Areas to collect Lepidoptera in Florida and Georgia

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nitinra
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Areas to collect Lepidoptera in Florida and Georgia

Post by nitinra »

Hello,

I will be driving down to Florida (Florida Keys) for my honeymoon from April 21st to April 26th from South Carolina. I will be stopping along the way to collect butterflies in Florida. Are there any recommendations of good places to collect butterflies in Florida or places that I should check out? I will be stopping over at Melbourne, FL and Miami, FL for my onward journey and still planning on stop over places while returning (and would love to stop over near places that are near good spots for catching butterflies)!

Thanks a lot!
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billgarthe
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Re: Areas to collect Lepidoptera in Florida and Georgia

Post by billgarthe »

I haven’t collected butterflies in FL for many years. Even back then, it was nearly impossible to get permits, especially for butterflies. Imho, the best way would be to ask permission from private land owners. Personally, I’d first focus on the Homestead area for general good populations/varieties of species of leps. It won’t be easy, but may the only option you really have to avoid the issues of permits and state parks etc. Good luck and congrats.
nitinra
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Re: Areas to collect Lepidoptera in Florida and Georgia

Post by nitinra »

Thank you so much for your reply! I was mostly looking for public areas/national forests to collect so that I didn't have to go through the headache of permits!

Thanks again!
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Trehopr1
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Re: Areas to collect Lepidoptera in Florida and Georgia

Post by Trehopr1 »

I say just keep an eye open during your drive time. If you happen to see some open spaces (not fenced in) then stop and investigate (if you have the time). Always keep an eye out for flowering spaces or even a tract of flowering bushes (even in an urban area).

I have a friend who has a timeshare in Kissimmee Florida and he has locally collected in numerous places there and done reasonably well. He once noticed a flowering tract of bushes separating the parking lots of 2 different chain restaurants. He parked his car at the back part of the lot got out and spent an hour and a half "snagging" Zebra Swallowtails that were on the hatch. He caught nearly 30 of them and all were amazingly fresh.

What a "hoot".... One of the luckiest guys I know !

Anyway, there are going to be places and spaces all along your drive down to the keys and I would investigate as many as possible (even if all you have is 20 minutes) at any one of them. South Florida offers some species which cannot be found in Northern Florida.

Just be mindful, of any fenced in spaces or signage that says "no trespassing". Otherwise, Florida is like any other state in the Union -- it can be freely collected without any real concerns. However, as Billg pointed out if you MUST step on private property always ask for permission first.

Best of luck and Florida is one of the best states to collect specimens in. The largest Tiger Swallowtails (maynardi) are to be found there as well as the fantastic Orange-barred Sulphur, the Malachite, the Palamedes Swallowtail and a host of many other very nice yet more commonly encountered species as well.
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