Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours, which I
have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

TIA.
Spider

--
..
"Spider" wrote in message
...
Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours, which
I have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

TIA.
Spider


Swarm

http://rinkworks.com/words/collective.shtml

Kind regards

Mike

In message , Spider
writes
Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours, which I
have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

TIA.
Spider


Google finds swarm (which I would restrict to only some aggregations of
butterflies) and rabble (which is new to me). Perhaps cloud would also
qualify.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message , Spider
writes
Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours, which
I
have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

TIA.
Spider


Google finds swarm (which I would restrict to only some aggregations of
butterflies) and rabble (which is new to me). Perhaps cloud would also
qualify.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley


Thank you Mike and Stewart. Swarm seems to be favourite. In case you're
interested (and even if you're not :~)), my neighbours were suggesting a
'luxury' of butterflies and a 'concord' of butterflies. A 'beguilement' of
butterflies would be my suggestion: I love an alitteration (and many
collective nouns are alitterations) and I was certainly beguiled. However,
a swarm will do. I'll pass it on.

Spider

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 May 2009 20:05:15 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:

Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours, which
I
have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

A cloud.
--

Martin


Mmm ... I wondered lonely as a butterfly ... No. That won't do; there were
oodles of them.

Spider

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 May 2009 22:33:27 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:


"Martin" wrote in message
. ..
On Fri, 29 May 2009 20:05:15 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:

Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many
bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours,
which
I
have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

A cloud.
--

Martin


Mmm ... I wondered lonely as a butterfly ... No. That won't do; there
were
oodles of them.

Somebody once said "I have been surrounded by clouds of butterflies, ..."
--

Martin

Indeed. Wasn't that a certain Spider?

Spider

On 2009-05-29 22:31:38 +0100, "Spider" said:


"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message , Spider
writes
Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours, which
I
have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

TIA.
Spider


Google finds swarm (which I would restrict to only some aggregations of
butterflies) and rabble (which is new to me). Perhaps cloud would also
qualify.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley


Thank you Mike and Stewart. Swarm seems to be favourite. In case you're
interested (and even if you're not :~)), my neighbours were suggesting a
'luxury' of butterflies and a 'concord' of butterflies. A 'beguilement' of
butterflies would be my suggestion: I love an alitteration (and many
collective nouns are alitterations) and I was certainly beguiled. However,
a swarm will do. I'll pass it on.

Spider

I'd go for a 'flutter' of butterflies myself - or perhaps a 'frivol'. ;-)
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-29 22:31:38 +0100, "Spider" said:


"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
In message , Spider
writes
Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many
bees
and hoverflies. This has brought up a query amongst my neighbours,
which
I
have been unable to answer. So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

TIA.
Spider


Google finds swarm (which I would restrict to only some aggregations of
butterflies) and rabble (which is new to me). Perhaps cloud would also
qualify.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley


Thank you Mike and Stewart. Swarm seems to be favourite. In case
you're
interested (and even if you're not :~)), my neighbours were suggesting a
'luxury' of butterflies and a 'concord' of butterflies. A 'beguilement'
of
butterflies would be my suggestion: I love an alitteration (and many
collective nouns are alitterations) and I was certainly beguiled.
However,
a swarm will do. I'll pass it on.

Spider

I'd go for a 'flutter' of butterflies myself - or perhaps a 'frivol'. ;-)
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon


'Flutter' is good. They were definitely doing that.

Spider

On 2009-05-29 22:55:34 +0100, Martin said:

snip

What do you call a collection of spiders?

A 'shriek' in this house!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon

On May 29, 10:55*pm, Martin wrote:
On Fri, 29 May 2009 22:40:53 +0100, "Spider" wrote:

"Martin" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 29 May 2009 22:33:27 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 29 May 2009 20:05:15 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:

Whilst pruning my pyracantha hedge these past few days, I have been
surrounded by clouds of butterflies, mainly Painted Ladies, plus many
bees
and hoverflies. *This has *brought up a query amongst my neighbours,
which
I
have been unable to answer. *So, please, does anyone know what is the
collective noun for butterflies?

A cloud.
--

Martin

Mmm ... I wondered lonely as a butterfly ... * No. That won't do; there
were
oodles of them.

Somebody once said "I have been surrounded by clouds of butterflies, ...."
Indeed. Wasn't that a certain Spider?

What do you call a collection of spiders?

In this house, a 'splat' (unless I get there first and remove them)

In message , Martin
writes

What do you call a collection of spiders?

A gross.
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-29 22:55:34 +0100, Martin said:

snip

What do you call a collection of spiders?


I've no idea, nor can I find out thus far. I'll keep looking.

How about a scuttle of spiders or an army of arachnids? Eeeek!

Spider

On 2009-05-30 18:48:59 +0100, "Spider" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-29 22:55:34 +0100, Martin said:

snip

What do you call a collection of spiders?


I've no idea, nor can I find out thus far. I'll keep looking.

How about a scuttle of spiders or an army of arachnids? Eeeek!

Spider

Geroff! You know you love them. ;-))
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-30 18:48:59 +0100, "Spider" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-29 22:55:34 +0100, Martin said:

snip

What do you call a collection of spiders?


I've no idea, nor can I find out thus far. I'll keep looking.

How about a scuttle of spiders or an army of arachnids? Eeeek!

Spider

Geroff! You know you love them. ;-))
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon


Yikes! My secret is out :~)). They are rather gorgeous. My hedge was full
of them this afternoon. I'd name drop, but I doubt you'd be impressed :~)

Night night.

Spider
|

On 2009-05-30 22:50:45 +0100, "Spider" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-30 18:48:59 +0100, "Spider" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-29 22:55:34 +0100, Martin said:

snip

What do you call a collection of spiders?


I've no idea, nor can I find out thus far. I'll keep looking.

How about a scuttle of spiders or an army of arachnids? Eeeek!

Spider

Geroff! You know you love them. ;-))
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon


Yikes! My secret is out :~)). They are rather gorgeous. My hedge was full
of them this afternoon. I'd name drop, but I doubt you'd be impressed :~)

Night night.

Spider
|

Yerssss. There's something very sinister in that valediction! One
crawled over my hand yesterday, having overnighted in the newspaper
left in the box that morning. It was just one of those little thready
jobs but my shriek must have been heard a mile away and it certainly
gave the grandson pause for thought as he swung on the light cord!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Exotic plants, shrubs & perennials
South Devon