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> of Insects) "...nor can any comprehension of the i --_77418aed-19d8-43c4-9644-ae30ef2e1543_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Re the Guide to Tabanids East of the Rockies=2C there have been problems of= late accessing it. At first the Server does not have "adequate bandwidth" = & now Adobe Acrobat cannot read it (no dict object?). Has anyone have bett= er luck? Angus > From: srshaw@Dal.Ca > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: RE: See a lot by looking: Re: [NatureNS] Queen Bee > Date: Tue=2C 7 Jul 2015 05:07:05 +0000 >=20 > Hi Dave et al=2C > Dave you are right on this in principle=2C as I think has been discussed = here somewhat before=2C but practice may be different. Insect taxonomists= =2C a rare and non-expanding breed=2C will always want to see the original = pinned (dead) specimens to view them from different angles=2C in order to p= ut their names and valued reputations behind an identification. But it is = not part of busy taxonomists' job to do this=2C so they may do it as an occ= asional favour to colleagues with plausible professional needs=2C but good = luck and likely no chance if you aren't in this category=2C unless it's a v= ery unusual specimen or location. On the other hand=2C some specialists d= o trawl the submissions to BugGuide and will give non-binding but valuable = opinions on the identity of images=2C without compromising themselves=2C an= d BugGuide itself has accumulated consultant 'amateurs' with outside jobs w= ho are just as well informed. =20 >=20 > So someone trying to popularize an insect=2C the original context here=2C= needs to get the bug identified at least to genus and hopefully to species= level in order to start talking at all=2C and imho there is almost no chan= ce to get this done by professionals: so original specimens are not practi= cally useful for this but good colour digital images are=2C if submitted to= BugGuide.net=2C Diptera.info (flies) and so on. As you say=2C color in so= me cases fades in pinned specimens unless it's an interference colour=2C so= good colour is an added bonus in images of live insects. This is a lesser= problem for butterflies where identification mostly depends on wing patter= n and colour=2C and an excellent local resource for this now exists on-line= for NS. I think a good field guide for Maine Odonata exists=2C applicable= for NS too. But these are relatively small=2C easy-ID groups compared to = flies=2C hymenoptera and beetles. Randy will know that an excellent guide = for the 25 or so Deer Fly species east of the rockies is available on-line= =2C and there's also a good one for hoverflies=2C but for most fly families= there's nothing. I don't know=2C for hymenoptera and beetles.=20 >=20 > The gizmo for temporarily holding pinned specimens to rotate them for ins= pection is a 2-dimensional goniometer=2C allowing rotation and viewing from= almost any angle=2C adjustable about two axes held at right angles. I onc= e bought one from BioQuip in California. Google to BioQuip's on-line catal= ogue to see images (under Microscopy) -- they stock two goniometers which = they call Microscope Stages=2C #6188 at US$32.95 (mine) and #6186=2C $34.95= . Both these would be used mainly under a dissecting microscope or with a = hand magnifying lens. They are not fancy high-tech and yes you could make = the 6188 one -- I once did so on a much smaller scale for use under compoun= d microscopes which mostly have very small working distances=2C for inspect= ing insect eye optics from different angles at high power. The Bioquip ver= sions are much too tall to allow this. > Steve (Hfx) =20 > ________________________________________ > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on be= half of David & Alison Webster [dwebster@glinx.com] > Sent: Monday=2C July 6=2C 2015 7:57 PM > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: See a lot by looking: Re: [NatureNS] Queen Bee >=20 > Hi Steve & All=2C July 6=2C 2015 > I didn't intend to limit the concept of suitable magnification=2C so > something can be seen clearly=2C to images. Images are great for recordin= g > color which usually fades in a voucher but=2C to see an insect in detail= =2C > there is no subtitute for a mounted voucher so it=2C or select parts=2C c= an be > viewed from a number of angles. And when applicable=2C viewed on a number= of > occasions. > One can buy a fairly expensive gizmo for holding vouchers at any desi= red > angle or make a good one=2C mostly from scrap material=2C for next to not= hing. > To quote Brules & Melander (Preface to the1932 edition of Classificat= ion > of Insects) "...nor can any comprehension of the infinite variety of natu= re > be acquired except by close observational contact with the things > themselves." >=20 > YT=2C Dave Webster=2C Kentville >=20 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Stephen Shaw" <srshaw@Dal.Ca> > To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> > Sent: Sunday=2C July 05=2C 2015 12:58 PM > Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Queen Bee >=20 >=20 > <snip> > > Good luck with the project=2C and as Dave implies=2C much of insect > > attractiveness is revealed visually using high power=2C high resolution > > images. <snip > > Steve (Hfx) > > -------------------------------------------- > > Dave - > > Just a typo. Check out http://www.xerces.org/. > > Peter Payzant > > ________________________________________ > > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on > > behalf of Mary Macaulay [marymacaulay@hotmail.com] > > Sent: Saturday=2C July 4=2C 2015 8:06 PM > > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Queen Bee > > > > Thank you David. I completely agree! > > Yes Xerces is still around. Not big on advocacy using social media but > > very much so with doing conservation work. Mostly in the USA. > > > > With kindest regards=2C > > > > Mary (Macaulay)=2C P.Eng. > > Owner > > Remember Adventures > > RememberAdventures.ca<http://RememberAdventures.ca> > > Now Open for Buggy rentals=2C picnics=2