidoptera. There are probably 500-1000 undescribed new species right outside your home at this moment.
Photo for attention: Petunia the bull, and Nancy the cow. My entire vast heard of cattle, numbering as many as (2).
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Re: Agrias butterflies
by wollastoni » Sat Apr 20, 2024 2:51 pm
There are less variations in female aurantiaca : https://agrias-butterflies.com/agrias-p ... urantiaca/
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Re: Global travel collecting
by kevinkk » Sat Apr 20, 2024 2:46 pm
Easy. After a week in Naples, I was told by my sister's husband I was speaking better than people who had been at the base for more than a year.
It's a sign of respect. Without a "smartphone".
Same with access, private property is that way for a reason.
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Re: Papilio rutulus
by Trehopr1 » Sat Apr 20, 2024 8:45 am
Very nicely done on the spreading !