How could they?

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:30 pm

Unbelievable (second slide):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15903402

Jack

Post by **Padfield** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:43 pm

Very lazy journalism. I can see how it happened (junior picture researcher told to look for those scarce butterflies, swallowtails, only to end up with a scarce swallowtail) but the error should have been spotted.

Guy

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:18 pm

Very shoddy indeed, particularly given that the British Swallowtail is probably the most striking insect in this country.

Pawpawsaurus · Post by **Pawpawsaurus** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:22 pm

Consider them told.

Paul

m_galathea · Post by **m_galathea** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:03 pm

Poor quality journalism, but can you expect anything else? It must be difficult writing articles about a topic in which you have little or no knowledge.

I saw a BBC article recently about the Curlew, complete with a photograph of a Curlew-sandpiper. Written by a journalist and not a naturalist, obviously.

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:05 pm

I remember a talk on the "Great Fens" project in Cambridge last year (at the BC national AGM) and the speaker was illustrating the species using a photo of a Scarce Swallowtail - possibly this very photo! So the mistake may have been propagated!

Cheers,

- Pete

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:14 pm

And it isn't even a decent photograph

Jack

Jack Harrison · Post by **Jack Harrison** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:17 pm

Poor quality journalism, but can you expect anything else? It must be difficult writing articles about a topic in which you have little or no knowledge.

I agree it must be next to nigh impossible.

I hereby offer my services to the BBC as proof reader for any articles involving British Butterflies. I don't need payment; a donation to BC would suffice.

Jack

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:34 pm

Jack Harrison wrote:
Poor quality journalism, but can you expect anything else? It must be difficult writing articles about a topic in which you have little or no knowledge.
I agree it must be next to nigh impossible.

I hereby offer my services to the BBC as proof reader for any articles involving British Butterflies. I don't need payment; a donation to BC would suffice.

Jack

They probably pay consultancy fees to those expert in Islamic law, so you could chance your arm, Jack.

David M · Post by **David M** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:01 pm

Has somebody from this site been in touch with the BBC?

I've just revisited the article and the picture has been replaced by one of an authentic British Swallowtail.

Well done whoever it was.

Post by **Mark Colvin** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:39 pm

It happens everywhere.

Spot the obvious mistake on this 2011 National Trust leaflet.

Gibster · Post by **Gibster** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:21 pm

OK, well for starters Yellow Meadow Ants aren't black!!!
Passing the baton onwards...who's gonna tackle the butterflies?

Pawpawsaurus · Post by **Pawpawsaurus** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:32 pm

David M wrote:Has somebody from this site been in touch with the BBC?

I've just revisited the article and the picture has been replaced by one of an authentic British Swallowtail.

Well done whoever it was.

Paul

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 9:05 am

Gibster wrote:Passing the baton onwards...who's gonna tackle the butterflies?

The Chalkhill Blue photo is actually Common Blue, I do believe

Cheers,

- Pete

MikeOxon · Post by **MikeOxon** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 11:38 am

Even the Wildlife Trusts make mistakes! The following leaflet from Gloucestershire WT has a common blue presented as a large blue: see http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust ... penElement

I sent them an e-mail last year, but no response - perhaps one of the locals could get it corrected as I think it's particularly unfortunate to mislead on such an interesting species.

Mike

Wurzel · Post by **Wurzel** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 3:06 pm

Mike I know the leaflet that you mean - I picked one up last year while camping near Stroud (I won't say the name of the camp site for fear of falling foul of the new rules which mention "advertising"

) and couldn't believe that they hadn't noticed and obviously neither had the photographer who took it! I did e-mail them to make them aware of their mistake but all I got was a "do not reply" jobby e-mail, almost saying "thanks for letting us know, this information is important to us, no really it is, honest".

Have a goodun

Wurzel

dilettante · Post by **dilettante** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:21 pm

I posted this one recently, a sign at a nearby farm shop boasting about its organic credentials

David M · Post by **David M** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:37 pm

Perhaps when they mention 'neolithic' they are referring to the butterflies?

Matsukaze · Post by **Matsukaze** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 8:09 pm

I remember Somerset County Council illustrating a newsletter piece about the Large Blue a few years back with a picture of a butterfly that was blue...and large...in fact considerably larger than anything on the British list (it may have been a Blue Morpho).

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 10:31 pm

Talking of bad journalism the Telegraph website tonight had a headline

Prince William spearheads rescue for stricken Russian sailors

He co-piloted an RAF helicopter which winched two men to safety amid the debris of their cargo ship, the Swanland, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Now when is a co-pilot anything more than just a co-pilot?

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