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Topic: A beautiful fournierae pair | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 6 | Views: 86
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Chuck
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Re: A beautiful fournierae pair

by Chuck » Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:36 pm

Thank you @annarobertson1947. I hear about this species but had no idea what "expensive" meant.
Topic: A beautiful fournierae pair | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 6 | Views: 86
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Annarobertson1947
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Re: A beautiful fournierae pair

by Annarobertson1947 » Mon Mar 18, 2024 9:29 pm

Chuck wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 7:05 pm
livingplanet3 wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 5:50 pm That's a superb pair of a truly stunning Charaxes. C. fournierae has long been on my "top 10" list of butterflies that I hope to eventually acquire; time (and price) will tell! :roll:
So how much costs a pair of C fournierae?
Well Chuck, can vary a lot in my case we are looking at $600 Usd male and $1,400 Usd female.
Roughly same as my Lydiae male and female.
Convert to Australian dollars thats $ 3,050.
Plus $50 Aud postage then 10% Gst ( Vat) government tax
Topic: A beautiful fournierae pair | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 6 | Views: 86
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Re: A beautiful fournierae pair

by Chuck » Mon Mar 18, 2024 7:05 pm

livingplanet3 wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 5:50 pm That's a superb pair of a truly stunning Charaxes. C. fournierae has long been on my "top 10" list of butterflies that I hope to eventually acquire; time (and price) will tell! :roll:
So how much costs a pair of C fournierae?
Topic: A beautiful fournierae pair | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 6 | Views: 86
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livingplanet3
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Re: A beautiful fournierae pair

by livingplanet3 » Mon Mar 18, 2024 5:50 pm

That's a superb pair of a truly stunning Charaxes. C. fournierae has long been on my "top 10" list of butterflies that I hope to eventually acquire; time (and price) will tell! :roll:
Topic: Collecting in Vietnam | Author: nikiahloch | Replies: 6 | Views: 142
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam

by Chuck » Mon Mar 18, 2024 5:26 pm

Cassidinae wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:26 pm
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
Officially, the export of insects from Vietnam is banned.

I am always suspect of broad, unsupported statements, and a quick google search yet again proves the statement wrong.

As with most all countries, trade in wildlife is controlled by a framework of protective laws, caveats, and bureaucracy.


kevinkk wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:35 pm These topics are always interesting.
So then- the seller{s} currently using eBay and located/shipping
from Vietnam are illegal? Assuming I understand the thread correctly?
Interesting.
Who knows? There are legal methods for export, though I don't know the details. Whether any given seller conforms or not is very hard to determine. You can always ask to start- though I personally take a lot of convincing.

Some years ago with a plethora of "rare" and highly desirable species coming out of China I did spend some time investigating. Oddly enough, the Chinese laws were written so broadly concerning authority to approve exports that just about any petty town Communist party leader was an "authority" and as such, a shocking number of Chinese sellers were, in fact, in compliance. When it came to public light that Chinese were exporting "super endangered" Tienopalpus and such, the Chinese government made a lot of noise, blaming small-scale lawbreakers but that was really just a charade to satisfy the greenies.
Topic: Collecting in Vietnam | Author: nikiahloch | Replies: 6 | Views: 142
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kevinkk
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam

by kevinkk » Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:35 pm

These topics are always interesting.
So then- the seller{s} currently using eBay and located/shipping
from Vietnam are illegal? Assuming I understand the thread correctly?
Interesting.
Topic: A beautiful fournierae pair | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 6 | Views: 86
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Re: A beautiful fournierae pair

by 58chevy » Mon Mar 18, 2024 3:34 pm

Very nice pair, Anna!
Topic: Collecting in Vietnam | Author: nikiahloch | Replies: 6 | Views: 142
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam

by Chuck » 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.
Topic: A beautiful fournierae pair | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 6 | Views: 86
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Annarobertson1947
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A beautiful fournierae pair

by Annarobertson1947 » Mon Mar 18, 2024 2:24 am

Finally a perfect male to compliment my gorgeous female
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Topic: Charaxes jasius | Author: livingplanet3 | Replies: 1 | Views: 52
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livingplanet3
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Charaxes jasius

by livingplanet3 » Sun Mar 17, 2024 6:12 pm

A short video on Charaxes jasius, the only Charaxes species found in Europe -


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_MsLjeAsb8
Topic: Ornithoptera | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 4 | Views: 2200
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Re: Ornithoptera

by Annarobertson1947 » Sat Mar 16, 2024 11:33 pm

Yes, I'm aware of Australian regulations.
Prove when you obtained them with receipts, import documents etc.
If pre Cites, damn impossible.
Have 10 drawers full.
1 generous proffered $100 Aud per drawer, my answer was suitably appropriate.
Topic: Rarities in Charaxes | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 3 | Views: 295
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livingplanet3
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Re: Rarities in Charaxes

by livingplanet3 » Sat Mar 16, 2024 9:39 pm

Charaxes (subgenus Polyura) dehanii is another nice species that I only rather recently acquired. As is the case with many Charaxes, the verso is even more strikingly patterned than the recto -

Image

C. (Polyura) clitarchus (endemic to New Caledonia) is another one that I'd hoped to eventually obtain as well, but it seems unlikely -

Image
Topic: Lexias pardalis | Author: livingplanet3 | Replies: 1 | Views: 44
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livingplanet3
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Lexias pardalis

by livingplanet3 » Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:53 pm

A short video of Lexias pardalis, taken in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; one of my favorite nymphalid species from tropical Asia -


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8_3IgOq10I
Topic: Making a butterfly decoy | Author: Chuck | Replies: 11 | Views: 206
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Re: Making a butterfly decoy

by livingplanet3 » Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:30 pm

Cassidinae wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:54 pm
livingplanet3 wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:22 pm The following probably isn't applicable to the described plan, but it's an interesting video on catching Morpho hecuba with a lure -
Nice video. Saint Elie, right? ;)
Quite possibly, as many of the channel's videos were taken in French Guiana -

https://www.youtube.com/@troywells2756/videos
Topic: Ornithoptera | Author: Annarobertson1947 | Replies: 4 | Views: 2200
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Re: Ornithoptera

by Cassidinae » Sat Mar 16, 2024 8:16 pm

Chuck wrote: Tue Nov 28, 2023 12:40 pm , and can help step you through AUS export regulations.
I'm afraid no one "outside" can help the Australians. Their "legal jungle" and export obstruction is so terrible that they should sort it out once and for all.

By the way - every Ornithoptera specimen must have a CITES permit for export!
Topic: Making a butterfly decoy | Author: Chuck | Replies: 11 | Views: 206
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Re: Making a butterfly decoy

by Cassidinae » Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:54 pm

livingplanet3 wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:22 pm The following probably isn't applicable to the described plan, but it's an interesting video on catching Morpho hecuba with a lure -
Nice video. Saint Elie, right? ;)
Topic: Collecting in Vietnam | Author: nikiahloch | Replies: 6 | Views: 142
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam

by Cassidinae » Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:26 pm

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
Officially, the export of insects from Vietnam is banned.

-edited by admin- "Be careful with what you write on a public forum".
Topic: Collecting in Vietnam | Author: nikiahloch | Replies: 6 | Views: 142
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Re: Collecting in Vietnam

by kevinkk » 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.
Topic: Collecting in Vietnam | Author: nikiahloch | Replies: 6 | Views: 142
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Collecting in Vietnam

by nikiahloch » Sat Mar 16, 2024 12:55 am

Hi, I'm going to Vietnam in May and I was just curious, 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
Topic: Favorite Classic & Modern Insect Books | Author: boghaunter1 | Replies: 8 | Views: 145
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livingplanet3
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Re: Favorite Classic & Modern Insect Books

by livingplanet3 » Fri Mar 15, 2024 7:37 pm

hewi wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:39 pm Here are some illustrations by Walter Linsenmaier (1917 - 2000), which I believe have not been published in books...
Many thanks. I was just about to make mention of Linsenmaier; whose illustrations are superbly detailed, and his "Insects of the World" is a notable volume very much worth having! I also have a much smaller book (42 pages) that he illustrated ("Butterflies and Moths") (1964), which is part of the Odyssey Library series. It's not so much a pocket guide, but a basic introduction to Lepidoptera.

Image