Temotu Province is in political Solomon Islands, though way east near Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides). Santa Cruz islands are within Temotu Province, and include the island also called Santa Cruz.

Malaita is a large island in Solomon Islands proper, NE of Guadalcanal. It's pronounced Mah-laye-tah.



I never made it to Malaita, nor to Temotu. Regional dealers would occasionally go to the capital Honiara on Guadalcanal to try to find a buyer for their insects, and if I got lucky I'd run into them. I really wasn't interested in buying specimens for commercial sale, but at the time Solomon Islands was in a civil war and the ordinary people needed every cent they could get, so I bought what I could to help them. Commercial sales got too big for me to handle, so I gave the business away to an ethical US-based retailer that could.

Most of my time was on (of course) Guadalcanal, on poorly surveyed San Christobal (Makira) Island, and the other direction Western Province. I've been to Vanuatu (and Fiji, Tonga, Samoas, etc.) but without much time to do any field work.

Chuck,

My but you have gotten around! Where's Temotu? Out in the Reef Islands, or maybe over towards Santa Cruz?

Been meaning to ask someone who would know: Is Malaita pronounced "Ma Lay Ta" or is it "Mala i Ta"?

Tks,
John

Something for the Coleopterists

Batocera lamondi, endemic to the island of Malaita, Solomon Islands





I assume this ssp of Buprestid is endemic to Temotu Province, Solomon Islands. At least that's what I recall. The photo doesn't come close to showing the brilliant orange reflection on the elytra. I put a few on Ebay 20 years ago at what I thought were very high prices and they sold immediately. I recall a buyer informing me that it's an endemic at the ssp level; certainly, not much comes out of Temotu because it's such a remote area. Does anyone have an ID on this?

"According to sources, male Barsine's are not known to have a yellow form".
There is a interesting publication about Barsine species in Cambodia. A yellow form of a male is also shown there.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 4X18301237

Chuck wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 2:29 pm

Paul K wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 2:22 pm

Cassidinae wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:46 pm In Saudi Arabia, they don't pay attention with catching and exporting insects. As in most Muslim countries, insects are considered something worthy of attention

I wish that would be the case in Indonesia.

And Malaysia. And how about Turkey, that's a great Muslim country to break their collecting laws.

I cannot answer concerning Saudi, but I'd do some research before assuming it's no problem to collect. Further, plan to have a guide or the government watchdogs will want to know what you're doing. Be careful in Saudi, it's VERY WELL known that American businessmen commonly, and unsuspectingly, break laws there and get arrested.

I probably shouldn't... I'm left handed and would be at a disadvantage on day 1. Watching dinosaur dig video might be a good start, you need
a lot of stuff, and a hat that says "do not kidnap no $"

That's a beautiful photo & specimen of A andria. I love these fiery red "true" Anaea. Only have a handful in my collection.
Top picture on the left are a pair of A troglodyda portia from Jamaica. On the right two male A aidea from Texas & Mexico. Bottom is the underside of a female A aidea from Texas.
Bottom picture left a pair of A troglodyta cubana from Cuba & on the right another pair of A t. portia from Jamiaca. Not sure the identification or data is right on this pair though as they are from an old collection in which quite a few specimens were misidentified.

58chevy wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 11:35 pm Coincidentally, I know of another person who encountered a mass emergence of these from a dead tree. Not sure if it was a cottonwood or something else. He put about 50 of them in a jar and they tore each other to pieces.

That's really unfortunate about them damaging each other; buprestid mandibles may be small, but they're likely strong enough to clip the thin, delicate legs and antennae typical of this family of beetles.

Coincidentally, I know of another person who encountered a mass emergence of these from a dead tree. Not sure if it was a cottonwood or something else. He put about 50 of them in a jar and they tore each other to pieces.

Chuck wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 1:44 pm Great photo of andria.

As far as the trees, at least you still have Elms, and still have leaves. LOL.

True - TX has been less affected by Dutch elm disease, despite it having been present in the US for nearly a century. There have been some occasional outbreaks here, but not on the scale seen in the East and Midwest. American elm is one of the most common trees in my area, and I really hope it will remain so.

Paul K wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 2:22 pm

Cassidinae wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:46 pm In Saudi Arabia, they don't pay attention with catching and exporting insects. As in most Muslim countries, insects are considered something worthy of attention

I wish that would be the case in Indonesia.

And Malaysia. And how about Turkey, that's a great Muslim country to break their collecting laws.

I cannot answer concerning Saudi, but I'd do some research before assuming it's no problem to collect. Further, plan to have a guide or the government watchdogs will want to know what you're doing. Be careful in Saudi, it's VERY WELL known that American businessmen commonly, and unsuspectingly, break laws there and get arrested.

Cassidinae wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:46 pm In Saudi Arabia, they don't pay attention with catching and exporting insects. As in most Muslim countries, insects are considered something worthy of attention

I wish that would be the case in Indonesia.

Great photo of andria.

As far as the trees, at least you still have Elms, and still have leaves. LOL.

Cassidinae wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:46 pm As in most Muslim countries, insects are considered something worthy of attention

I don't understand this, did you actually mean 'NOT worthy of attention'?

Adam.

livingplanet3 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 12:31 am I've been looking for a specimen of this particular form for quite some time, but have never seen one for sale.

There are some available now, see on Collector's Secret : https://www.collector-secret.com/insect ... fly/agrias

hewi wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 10:17 am it is the typical Agrias sahlkei sahlkei of French Guiana and the Obidos region in Brazil.

A. sahlkei sahlkei Guyane franc. - Kopie.JPG

This specimen must be the most perfect Agrias sahlkei I have ever seen. Congrats Manfred !
BTW I have a lot of Agrias sahlkei from Obidos and they do look different than the one from FG. I have a serie of them with blue FW (represented also in Floquet's books), does this blue form exist in FG ?

In Saudi Arabia, they don't pay attention with catching and exporting insects. As in most Muslim countries, insects are considered something worthy of attention

Luehdorf - as fat as moths, can you post a photo of the canvas and lighting you are catching at night? It is also very important to catch in the new moon. But you probably know that.

Following about a week of dark, cold, wet weather, today it is now sunny and above 60 F in North TX, and I saw the largest, most perfect male of the winter form of Anaea andria. I was able to photograph (as well as capture) it -


Also - the elm trees here have all turned bright yellow, which is not something that I see every year, and seems to be very dependent on having just the right kind of early fall weather -

Yes, it is.
See Manfred’s monography

58chevy wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 7:28 pm This is one of my favorite N. American buprestids. They are widespread in range and not considered rare, but are seldom encountered. I don't know of anybody who knows a reliable method of capturing them. If you are aware of a good method, please respond here. They range in size from about 20mm to 35 mm...

Very nice! I saw a mass emergence of this species from a standing dead cottonwood tree in 1985. Since then, I have only come across it incidentally. Certainly, one of the most impressive buprestids found in the US.