I do sense that some people know a lot more than they are prepared to admit. What precisely has given you this impression Jack? :? There is whiff of a cover-up that will not readily go away. Who do you think is covering something up, and what has drawn you to this conclusion? Who for example is beh...

So do we consider that it is perhaps the indiscriminate and irresponsible captive breeding of butterflies by enthusiastic but ignorant amateurs, resulting in ill thought out releases of surplus stock (which let's face it probably accounts for the majority of the 'dodgy' sightings and temporary popu...

I think this valuable discussion is shaping what we would consider appropriate behaviour of anyone breeding and releasing butterflies. For example: 1. Releasing non-native species is pointless at best and damaging at worst (e.g. Marbled Fritillary). It is also illegal 2. Releasing non-native subspe...

This is a very difficult discussion. The last thing I want to do is fall out with Pete and Felix – two guys who I have enormous respect for. I can, to an extent, understand their defence of this chap. I can see that these introductions and re-introductions have been made with the best of intentions...

Where would an individual releasing Scotch Argus at Lindrick (something I know nothing about, BTW) report their release? The BC magazine "Butterfly" is one obvious place. Or Natural England. Or even this forum perhaps. Jack there would be the preidictable knee jerk condemnation from certa...

He claims on TV to have done TWO THOUSAND introductions. Over a 20 year period this would be A HUNDRED every year. Is there time to properly evaluate and examine every site at this rate? And you really think this meant two thousand different releases at two thousand different sites??? Look at the r...

How do we know this? What? I was asking a question about the validity of releases generally; comparing MW's to the 'official' ones. We all know that you disapprove of anything that isn't BC sanctioned from your earlier posts (in both this thread and others), so there's no need to repeat it. It isn'...

Perhaps "better to ask forgiveness than permission" should be our mantra... It's been mine for years, in many aspects of my life... as my exasperated partner would doubtless testify. :D ...this is NOT an example of a stupid introduction... Interesting. So where lies the distinction? Are M...

I enjoyed the programme, particularly the natural footage of butterflies in flight and time lapse shots. Stunning. I do agree that conservation may have been featured more than it was but BC was mentioned and the script repeatedly mentioned the decline in our native species. Actually it didn't real...

Jack Harrison wrote:Felix:

Indeed. There's a lot of it about.

Neil Jones:

What do you mean?

Maybe Felix could have made things clearer by emphasising the it: "There's a lot of IT about"

Jack

I am sorry I still don't understand unambigiously what is meant.

Felix wrote:

Neil Jones wrote:Umbridge has been described as the greatest villain since Hannibal Lecter

Only by Stephen King though, in 'Entertainment Weekly'.

Neil Jones wrote:I have to be sceptical of this matter of people being knowledgeable about ecology

Indeed. There's a lot of it about.

What do you mean?

...Bozo or not was he the gentleman who introduced Silver-studded Blue, Dark Green Fritillary and from what I have heard the scottish sub species of Scotch Argus into North Notts... When I visited Lindrick Common near Worksop last summer I did indeed see Marbled White, Dark Green Fritillary and Sco...

Neil , Ok I concede that data 10 or so years old indicates that the reintroduction of the Marsh Fritillary is unlikely to succeed . Have you any data you can point us towards that refers to other species . Lee - excellent points . I may not have the skills necessary to take part in such an action p...

Let me make a couple of points. On my point about Large Coppers. They are pretty much unique in having been in captivity for decades. Therefore as I said they will be likely to have evolved some degree of domestication. It may not be obvious but it will have occurred. The other point about introduc...

I would hope that most people here have studied Latin so I don't consider myself superior. Please Mark, don't jump to conclusions. I explained that "data" is a plural because in the past I have been accused of bad grammar. It is logically fallacious to dismiss a study because it is slightl...

I'm betting he can. :wink: Regards Gruditch Of course :-) I wouldn't have said there were published data if I couldn't say what they were. (Data remember is a plural noun. Latin second declension nominative plural if you want the precise form.) And to add to the other posting with some specific fig...

The figures are all in the publication "A review of butterfly Introductions in Britain and Ireland. by M.R. Oates and M. S Warren.
I would think that Matthew Oates and Martin Warren would know what they are talking about.

Let me make a couple of points. On my point about Large Coppers. They are pretty much unique in having been in captivity for decades. Therefore as I said they will be likely to have evolved some degree of domestication. It may not be obvious but it will have occurred. The other point about introduct...

And when I did a google search I noted that on a web page about collectors it mentioned that someone who was an egg collector had been convicted of selling Large Blue and High brown and was convicted at Salisbury magistrates. I then noticed from the Ebay listings the seller of these current specime...

Can I just make a point here. As someone who has been a keen breeder. I started with caterpillars as a tiny kid and went on from there. I have reared Large Coppers from the well known captive stock. I don't see anything wrong with this as it does no harm to the environment. The one point I will make...