One small flutter for his highness, one giant leap for his highnesses kind...
On going research work being conducted behind closed doors on his highness (and his closest Apaturinae associates) has taken a leap forward today with the confirmation that I will have access to a powerful GC-MS (Gas Chromatography, Mass Spectrometer) machine with which I intend to analyze the chemical composition of specific areas of male iris wings. The chemical(s) I hope to identify on the portions of the male iris wings, are however relatively unstable and unfortunately rapidly oxidise in atmospheric air. As a consequence of this chemical degradation, the analysis must therefore unfortunately be performed on fresh (less than 1 month old) samples if any hope of the expected chemical(s) are to be detected. Considering that the UK iris flight season is now almost over, I write in absolute desperation of finding a lone wild male specimen with which this critical analysis might please be able to be performed. Although the ideal specimen for this analysis would still have wings which are in a reasonable condition, my desperation means that I will accept almost any male, just as long as it has been obtained from the wild. Although I do also need a captive reared specimen for use as an essential control, the most critical male specimen must unfortunately be obtained from the wild. Already dead male specimens would however also be ideal for this analysis as their natural lives would thankfully have already served their purpose. I therefore write in order to please appeal to all of your over riding scientific minds, whilst re-iterating the significance with which a lone male specimen, which is undoubtedly already at the end of it's natural life might please help us to re-write the natural history books, regarding what is currently known about this most remarkable butterfly species.
I would not write this message unless my request was of the most sincere nature and due to the severity of my desperation, I urgently hope that one of you might please be able to help locate a single lone (ideally already dead) male which can be used to further our understanding of this most magnificent butterfly species.
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1 comment:
I collected a male that was hit by a car in front of me last year in Switzerland. I'd be happy to send it.
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