The checkmarks, √, below signify a widespread usage in both North American English and British English.
SUBJECT | COLLECTIVE TERM | | |
ants | A colony of ants | | |
ants | A swarm of ants | | |
ants | An army of ants | | |
bacteria | A culture of bacteria | | |
beans | A hill of beans | | |
bees | A grist of bees | | |
bees | A hive of bees | | |
bees | A swarm of bees | | |
blackfish | A grind of blackfish | Uncertain | |
butterflies | A kaleidoscope of butterflies | Uncertain | |
butterflies | A rabble of butterflies | Uncertain | |
butterflies | A rainbow of butterflies | | |
caterpillars | An army of caterpillars | | |
clams | A bed of clams | | |
cockroaches | An intrusion of cockroaches | Uncertain | |
cod | A lap of cod | Uncertain | |
crow | A murder of crows | | |
eels | A fry of eels | Uncertain | |
eels | A swarm of eels | | |
figs | A newton of figs | Spurious | |
fish | A draught of fish | | |
fish | A drift of fish | | |
fish | A scale of fish | | |
fish | A school of fish | | |
fish | A shoal of fish | | |
flowers | A bouquet of flowers | | |
flowers | A patch of flowers | | |
flies | A business of flies | | |
flies | A swarm of flies | | |
gnats | A cloud of gnats | | |
gnats | A clout of gnats | Uncertain | |
gnats | A horde of gnats | | |
grapes | A bunch of grapes | | |
grasshoppers | A cloud of grasshoppers | | |
grasshoppers | A cluster of grasshoppers | | |
herrings | A glean of herrings | | |
jellyfish | A fluther of jellyfish | | |
jellyfish | A smack of jellyfish | | |
kangaroos | A mob of kangaroos | Colloquial | |
locusts | A plague of locusts | | |
midges | A bite of midges | Uncertain | |
mites | A mite of mites | Uncertain | |
mosquitoes | A scourge of mosquitoes | | |
owls | A parliament of owls | | |
oysters | A bed of oysters | | |
raven | A kindness of raven |
| |
salmon | A bind of salmon | | |
salmon | A run of salmon | | |
shrimp | A troup of shrimp | | |
snails | A rout of snails | | |
spiders | A cluster of spiders | | |
spiders | A clutter of spiders | | |
trees | A grove of trees | | |
trees | A copse of trees | | |
trees | A stand of trees | | |
trees | A thicket of trees | | |
trout | A hover of trout | | |
worms | A clew of worms | Uncertain |