To think you don’t catch a butterfly and take it round M&S

I'm with you Op how cruel.

Also to the vegan who is arguing. You cannot really compare someone trapping a wild animal to someone eating farmed meat. The meat omnivores eat is generally from farmed domestic species. Butterflies on the other hand are wild animals and so many butterfly species are protected species and are critically endangered! It's not responsible to encourage children to catch and take home wild butterflies!!

If you really wanted the butterfly released, your best bet was to say, “You know, I used to do that with my children - but I just read something the other day about how it’s really not good for the butterflies’ health. Apparently if you’re going to catch them, it’s better to just study them a few minutes and then release them where you found them.”

How did you think she was going to respond to “Don’t you think it’s a bit cruel?“ Fall to her knees, repent her sins, and thank you for pointing out her moral failings?

I similarly annoyed a parent when I pointed out that having 25+ crabs in one clear bucket in the direct blazing sunlight for over 2 hours was cruel! She told me it was just a bit of fun... definitely not fun for the poor crabs they were probably cooked through by the time they let them go, hopefully would have traumatised her kids into not being so cruel in the future 🦀

Agree with you OP. Admire them in nature, don't risk damaging them by catching them, and certainly don't taken them around M&S!
Trying to keep them at home for 2 days is an almost certain death sentence surely

YABU. None of your business. I would have found it odd but wouldnt have felt the need to comment.

What an odd thing to be doing. Do people actually do this, catch butterflies to observe them?!

Last year and the year before we had barely any pollinators in our garden. This year after determined planting of every pollen rich flower possible, several bees arrived thank goodness and more butterflies than I've seen for years. It's a pity the butterfly net mother has not realised creatures can't breed if they're caught and taken out of their habitats for her child. You sound as if you were much more polite than I'd have been. Let's keep sowing wildflowers.

Horrible

Electrocuting a butterfly to eat? 😳

Well said.

There is a phrase I have seen a few times which I think is relevant here. Something about perfection being the enemy of good.

Will someone explain this butterfly net to me.

I know about the sorts of nets people use to catch them in, I have something similar for fishing leaves out of my pond. But are you saying there are special nets for carrying them round in?

I would be horrified to see someone in a shop with a butterfly. Not so much from an animal cruelty POV but because I have a phobia of butterflies and moths. I can just about cope with them out of doors, so long as they don't fly directly at me, but indoors I find very unnerving

You were the one being overinvested earlier, accusing the OP and me of being inconsistent and now you admit you are yourself. Whereas I merely agreed with the OP. Sounds like you are either confused or keen to start a fight in an empty room.

If they were intelligent they wouldn't hang round the kids play area. If you chase them they just come back to play again. They need to be removed from play areas - they are just rats with wings. Lots of pigeon apologists on this thread today.

I assure you pigeons do NOT want to "play chase with children"
What is actually happening is that some shite parents don't stop their children from scaring pigeons.
I have worked with bird rescues and pigeons are very very intelligent and recognise different people and form bonds with some.
They aren't something to be terrified for entertainment

Nothing is officially classified as vermin in the UK - it is subjective. To me pigeons are vermin. They just hang around the play parks, with their manky feet trying to play chase with children

Hahaha batshit thread. In total agreement with the poster earlier applauding the kid for removing one more cabbage white from eating her veg.
You aren't going to change hearts and minds this way OP 🙈 I think it's pretty odd that you approached the child like this.

would be better to raise public awareness generally online etc about why this is a bad idea, rather than confront an individual mother and child about it

• because ignoring it and writing letters after doesn't help that particular butterfly at that moment does it.

Not comparable to sausage rolls, as it's being eaten. Animals eat animals all the time in the wild, it's the darker side of Attenborough that makes me need to watch live at the Apollo after. If you were sitting at a table poking a captured piglet stressing it out purely for shits and giggles, then yes it would be perfectly reasonable to say something.

What about head lice? Many parents take delight in breaking their little legs with those combs. Still insects.

You seem a bit over invested in this. I am also inconsistent. I love bumblebees in the garden but would happily destroy a wasps nest in the garden - both have similar wildlife benefits but one I like and the other I don't.; Similarly with badgers being welcome but not rats. It doesn't really make sense but is how humans act.

Personally I'm not really a pet person so don't differentiate between a dog and a sheep. Both have been bred to maximise human enjoyment.

It's hardly an admission I don't like pigeons - I'm not keen on lots of vermin. Just like many people - if there weren't we wouldn't have a whole pest control industry,

I despaired at the butterfly in a net but I have a dog living in my house. He does go on a lead when we go out because that’s the law in certain areas and because it shows consideration for people who don’t like dogs or are allergic to them.

The butterfly has been captured from the wild when it was going about its business, whereas my dog was a rescue from Ireland. He was not a wild animal living his best life. If I hadn’t adopted him, someone else would have, or he would have been PTS. I could try setting him free but he wouldn’t last 5 minutes in the wild as he has no survival skills whatsoever. He has his meals served to him twice a day and he sleeps on a bed with the humans. 😂

In fact he has accidentally liberated himself a couple of times by wandering out of our garden gate when it blew open in the wind. Rather than running away to live out his wild dog dreams and consume the local squirrels, he sat outside the gate holding a paw aloft and whimpering to be let back in. He’s obviously got Stockholm syndrome 😔

Butterflies ≠ domestic dogs.

Bumblebee72 · Today 14:46
I never really understand why some people get so upset about some animals but not others. A butterfly in a net outrange. Millions of enslaved dogs no issue at all. It almost like the opposite of rabbits where if they are wild it is fine to shoot and eat them but shoot a rabbit from Pets at Home and you are a heartless killer.

Bumblebee72 · Today 16:08
Do pigeons have any other purpose?
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/40ngTyz4RqxzRtZ5Cgy4lyt/the-pigeon-britain-s-most-misunderstood-bird

You were the one talking about people being indifferent or inconsistent earlier. Then admit you don't give a shit about pigeons.