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Saving swallowtail and birdwing butterflies

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You are here: Home / Swallowtail Limerick Day
Edward Lear was fond of butterflies, which figured in his Illustrated Nonsense Alphabet (above). Beware however, the poem illustrated is not in the form of a limerick!

Swallowtail Limerick Day

As World Swallowtail Day 2020 approaches, we may not be able to get out into the field to visit our favourite nature reserve or butterfly garden, but we can still celebrate the beauty and diversity of swallowtails and have some fun at the same time. Poems are a good way to do this, so let’s support National Limerick Day and have a go at writing a limerick about swallowtails!

Observed annually on 12th May, National Limerick Day celebrates the birthday of English artist, author and poet Edward Lear (1812 – 1888).  Lear is best known for writing amusing literary nonsense. His limericks became popular when he published his “Book of Nonsense” in 1846.

A limerick is a short nonsense poem. There are just five lines; the first two rhyme with the fifth line and the third and fourth rhyme together. 

But the Limerick also has a particular rhythm, which can be tricky to capture!

Why not have a go at a five-line limerick yourself?

To get the ball rolling our Chairman, Mark Collins, has had a go at a limerick about the world’s largest butterfly! We’re sure you can do better!

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing

Lord Rothschild, lately of Tring,
Achieved a remarkable thing;
He sent Albert Meek
Up river and creek
For Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing!

World Swallowtail Day is coming up on 14th June and we will compile an anthology of your work on our website. Please send your contributions to our Editor for the event, Richard Harrington at richard@royensoc.co.uk.

Richard, who is Editor of the Royal Entomological Society’s journal Antenna, is himself a celebrated entomological poet with a popular book of poems about British butterflies, “The Butterfly Collection” – see details below.

“The Butterfly Collection: a poem for every British butterfly” Published by Brambleby Books, 2018. Available from Amazon, Waterstones, Brambleby Books etc.

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Latest News

Swallowtail Limericks

23rd May 2020

May 12th was National Limerick Day, celebrating Edward Lear’s wonderful invention of nonsense poetry. SBBT is inviting everyone to submit a limerick about swallowtails. Take a look at the details here. We will publish them on our website on World Swallowtail Day, 14th June. Why not have a go!?

World Swallowtail Day 14 June 2020

22nd April 2020

SBBT will continue to promote and support World Swallowtail Day this year, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. With so many nature reserves and visitor centres closed, the emphasis will be on education and networking through social media, sharing knowledge, ideas and creativity to help conserve the world’s swallowtails. Do join in!

Swallowtails subject to new trade bans under CITES

27th November 2019

Trade bans have come into force for two swallowtails. Parides burchellanus, a Brazilian endemic, flies in riparian forest alongside streams crossing cerrado woodlands where its pipevine foodplant grows. It has become an easy target for collectors. Achillides chikae, the Luzon Peacock Swallowtail endemic to the Philippines and already listed on CITES, has been found as a […]

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OUR APPEAL

Swallowtails and birdwings are beautiful and graceful butterflies – who wouldn’t love to see them dancing in the sunlight or sipping nectar from wildflowers? But many species are under threat from agriculture, forestry and climate change. We have ideas, enthusiasm and a vision for the future. Will you help us to achieve our goals?

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Financial contributions are welcome and will be treasured. We also need your ideas, new information, suggestions and encouragement!

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What We Do

We do four things to help swallowtails and birdwings: we raise financial resources; convene networks and partnerships; catalyse action, and provide scientific and technical support.

Contact Us

Send an email to info@sbbt.org.uk, or post a letter to SBBT, c/o Hines Harvey Woods, Queens Head House, The Street, Acle, Norwich NR13 3DY, UK

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