David's Tiger

This rather eye-catching butterfly is called David's Tiger. The tiger obviously refers to it's distinctive markings, but quite how David claimed this butterfly for himself, I don't know. I went to see my beloved Brighton and Hove Albion beat Newcastle United 2-0 in the FA Cup today and Brighton's right-back had the name David on the back of his shirt (his full name is David Lopez and he played pretty well although he is getting criticised for diving by some Facebookers). Perhaps he is the owner of the butterfly species known as David's Tiger, although this unlikely leap of logic is unlikely to be actually true, but if it is, then Mr David needs to pay a bit closer attention to his Philippine butterflies are critically endangered.

I've tried to find out what has caused this endangered situation, but I'm afraid I am none the wiser. I've seen quite a lot of butterflies stuck on pins in the Booth Museum and perhaps this barbaric turning of butterflies into lollipops is the cause, but I reckon that most museum butterflies are from a bygone era and that no one does this anymore unless the butterfly has died of natural causes. I once followed a local aspiring politician into the woods on a 'Bug Hunt' and with his massive net (big enough to catch a badger in), he managed to ensnare some butterflies. He then put them in jars and showed me a clever trick - if you turn the jamjarred butterfly upside-down, when you then release the butterfly, they sit calmly on your shoulder for a little while to get over the confusion of being in topsy-turvy land. Dave Bangs is this bloke's name if you think my brief anecdote is enough to get you voting for him.

I may start my own political campaign to ensure the saving of this particularly attractive butterfly (although I worry that attractive endangered animals get more attention than ugly ones), but until I know how their salvation will come, I will have to leave you with a dull ache in your hearts for our stripy friends.