The Israeli Lepidopterists Society

Butterflies of the Middle East - 1st International Congress

29-31.5.2008 The Hebrew University of Jerusalem & Ramat Hanadiv, ISRAEL

General Program

1st day, Thursday - 29.5.2008 – The Hebrew University, Givat Ram Edmond Safra Campus, Jerusalem

Butterflies of the Middle East
Biology of the Butterflies

- Late afternoon – A visit to the Old City of Jerusalem

2nd day, Friday - 30.5.2008 – Ramat Hanadiv Nature Park and LTER, Zichron Yaacov

Butterfly Conservation & Climate Change

- Early afternoon - Field trip to Apharitis cilissa site at Hadera

3rd day, Saturday - 31.5.2008 – Field trip to Mt Hermon

Official congress Language - English

Organising committee:

Mr. Dubi Benyamini, Dr. Salit Kark, Dr. Guy Pe’er, Izzy Shaked, Dr. Viktoria Soroker, Ofir Tomer, Racheli Shwartz-Tzachor

Scientific Program and Excursions:

Day 1: Thursday 29.5.2008 – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram Campus, Jerusalem (Levin 8 Hall, Levin Building, Magnes Boulevard)

08:20 - 08:50: – Registration and exhibition
Lecturers upload presentations (please bring CD or memory stick/disk on key with you)

08:50 – 09:00: Welcome and opening words
Mr. Dubi Benyamini - President of The Israeli Lepidopterist Society,
Dr. Salit Kark, Dept. of Evolution, Systematics and Ecology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

09:00- 10:05 – Morning Session (A) : Butterflies of the Levant (Moderator: Salit Kark)

09:00 – Tropical butterflies of the Levant, Torben Larsen (United Kingdom)

09:20 – Zoogeography and distribution of butterflies of Southern Jordan, Uri Pick (Weizmann Institute)

09:35 – Predicting butterfly diversity in Mount Hermon using remote sensing tools, Oded Levanoni and Salit Kark (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

09:50 – Local endemism in the noctuids of the Arava. Vasily Krabchenco (Tel Aviv University)

10:05 – 10:20 - Minister Gideon Ezra, Israel Minister of Environmental Protection

10:20 – 10:45 - Morning tea break

10:45 – 12:15 – Morning Session (B) : Hejaz butterflies and Life History (Moderator: Uri Pick)

10:45 – The butterflies of the Hejaz, Tony Pittaway (United Kingdom)

11:05 – Myrmecophily of Israeli Blues, Victoria Soroker (The Volcani Center)

11:25 – The unique biology and myrmecophily of the Levantine Silver-line Apharitis cilissa, Jacob Ofer (Seminar Hakibbutzim)

11:55 – How long can we wait? The long-term diapause of Middle Eastern butterflies, Dubi and Avishai Benyamini (The Israeli Lepidopterists Society)

12:15 – 13:10 - Lunch

13:10 – 14:30 – Afternoon Session (C) : Distribution and the human aspect (Moderator: Torben Larsen)

13:10 – Butterfly biodiversity in Cyprus, Christodoulos Makris (Cyprus)

13:30 – The effects of forestation on butterfly distribution in Israel, Tzvika Avni (Jewish National Fund)

13:50 – Are butterflies from Lebanon changing their distribution range towards northern Israel due to climate change? Gadi Ish-Am (Ohalo College)

14:10 – Perception of the butterfly image in culture relative to reality, Ran Avni (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

14:30 – 15:00 – Afternoon tea break

15:00 – 16:00 – Afternoon Session (D) : Data collection and analysis (Moderator: Tony Pittaway)

15:00 – Comparison of butterfly nectar source preference in two Mediterranean regions in Israel using the Lepidopterists Society databanks, Ofir Tomer (The Israeli Lepidopterists Society)

15:20 – The BioGIS project of The Hebrew University with emphasis on butterflies, Assaf Tsoar (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)

15:40 – Dubi Benyamini. Past, present and future of butterfly research in Israel

15:50 – Announcement of winners in the butterfly photography competition and prizes.

16:00 –Tour and dinner at the Old City of Jerusalem (taxis will be ordered).

Day 2: Friday 30.5.2008 – Ramat Hanadiv Nature Park, New Lecture Hall

8:30 – 10:00 - Morning Session (E) : Butterfly conservation and research (Moderator: Kars Veling)

8:30 – Butterfly conservation efforts in Israel, Dubi Benyamini (The Israeli Lepidopterists Society)

8:50 – The ecological study and survey of the Levantine Silver-line Apharitis cilissa in the Sharon region of Israel, Ron Frumkin (Israel)

9:20 – Butterfly conservation in Israel 2007-8: What did we achieve, what do we know and what do we urgently need, Guy Pe’er (Germany)

9:50 – Conservation biology of Byasa impediens in China, Xiushan Li (China)

10:10– 11:00 - Morning tea break and tour of Ramat Hanadiv Gardens

11:00 – 12:00 – Morning Session (F) : Butterfly monitoring (Moderators: Elizabeth Kuhn and Guy Pe’er)

11:00 – Butterfly monitoring in Germany: lessons learned from the first three years, Elizabeth Kuhn (Germany)

11:20 – Butterfly Monitoring in Ecological Research: From a local short term study to launching national long term research in Israel, Racheli Shwartz-Tzachor (Ramat Hanadiv)

11:40 - Eighteen years of butterfly monitoring by volunteers in The Netherlands: lessons learned, Kars Veling (The Netherlands)

12:00 - Announcements

12:10 – 12:50 - Lunch (sandwiches and cold drink)

12:50 – Departing to the Apharitis cilissa site in Hadera

13:15 – Guided tour to the proposed areas for conservation. Our guides are: Dr. Guy Pe’er and Dr. Ron Frumkin

19:00 - Dinner for members of the Israeli Lep. Soc., invited guests and foreign participants at Victoria Soroker’s house in Misgav Dov.

Day 3: Saturday 31.5.2008 - Mt Hermon, Northern Israel, Visit along the vegetation belts from 1200 m to 2050 m

Day 4-5 : Sunday 1.6.2008 – Monday 2.6.2008 Field trip to Wadi Rum and Jebel Um Adami S. Jordan. Pre-arranged participation (To be coordinated personally with Dubi Benyamini)

Presentations:

Oral powerpoint talks of up to 15 minutes – please leave two minutes for one or two questions
Please send your subject and requested session number (A to F)

Logistics for Foreign Country Participants:

Please book your flights for landing in Ben Gurion Itnl airport, Tel Aviv, Israel on 28.5.2008 afternoon or earlier
Home stay with members of the Israeli Lepidopterists Society is available for up to about 20 participants – please request it by e-mailing to Dubi Benyamini.
Car rentals are not necessary for home stay visitors
Tel Aviv area is recommended for lodging

Registration:

By e-mailing to: dubi_ben@netvision.net.il
Reg. fees – $US100 to cover publication cost. We will do our best to minimize your expenses.

Please specify requested dates of field trips

30.5.2008 (Hadera)
31.5.2008 (Mt Hermon)

Please do not hesitate to contact the organizers for any additional needed information (Email: dubi_ben@netvision.net.il).