Base Behavior of Butterflies...

[Mark Walker]

Mike Quinn wrote:

<snippage>

> No matter how many leps land on a turd, they just don't compare in my mind
> to mosquitoes and other insects of medical importance.

"They just don't compare..."

Hmmmm.  This is an interesting thread with some interesting statements.
Mike's statement above is most interesting.  First of all, I would argue
that at any given time there will be a completely different set of insects
that possess the highest degree of significance to humankind - relative to
the many factors that can play a role (i.e. disease, crop damage, epidemics,
conservation, etc.).  Generalizations don't seem appropriate, in my opinion.

Incidentally, I suspect that if lep hordes (adults or larvae) had been
chosen as one of the seven plagues, they would have been just as destructive
and horrific as flies or locusts (or frogs).

Beyond this, I'm a bit confused concerning the implicit value of organisms
(or lack thereof) being suggested by the various statements in this thread.
Are we saying that butterflies are less important - and therefore less
deserving of study - because they hold a lower position with regards to
importance to man?  On the other hand, certainly no one is suggesting by
these statements that butterflies should be held at a higher position on
account of their being less harmful to humankind.  Such a suggestion is akin
to statements like, "Save butterflies because they are beautiful.  I don't
care what happens to moths, because they are ugly", which have passed over
the ether on recent occasion.

I suppose we could rank each organism based on its value to humankind -
negative values for harmful organisms, and positive values for helpful or
aesthetically pleasing organisms.  Then we could justify both the willful
destruction of the "losers", and aggressively promote conservation for the
"winners".

Of course, this would eliminate about 90% of wildlife - which would likely
result in turning our planet into another Mars.

Nope - I think butterflies are on even par with mosquitoes.  Along with
cockroaches, fire ants, tuna fish, cows, chickens, and cats.

JMHO.

Mark Walker.

 

 
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