terminology: LBJs and BFTs

[Nick Greatorex-Davies]

Stanley A. Gorodenski wrote:

> I was myself perplexed by the ambiguity of the abbreviation LBJ, "little
> brown job", and how anyone could defend this naming convention.

In reply Kevin Caley wrote:

<snip>
Previously I've only seen LBJ used (very widely) among birders - basically any
'enigmatic' (=characterless, it seems!) bird that proves to be extremely
difficult to identify on first glance.  So, now it's entered the butterflying
world?  Could that be due to the huge numbers of birders who are getting
bored with birds now turning to the 'flying flowers', as is also happening in
the UK?  I have recently heard the phrases 'stonking' and 'griped' being
applied to butterfly viewing, which are also originally birding terms.
<snip>

I've heard the term LBJ many times over the years amongst moth-ers in the UK. A friend of mine, who is primarily a butterfly person (never was a birder), has his own term for moths (which he has been getting interested in enough in the last few years to do some moth trapping) - he calls them BFJs "Brown Flappy Things". I've tried pointing out to him that many moths are not brown and Noctuids and others buzz rather than flap, but to no avail. He still persists !

Nick Greatorex-Davies
CEH Monks Wood, Huntingdon, UK


 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl