The October 2022 description of a new subspecies of Papilio bianor [sic] from Kerama Islands, Okinawa, Japan, has just come to my attention since it was published in Gekkan-Mushi, a hard to obtain journal mainly covering beetles.

The citation is:
Hitoshi Arita & Yasushi Sorimachi 2022. Description of a new subspecies of Papilio bianor Cramer, [1777] from Kerama Islands, Okinawa, Japan. Gekkan-Mushi, 620: 27-29.

Of course this taxon does not actually belong to Papilio bianor but is a subspecies of P. ryukyuensis and was named keramana by Arita & Sorimachi.

A few days ago I was made aware of this by a collector who bought one on eBay and asked me about it. I have just received the original description so can confirm the details here.

Adam.

Man, that's great! You survived a foreign country.

Would love to see some photos from CR.

Ironically, the technology that has made production of MONA-type publications much easier has also killed hardcopy. Imagine when MONA first came out- expensive cameras and lights, expensive film, having to pay for publications, collaboration via snail mail. THEN to make a book- scissors to cut images, collate per page and photograph, TYPEWRITERS!, waiting for proof copies, and finally have to order 500 copies in order to even break even.

Now, ring lights are $30, 15Mpix images, photoshop, and MS Word; publications search and retrieval in seconds online; email collaboration and proofing. Instead of loaning specimens, in many cases photos work. Ranges and such are quickly established with iNaturalist and BOLD. Stick the images into publishing software, upload the text, hit "print" and get one copy to proof. OMG.

Of course, the taxonomy isn't so easy now. It's generally expected that genetic analysis is done; arguably no more "opinion." Plus getting access to genetic analysis is expensive, particularly for those without institutional support/ grants.

The dedicated few, no matter what field of study, manage to pull off reference books- or, now, websites. Sharing of knowledge is critical, it's your legacy; so much knowledge dies with the owner, never recorded.

Human nature being considerate? Shakleton wouldn't agree. As Vernon pointed out and solely about MONA, the inconsiderate and unethical activities by professionals isn't new. I too have had my issues with those types in Entomology (to be fair, I've also been overjoyed with others.) Backstabbing and politicing in entomology is NOTHING- I think the Paleontologists make the worst entomologists look like amateurs.

There was a period, say 1950s-1990s when entomology was "more polite." All part of the "everyone gets an opinion" movement. The first published all-out assault that I can think of was Tennent's against D'Abrera, and was wholly justified. Since then, and as of late, I find relief when knowledgeable authorities publish brutal (not polite) reviews of others' works- it's about time. Quit dancing around the bush. Everyone may be entitled to their own opinion, but they're not entitled to their own facts.

Is there a place for new MONA? Who's going to pay for them, and how many? And, while it's true that every reference book has errors and is outdated on the day of publication, the rate of change now is outrageous. Plus, there's the internet for now, which is fast, easy, and free. However one gets the information out, and clearly despite the sometimes caustic entomological ecosystem, at least some- John, Vernon, Adam- actually do it, and to them we are forever indebted.

nikiahloch wrote: ↑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.

Most foreign organizations don't have or won't take the time to respond. They leave it to you and/or your local agent to arrange.

USDA has nothing to do with dead insects, they only oversee live insects. Dead insects fall under USFWS.

One does not want to run afoul of Vietnamese officials. Getting caught on the way out with dead insects and no paperwork is going to be, at the least, expensive.

If one elects to "wing it", which I have as sometimes it's the only option, the best approach upon arriving in a foreign country is to find a local who knows the laws and officials, and can help get a permit. Even better is to make contact with a knowledgeable person in VN BEFORE going. Hoping to do it yourself in-country may not be effective, and will cost a fortune in bribe money.

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.

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.

I once caught two in my backyard here in north central IL. Not seen any since. Oddly, it was the same year we had a relicta outbreak and I nabbed dozens at three locations. Sent many of them to my friends who never see relicta bc they’re too far south. Every 5-10 years, good numbers of northern Cats pop up here in IL.

Although I've never taken C. briseis, I have the very similar C. grotiana, which I used to think was special until I found the spot for them, where I had a couple hundred to my lights in one night, along with dozens of C. hermia and relicta. I still think grotiana is one of the prettiest North American Catocala though, as not many species have both nice forewings and hindwings, and fresh females are particularly striking.

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.

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.

kevinkk 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.

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 website

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.

-edited by admin- "Be careful with what you write on a public forum".

I know export from Vietnam isn't banned. I purchase insects from private dealers all the time over there and they always show up

Thank you both!

The concept of doing Mona fascicles these days is "bewildering" to me. It seems a concept of a different time --- when people's lives were less impacted by fewer things pulling them in all sorted directions, fewer species were known, and when the "human nature" of people was more considerate.

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.

livingplanet3 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 21, 2024 5:53 pm

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.

They are insects in the order Psocodea -

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

That's perfect, thanks very much for sharing your knowledge.

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.

They are insects in the order Psocodea -

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

Here is a lovely medium-sized species which is
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.

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.

Are those Cow-tocalas?

The cutest cows I've seen here.

I will be travelling in mid June (peak season) to Alberta’s Rocky Mountains from Banff to Waterton Lakes NP.
Does anyone know reliable location for Anthocharis julia sulphuris ?

Superb!