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ladobe

Posting Questions

ladobe
15 years ago

Welcome to The Butterfly Garden forum. Pull up a chair, get comfortable and join a fun family of folks who love to garden, especially for their butterfly and moth visitors, share their experiences with both, their techniques, insight and their woeÂs.

Knowledge is a wonderful thing and greatly adds to the total enjoyment in everything we do. And there are many knowledgeable people in both fields on this forum who enjoy helping anyone by answering their questions. But for them to give credible answers to those questions, a little thought needs to go into the questions being asked. There is no such thing as a dumb question, so please donÂt let that prevent you from asking it. Everyone starts out as a newbie no matter what the topic is and we are all friends here.

ButÂ

"I saw a yellow butterfly yesterday. What was it?"

Not much to go on for an answer if you consider that there are approximately 180,000 species of Lepidoptera worldwide and that yellow is a dominant color in many of them.

A picture always helps, but they are not always easy to get for posting on the forum. So the more detailed written information you can supply with your question, especially if for a species identification, the more accurate the answers to them will be.

Minimum information is a good description of the butterfly or moth. Things like relative size, markings, type of habitat seen in, plantÂs it was around, etc as best as you can describe them.

The other minimum that is most often ignored is where the butterfly or moth was seen. In the United States in what state and county, and if in Canada or Mexico the providence or state and what portion of it helps a lot. ItÂs a rare species that flies just about everywhere and many species in North America have fairly limited to very limited ranges. So for an accurate identification, where it was seen simply has to be provided.

Adding any other information you think might be useful to those trying to help is not without benefit also.

The same minimums apply to asking about plants as well with about 350,000 species worldwide BTW. Just describe the plants characteristics as well as you can.

Many adult butterflies and moths (and some plants) are recognized well enough by even folks who are not actively studying them to guess a common name or family, and that too can be of some help. But the other forms in a butterfly or moths life (egg, caterpillar, pupa) and many plant characteristics probably will not be as recognized. So your detailed written descriptions will become the only means for answers to be formed from, and need to be as descriptive as possible.

Also try to spend a little time in the FAQ section of the forum as well. There is quite a bit of basic information there, and more is being added as it becomes available.

Thanks for coming, and enjoy the forum.

Ladobe (AKA Larry)

Las Vegas

Comments (27)

  • butterflymomok
    15 years ago

    Good post.

    Sandy

  • bobbic
    15 years ago

    Thank you so much! I'm brand new and didn't even realize there was an FAQ *blush* I really appreciate you going to the trouble to let us newbies know :)

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Ungardener's Garden

  • mcronin
    15 years ago

    Larry,

    Thanks for a most helpful post. Larry-Gene, could we include this on our FAQ's?

    mike

  • jmcat
    15 years ago

    Precisely what I was going to ask...

  • susanlynne48
    15 years ago

    I'm going to steer clear of this because we have so many new people who come here to get info. I don't want to scare them away by being unfriendly. I think it is okay to "ask" or "suggest" they provide us with a photo if possible, but not everyone has the luxury of a digital camera. We can ask for more details of the butterfly, consider the region, etc., which can go a long way in helping to have a "range" of certain genus/species of butterflies.

    We do our utmost best in helping out new postees and I don't want to scare them away by being too blunt or over-the-top with them. They are new, after all, and may take offense if we're not careful with our responses. The last thing I want to do is offend them in any way.

    Susan

  • ladobe
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    My original post was not only very friendly and cheerful; it was informative and should be very helpful for newbieÂs who want to ask questions that will get accurate replies to them. To get a responsible answer, you need to ask a responsible question. Otherwise answers are nothing but a "best guess", which really doesn't help the person asking the question much. Is it better to drill them for more information later and chance embarrassing them rather than just give them some ideas to help them formulate their questions from before posting the questions?

    If they (or anyone else) takes offense to what I consider was a post intended to only be helpful, not to scare people away, then they must be very thin-skinned, overly sensitive, afraid of their own shadow, the "what ifs" in this world and overdue for a reality check.

  • mcronin
    15 years ago

    I just reread Larry's original post and as a retired Professor of Communication I can't think of a nicer way to encourage people who want help with ID's to provide the kind of information that will help THEM GET AN ANSWER TO THEIR QUESTION. Larry pointed out that they may have problems providing a picture and simply suggested that a few details(the ones Susan mentioned) be included IF POSSIBLE. At least to me, it reads like Larry and Susan are asking for about the same information in the same sensitive, friendly, helpful way.

    mike

    mike

  • fiwit
    15 years ago

    I've never been on this forum before today, so I count as a newbie and a stranger. Read Larry's post in this thread, and thought "How handy!" and "Ooh, there's a FAQ - must check it out."

    So I'm with the professor - nothing offensive, heavy-handed or rude here, just good guidelines on how to stand the best chance of getting questions answered.


    (and no, I'm not getting paid for this opinion LOL)

  • ladobe
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I'm glad it was mostly taken as the positive idea it was intended to be by those who responded. Thanks for your comments.

    If it does no more good than help the two newer members who were not put off by it, then it has already served its purpose and was well worth the effort. Every budding new Lepidopterist gained is a valuable win for the bugs and the forum.

  • KC Clark - Zone 2012-6a OH
    14 years ago

    Helpful advice from our friend, ladobe.

    KC

  • butterflymomok
    14 years ago

    To all,

    I got an email from Larry this morning. He said to tell you all he received your emails. The temp in Las Vegas is a balmy 70, and the abundant rain has filled a ditch in front of his bungalow, so he has named it "Lake Ladobe." Still has his sense of humor!

    Sandy

  • PKponder TX Z7B
    14 years ago

    Thanks for posting that Sandy. Ladobe's sharing of his knowledge was always a big draw for me here and I'm glad to hear that he has a lake of his own and his sense of humor is intact!

    Pam

  • mcronin
    14 years ago

    Larry and Sandy,

    We're so glad to hear from you Larry and hope you're doing alright. I too am happy that you still have your sense of humor after all you've been through. Every time I think of you an image of you "walking in the clouds" comes to mind.

    mike

  • bernergrrl
    14 years ago

    Glad to know that he is doing okay and is able to enjoy his landscape!

  • MissSherry
    14 years ago

    Hi Larry!

    Sherry

  • jrcagle
    14 years ago

    Just eclosing after winter hibernation -- glad to see you around for another season, Ladobe! And Mike "mcronin" too.

    Jeff

  • jrcagle
    14 years ago

    Just noticed that this was posted in '08. I'm a little slow...

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    14 years ago

    That's OK jrcagle. It's nice to be reminded of the friendliness of this forum and how long it has been goin' on. :O)

    There is nothing like knowing there's a place you can go when you are faced with children at your door holding a jar with a big fat caterpillar in it asking you to 'save' it. Were it not for this forum and the knowledge and kindness of it's members a couple of years ago, those children and I would not have experienced the joy of housing a Luna Moth for the winter and bringing it to flight in the spring!

  • susanlynne48
    14 years ago

    Tiffy - there's nothing like the awe and wonder of a child, is there? My GD has gotten to the point where she often spots the caterpillars either before I do, or ones that I've totally overlooked!

    Susan

  • ladobe
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    FWIW, considering some of the questions being asked lately just thought that revising this old thread may be helpful for those asking to get better answers. ;)
    Larry

  • bananasinohio
    12 years ago

    An oldie but a goodie! Raising it up!
    -Elisabeth

  • larry_gene
    12 years ago

    I recall this thread clearly and opted at the time to not put it in the FAQ--the problem being that a new FAQ topic appears at the bottom of the topic list, and this is more effective in the lead-off position.

    Better to do what Larry has done, revive it periodically, especially during the high season...unless there is renewed campaigning for FAQing it.

  • ladobe
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Whether it bcomes a FAQ or not is up to you like it always has been Larry Gene. I simply don't try to answer questions anymore with little or no useable data to go on. What amounts to just guesses based on very questionable information can further confuse rather than help the asker (and anyone else for that matter). But as a thread it does very little good because it runs off the page in such a short period of time and doesn't reapear until months or years later. IOW, it needs to be on top to do any good, especially for new members but also for those more experienced that want a viable answer.

    FWIW, while you may not have been given access to the tools or know how to organize the order of the FAQ's as a moderator, I would be very surprised if somebody at GW Admin didn't know how and have the ability to do it. Like the wheel software has become quite advanced. ;)

    Larry

  • larry_gene
    12 years ago

    ...but I wouldn't count on the GW FAQ default to put the last edited or created topic at the bottom to change anytime soon!

    It's too much of a hassle to reload all the other topics except the one you want on top--in order to get it on top.

  • ladobe
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Defaults can be over-ridden by anyone at Admin who knows how.

    Regardless, I didn't say i wanted it to become a FAQ, just stated the facts.

  • terrene
    12 years ago

    I think that many of your "oldie but goodie" posts should be bumped Ladobe. Maybe even made into an FAQ called "Ladobe's Expert Advice" or "Ladobe's Wisdom" or something. Just musing.

  • ladobe
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Naw, on all accounts. I'm certainly no expert on anything... just respond from long experience that many probably see as Buckbrush Philosophy (AKA BS). ;)

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