What is a lepidopterist?

Mark Walker MWalker at gensym.com
Sun Jan 27 10:05:15 EST 2002


Here's my answer to Rudy's question:

"A lepidopterist is anyone who takes a scientific interest in Butterflies
and Moths, and spends more than 20% of their time doing so."

I don't think the net has anything to do with it.  I would, to the dismay of
some, suggest that using scientific nomenclature does have something to do
with it.  A lepidopterist is a scientist - it's very definition is rooted
there - so I would not include those who have no interest in the science of
butterflies.  But I would argue that it's pretty difficult to spend more
than 20% of your time doing something without becoming scientific about it.
Take growing lemons for example.  Or raising cattle.  Try doing this
seriously without having to learn the science of it all.

Mark Walker
Oceanside, CA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rudy Benavides [mailto:rbenavid at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2002 5:38 AM
> To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: What is a lepidopterist?
> 
> 
> What is a lepidopterist (in 2002)?  With all the recent 
> postings concerning 
> netting, collecting, watching,  etc., I have been wondering 
> how folks here 
> might answer that question.  I received an email response to 
> an earlier post 
> of mine about "butterfly watchers and lepidopterists" in 
> which the poster 
> said that "years ago we were all the same", there were no 
> distinctions.  But 
> now, with a growing segment of the butterfly community 
> involved in more 
> passive butterflying (with binoculars), does that change the 
> meaning or use 
> of the word lepidopterist?  By the way, this is not intended 
> to poke fun or 
> ridicule anyone.  I am just wondering if there will come a 
> time in the near 
> future when the distinction will be made...just like what 
> happened in the 
> birding community... there are birders and there are 
> ornithologists.  I 
> personally know scores of birders, but I only know a handful of 
> ornithologists.  I also have my own definition of a 
> lepidopterist (a pro, 
> someone that does research, publishes, etc.)...but that's 
> just my opinion.
> 
> So is a lepidopterist just anyone with an interest in 
> butterflies/moths?  Or 
> is there more to it than that?
> 
> Rudy
> 
> 
> 
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