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Panama
Mar 15, 2013 16:03:30 GMT -8
Post by wingedwishes on Mar 15, 2013 16:03:30 GMT -8
So I've decided to plan a trip to Panama and heavily record and document it for our forum and others. My daughter will be coming along and I hope to use this as a good learning experience. The problem appears to be the permits. It looks like the skeptical moth link requires collecting under Smithsonian Institute auspices. Should I even bother applying since this is for me and my daughter and not necessarily for furthering science?
If I can't ultimately get the permits to collect there, I will go elsewhere.
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Panama
Mar 18, 2013 8:46:01 GMT -8
Post by wingedwishes on Mar 18, 2013 8:46:01 GMT -8
In addition, assuming I am able to get the permit, when would the best time be to collect. Targets are saturnids, morphos, and cetonids.
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Panama
Mar 22, 2013 4:53:12 GMT -8
Post by jaguarae on Mar 22, 2013 4:53:12 GMT -8
Hi , do you have some news about the permits ? Is the Smithsonian institute give you some informations about collecting ?  |
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Panama
Mar 22, 2013 8:29:09 GMT -8
Post by wollastoni on Mar 22, 2013 8:29:09 GMT -8
You should better spend your money in French Guiana where insect collectors are welcomed, where no permits are required, and where there are a lot of cottage for insect collectors.
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Panama
Mar 23, 2013 2:22:04 GMT -8
Post by wingedwishes on Mar 23, 2013 2:22:04 GMT -8
I think I may have to go to Guiana. I am going to try to get permit from Panama anyway.
My situation is this. I will be traveling with an 8 year old. I would like to spend most of the time in one place which has to have a refrigerator. The Panama place I was considering has a lodge with electricity in a cloud forest. The lodge owner is an American who speaks English and provides transport. It would be nice also because there would be no currency exchange.
Google searches for places in French Guiana (also searched as Guyana) are not easy to find. If anyone can, please provide web sites with places in Guiana which are also in English. I found amazone online but the cost will be almost %100 more.
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Panama
Mar 23, 2013 4:51:56 GMT -8
Post by jshuey on Mar 23, 2013 4:51:56 GMT -8
do you know Richard "Andy" Anderson in Florida? If so, he might be able to help you with Panama. I think that he has collected there.
Shuey
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Panama
Mar 23, 2013 13:08:19 GMT -8
Post by wingedwishes on Mar 23, 2013 13:08:19 GMT -8
I have not had the pleasure of meeting him. I'd appreciate a PM to contact him. I'm looking at the permit on the government of Panama website and it looks like I may be able to get permitted through it.
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Panama
Mar 24, 2013 13:49:19 GMT -8
Post by Chris Grinter on Mar 24, 2013 13:49:19 GMT -8
I'd love to hear what happens with Panama - best of luck! Regarding French Guiana- a friend of mine just stayed at the Amazone Nature Lodge, which is on Kaw Mountain about 40 miles from Cayenne. He had a wonderful experience even though the collecting season wasn't peak - so much so he already planned a return trip this summer. They ran mercury vapor lights for him but he said it was very expensive and didn't focus heavily on moths (but still returned with a few hundred). nationalmothweek.org/2012/07/12/nmw-event-amazone-nature-lodge-in-french-guiana/ |
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Panama
Apr 2, 2013 17:48:15 GMT -8
Post by wingedwishes on Apr 2, 2013 17:48:15 GMT -8
Panama it will be! I was put in touch with someone who will facilitate everything. I won't be going until Feb. 2015 though. I have received several requests for different species from members and friends already. I also will be using a camera which will capture the GPS for each item as I collect them. The data that will accompany my stuff will be voluminous! I plan on keeping my prep plans here on this thread and so you will read as I prepare and hopefully add tips......
Right now - I've got to lose 30lbs in 20 months......................
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Panama
Apr 2, 2013 18:23:17 GMT -8
Post by prillbug4 on Apr 2, 2013 18:23:17 GMT -8
The best way to lose weight is to go out and walk for 5 or 6 miles or more. I've lost over forty pounds in the past seven years, and I have built my walks up to about twenty miles in one day. Believe me, it only takes a few hours to do it when your body is strong and your legs can handle the walk. The weight fell off very quickly, and I'm back to about 200lbs, again. I can walk five miles in nothing flat. I mainly do it on my days off, and sometimes I pay myself by collecting cans and crushing them as I walk along. It's good extra money. Plus, sometimes I've found some beetles along the road, and keep a vial of alcohol with me. It's also a good way to collect, too. I have also given up eating sugar and do not drink soda pop, anymore, it makes you fat, and can lead to diabetes. I've pretty much become a 60% vegan, nowadays, though I do eat some meat, but it's mostly chicken and turkey burgers, which are lower calory.
Jeff Prill
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Panama
Apr 2, 2013 18:42:57 GMT -8
Post by pittendrighinsects on Apr 2, 2013 18:42:57 GMT -8
If you're going to Panama bring me back a few P. garamas syedra only A1 females lololol ;D But seriously though, if you do come across this species, I would be interested in an exchange... Quintin. |
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Panama
Apr 3, 2013 1:56:06 GMT -8
Post by lepidofrance on Apr 3, 2013 1:56:06 GMT -8
I quote : "Google searches for places in French Guiana (also searched as Guyana) are not easy to find. If anyone can, please provide web sites with places in Guiana which are also in English. I found amazone online but the cost will be almost %100 more." Here are posts relating entomological trips in French Guyane, including lodges on Kaw Mountain (among them : Amazone Nature Lodge quoted by Chris Grinter) : www.lepido-france.fr/2013/02/rhopaloceres-de-guyane-2012/www.lepido-france.fr/2012/12/les-carbets-de-coralie/www.lepido-france.fr/2012/04/sejour-alf-en-guyane-novembre-2011/It's in french but english translation is available by clicking on the US flag (translator, right column). These posts present locations mainly in East and Center (Saul) Guyane. Of course, other interesting places (lodges devoted to entomological studies) can be found in the West part of Guyane (Maroni). For example : Gite Moutouchi : www.moutouchi-guyane.fr/A good website to find accomodation (and entomological devoted accomodation offering, for example, night collecting stuff) in the whole french Guyane : www.escapade-carbet.com/On the left, click on "trouver un carbet" ("carbet" = lodge) and you will get the geographical presentation of these lodges. About electricity in these carbets (= lodges), you must know that the most interesting lodges (from the entomological point of view) are, in most of the cases, isolated deep inside the rainforest. So they are not connected to the power net. They get power from solar pannels : the proposed power is not very strong, it is suitable for charging the batteries of cameras or power a small fridge. But not to connect a device consumes a lot of energy, a furnace, for example. I stayed several days in Amazone Nature Lodge (quoted by Chris Grinter) : this is a fine place with many beautiful paths inside the rainforest. www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/amazone-nature-lodge/ According all french entomologists who use to study or collect insects on the Kaw Mountain, the best place is Relais de Patawa : nice lodge, beautiful scenery, many paths ("layons") into the rain forest, night collecting equipment, and the owners are entomologists : Odette is a Cerambycidae specialist and Jeannot is an Arctiidae specialist. During some moments of the year, one of the employee is a very good snakes specialist. www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/relais-de-patawa/In most of these guyanese lodges, two kinds of accomodation are available : - room with bed - hamocks Of course, the second possibility is nice and much more cheap. And, generally, in an equatorial rain forest climate, it's much better to sleep in a hamock (with anti-mosquitoes net) in a open space (carbet) than in a chamber to the atmosphere confined and overheated. Other questions ?  In French Guiana, the butterflies are much less abundant than in the Andean valleys (Napo, Apurimac, Kosnipata, Beni, etc..). However, diversity is great and Morphos very common. Today, in most Latin American countries have banned the collection of butterflies but they ravaged forest. In French Guiana, the collection of insects is permitted and the forest is preserved. More than 90% of the territory: umbrophile intact forest. Here are some lodges (carbets) I have been with great satisfaction : www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/relais-de-patawa/www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/carbets-de-coralie/www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/auberge-des-orpailleurs/www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/les-carbets-du-bord/www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/village-de-saut-athanase/Here some places I never stayed but been adviced to go there : www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/carbet-moutouchi/www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/lauberge-des-chutes-voltaire/www.escapade-carbet.com/carbet/carbet-aimara/Hope it will help.  Attachments:
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Panama
Apr 3, 2013 2:09:03 GMT -8
Post by wingedwishes on Apr 3, 2013 2:09:03 GMT -8
I am going to go to French Guyana eventually. The airline price alone is much higher. It appears that it would cost less to fly from France than from the USA. Because I have Type I Diabetes, I have to take insulin and it has to be kept somewhat cool so a fridge (or ice pack) is a must. I hate it but I have no choice. I will go on my first international trip to Panama to get experience. My second trip will be Guyana.
I already walk 3-4 miles a day. I just have to stop eating dinner so late in the evening. I work 10 hours a day with rarely a day off so there is not much else I can do. I get home at 8pm and eat dinner. I'll have to eat something at work earlier in the day.
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Panama
Apr 3, 2013 2:10:44 GMT -8
Post by wingedwishes on Apr 3, 2013 2:10:44 GMT -8
I'm exploring the links now LepidoFrance. You are always so helpful! Thanks!
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Panama
Apr 3, 2013 2:20:16 GMT -8
Post by lepidofrance on Apr 3, 2013 2:20:16 GMT -8
Diabet & Insuline :
in the lodges that I recommend (Patawa, Saut Athanase, Carbets du Bord, Auberge des Orpailleurs), they have, of course, refrigerators and freezers where you can place your medication. (And they can offer chilled beer which is not so bad after hours walking in the fain forest).
No problem to arrange the timing of your meals.
In addition, I testify that one of the members of our association, a well-known Charaxinae specialist is also highly diabetic. However, I saw him collecting butterflies in Kyrgyzistan or Sulawesi. Soon, for the second time, he will prospect in the central valleys of Papua (Irian Jaya) ..... Meanwhile, he spends much of his time in equatorial Africa or Southern Africa.
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