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preface |
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The captivating world of butterflies and moths
More than 2400 species of moths and butterflies occur in the Netherlands. Butterflies as cabage white, small tortoiseshell, peacock, red admiral, European map and comma
are common in our gardens. Next to these well-known butterflies there is a world of many species of moths, which
is unknown to many people. These species do not attract attention or are only active at night.
Nevertheless there is a captivating quantity of forms, colours and life cycles to be found in this richness of less
known species (which include more than 95% of the Dutch Lepidoptera!).
From spring to winter species
The first signs of my interest in moths, butterflies and caterpillars date from the beginning of the 1950's. After all this was a time when Lepidoptera were still abundant.
Moths and butterflies are my hobby for more than fifty years, now. I started this hobby identifying moths and butterflies, making a collection, and rearing caterpillars, mainly for collection purposes. Collecting moths
was no problem in the 1950's, as many species could be found in the evenings around lamps. As part of my hobby I study the systematics,
distribution and life cycles of species, as well as foodplants and body characteristics of caterpillars.
My hobby on photography of moths, butterflies and caterpillars
At the beginning of the 1980's I started making colour slides of living, Dutch moths, butterflies and the various instars of their caterpillars. In this way I embody the vaste profusion of forms and colours, which
I come upon. My photoos also show the large variety in colours and body characteristics which can be found within one instar of one species.
At this moment I have made several thousands of colour slides, of which a small part is shown in this website.
Specialisation: describing body characterics of caterpillars
I have specialized in describing the body characteristics of caterpillars (for instance design and colours). A large number of these characteristics is variable. Also in caterpillars
of moths differences in characteristics can be very small between relative species, which makes indentification a difficult task.
Language
As an introduction to this website the homepage is presented in both Dutch and English. Text on all other pages is in Dutch. Names of species shown in this site are also in Latin (scientific names).
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Photowebsite on caterpillars, moths and butterflies - version 3 (2006)
Illustrations © Albert J. Wit, Wageningen, except otherwise mentioned. Also a few photo's of external photographers are included.
Text and web-design: © Albert K.H. Wit, Gouda.
Mail: ajd.wit@chello.nl
No part of this website may be reproduced and / or published for commercial purposes
by press, photocopying, micro- or videofilm, CD / DVD and any other digital manipulation, without the prior permission of the author.
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