My butterfly and moth collection

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I have to be honest. Collecting dead bugs is not my thing.

How long have you been collecting them?

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Are you part of any studies on local insects or anything or do you just keep a collection of specimens?

I think examining bugs is an interesting science thing, and all the hard work is wrapped up in getting a big ol capture thing-gummy.

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This is interesting. But how did you manage to capture them? In such good condition.

Did you find them dead like this?

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Why so many when they’re identical and same?

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Actually I collected them in the beginning of the 1980’s when I was a teen. Now I am just maintaining my collection.

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It was no part of any studies. In my teens I was interested in collecting butterflies and moths. It was a good hobby for a teen.

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I had many ways to capture these butterflies and moths. I had traps that attracted moths. For example I had the UV light trap and it was turned on and off using the timer. I had some chloroform on the bottom of this trap and moths that came died and landed on the bottom of the trap and I collected them in the morning. I had sweet traps and then I grew them from caterpillars to adult moths and butterflies. I used chloroform to kill butterflies and moths.

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That is just how butterfly and moth collectors want their collection to look like. Under each moth and butterfly there is a small piece of paper to identify the date and the location where they were captured.

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Sounds like a lot of work. But if you enjoyed it then that’s cool.

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I LOVE moth and butterfly collections! I have been trying to find some from flea markets and second hand, but I haven’t had any luck. I find these collections so fascinating, beautiful and super super creepy and scary even. But they are inspiring, in my art there are plenty of moths and butterflies.

I once tried to collect butterflies. I went to this field where there were flowers and lots of butterflies, I captured this all white butterfly and put it in a jar. it started to flutter in panic. I didn’t have chloroform or ether (they don’t sell that stuff in pharmacies in Finland anymore) so I wasn’t able to kill the butterfly. to be honest this experience was so horrible and upsetting to me, I never proceed my “butterfly collection”. I just admire other people’s collections and wish I would be able to get a board of moths and butterflies some way, second hand.

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My collection is 40 years old. It was a very good hobby for a teenager. Some of the most beautiful butterflies/moths fly at night. When I was 15 years old, they sold chloroform at the pharmacy, but no more because it is the EU controlled substance. I have not seen any collections at flea markets, just some souvenirs from Greece and other places. Once I saw one set of very large moths at one antique store. Collecting moths and butterflies can be the time consuming activity, but for a little antisocial teenager it is a great hobby.

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I couldn’t kill a butterfly for sport or hobby

I do believe in Karma

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@Wave It is somehow funny how the world and the time goes. My father was a carpenter and he did work for different people. Sometimes I helped him in people’s houses and once we were in the house of one English teacher. My father told this female teacher that I collected butterflies and moths and the teacher asked if I felt bad when I collected them. I said ‘no’. And now 40 years after I am discussing the butterfly and moth collection here on the forum in English. It is just so funny, one never knows what happens in the world.

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I love butterflies
They have deep meaning for me

My apologies if I insulted you in anyway @mjseu

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@Wave It is okay, I was not insulted in anyway. It is just interesting how the world goes sometimes.

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Thats pretty impressive,
you wouldnt by chance have
the rare buffalo moth, would you?
:face_with_monocle:

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No, I do not have buffalo moth.

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I was only joking anyway,
its really a quite nice collection
to be proud of for sure :smiley:

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How did you keep up with the collection during all your travels and living in a car?

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