ICBES...and Light Blogging

Quito, Ecuador

I'll be attending a conference called ICBES next week. ICBES is the International Congress of Butterfly Exhibitors and Suppliers. The conference has typically been hosted by a butterfly supplier, and this year the host is Heliconius Butterfly Works from Ecuador. We have worked with Heliconius for a number of years now, and I'm looking forward to the conference.

On Sunday, I'll fly from Chicago, to Miami, and on to Quito, Ecuador. I'll be in Quito Sunday night and Monday. Monday I'll go on two pre-conference tours: Quito by day and Quito by Night. Apparently, Quito by day includes a cable car ride to a high vantage point overlooking the city.

Mindo, Ecuador

On Tuesday, the conference attendees will travel from Quito to Mindo in the cloud forest. We'll be making a fairly leisrurely trip to Mido, and will make several stops along the way. Tuesday afternoon the conference proper will begin. We will have a number of presentations concerning issues facing the butterfly production and display industries, as well as numerous discussions of our respective roles in conservation. I already know the community of butterfly exhibitors in North America pretty well. This will be my first opportunity to meet many of my European compatriots. In addition to the conference itself, we will have a number of opportunities to spend some time in the jungle. We even have an evening black lighting event scheduled. I'm hoping for a much better experience black lighting in Mindo than I had on my trip to Costa Rica, where black lighting at the height of the dry season is underwhelming.

I'll have my laptop and digital camera with me for the trip. I don't know how much blogging I'll be able to do from Ecuador. That will depend on how easily I can gain internet access. At the very least, I'll have some great stuff to show when I return. Next week may or may not be light (or even no) blogging from me. I hope to be in touch. Otherwise, I'll be posting and commenting again when I return.