Standardized Butterfly Names

[Michael Gochfeld]

I agree that our so-called scientific names have more international 
recognition.  Thus a Camberwell Beauty and a Mourning Cloak might be 
recognized as the same species (although the American Copper still 
sometimes bears its appellation of L. phlaeas, even for those who have 
decided it's not conspecific with the Small Copper, L. phlaeas of 
Europe). 

However, scientific names do not have temporal or historical stability. 
Looking back at 100 year old publications (the few that used common or 
English or vulgar or colloquial names) shows that common names are more 
stable over time. 



Mike Gochfeld