Reviews (2)

great resource
I use this as a companion to my Butterflies through Binoculars book. The great thing about this book is the caterpillars that it shows. I'm consantly finding caterpillars in our garden and wonder what they'll turn into. This book helps sort all that out. The pictures are really good as well

The best butterfly field guide I have seen.
I had purchased three other butterfly field guides prior to this one and this is the best in terms of help in identifying species seen in the field. Based on my experience, the butterfly photographs displayed in this book do the best job I have seen of accurately portraying species as they appear in the field. Photographs of like species are lumped together on the color plates and both upperwing and undersides are displayed. Both common and latin names are given in the species descriptions, which I personally find to be very beneficial. I found the overall format of the book to be very well done. I feel that any one living in nearby areas can be benefited by this book but, for someone living in West Virginia, this book is the definitive work on butterflies. True, there are other books that contain more, in-depth reference information, but none that exceeds it as a useful field guide. This is the book I have been waiting years to see!

Gary Felton ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Practical guide that you take right into the field!
This book has some of the best details I've come across in terms of the biology, habitat, predators/hazards, defenses, night observation, and tools of the trade for collecting, rearing, photographing these insects. It's written in layman's terms yet has so much information that you can really learn a lot. There are great pictures throughout (more are B/W but there is a section of color plates with incredibly good detailed pictures). One of the things I really like about this book is that the species of caterpillars, moths/butterflies are relatively common species that I've seen around our gardens here in Virginia so there's immediate relevance. This is definitely a good companion to a field guide as the sub-title suggests. A field guide will give you the highlights while this book will really enable you to dig in deep and learn about these marvelous, beautiful beings. ... Read more

Book Description

In a recent article, the New York Times Magazine described butterfly watching as the fastest-growing segment of nature recreation. Little wonder - butterflies are beautiful, exotic, interesting, and observable by anyone, virtually anywhere, young or old, urban or rural. Consummate teachers, the Suttons use the same easy-to-understand style that has made both of their previous books in the How to Spot series bestsellers. Taking up where field guides leave off, they reveal which habitats are sure to hold large butterfly populations and which specific host plants attract butterflies. They address how to use binoculars and share the secrets of how to approach a butterfly without scaring it off. Environmentally sensitive and unobtrusive observation is emphasized, not outdated netting and collecting. Exceptional nectar sources, which are feeding grounds for vast numbers of butterflies, are described. Full-color photographs appear throughout. The Suttons' proven butterfly-watching techniques ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent primer for prospective butterfliers!
Coming into the world of butterflies with no background whatsoever, I was thoroughly impressed with the Suttons ability to convey their knowledge and experience in a way that I could comprehend and apply in real life. This is a must read for those who are just getting started in butterfly watching! The photographs are excellent and the price is right! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beautiful presentation by internationally recognized expert
The more than thousand full-color specimen photographs in "The Encyclopedia of Butterflies" were taken at the Allyn Museum of Entomology/Florida Museum of Natural History, which houses one of the world's largest butterfly collections. This encyclopedia includes all of the world's butterflies, arranged in four family groups: the swallowtails (Papilionidae); the whites and sulfurs (Pieridae); the brush-footed butterflies (Nymphalidae); and the hairstreaks, coppers, and blues (Lycaenidae).

According to the author, this is the first butterfly encyclopedia to exclude the skippers (Hesperiidae), as they are now thought to show more similarities to moths than to butterflies. Also, butterflies previously classified as separate families, i.e. Satyridae, Danaidae, Nymphalidae, and Libytheidae are combined here as one family, Nymphalidae, "since they have one overriding characteristic: four functional legs. Their first pair of legs are [sic] redundant: they do not function for locomotion." As soon as I read the author's allegation that Nymphalidae had only four functional legs, I rushed out into the backyard. As luck would have it, the first two butterflies I spotted--- a Monarch and a smaller Painted Lady---were both perched on the butterfly bush using only four legs! The Cabbage butterflies over on the zinnias had six legs apiece. Dr. Feltwell, who is an internationally recognized expert on butterflies and who serves as a consultant on the management of butterfly farms in the United States and Great Britain was right! Isn't it odd how after a lifetime of watching butterflies, I never noticed the difference between families until a book like this pointed it out to me? Three things will probably prevent "The Encyclopedia of Butterflies" from being used as a field guide: it is quite a large book; it covers too much territory (the whole earth); and its familial classification scheme doesn't really support a quick field identification.

However, it is a marvelous 'rainy day' book. The photographs are gorgeous, and the clearly-written text covers all of the major butterfly families in detail, including taxonomy, structure, life cycle, migration pattern, habitat, and protected status. Read "The Encyclopedia of Butterflies" at leisure, when darkness or weather prevents you from venturing outside with your field book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great!
Butterflies of Southeastern Arizona is an extraordinatilly complete and well researched guidebook to the butterflies of this rich and diverse area. I would highly recommend it to anyone with a serious interest in lepidoptera or the Southwest. ... Read more

Book Description

Reminiscent of nineteenth-century botanical prints, the full-color illustrations in these small nature guides are miniature watercolors, as delightful to look at as they are accurate. Beneath each illustration the reader will find the popular and scientific names, size, range, and a concise description of the habitat or an interesting bit of lore. Ideal for the backpacker or dayhiker, the books fit handily in the pocket. "Painted Ladies" details the butterflies of North America. ... Read more

Book Description

More than 150 butterfly species have been recorded in Alberta, and they are all identified here. In-depth information about habitat, behavior, life cycle and families is featured. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A fabulous resource and an entertaining read
This is an excellent choice for any butterfly enthusiast. John Acorn, host of the television series "Acorn the Nature Nut" (my favorite TV show), provides a valuable and entertaining resource for all nature nuts. Don't let the title fool you - many of the species covered are wide-ranging and I find the guide useful in Georgia as well. Some of my favorite features of the book include the beautiful photographs of live specimens, tips on butterfly watching and photography, gardening for butterflies, and how to catch and release butterflies without hurting them. It also includes anecdotes from the author about how he found many of the species he photographed for the book. It is written in a conversational style without sacrificing scientific accuracy. A must-read! ... Read more

Book Description

Lookalikes and commonly confusable species are also illustratedCalendar bars indicate when you can expect to see the species as an egg, caterpillar, pupa or fully grown butterfly.Main illustrations show the butterfly as it is most likely to be seenKey features, habitat and life-history if the main species are described in detail ... Read more

Book Description

20,000 species display dazzling variation in wing colors and patterns

Vane-Wright’s passion for his subject shines through, from his vivid descriptions of metamorphosis to his look at the diversity of butterflies. He investigates the mystery of butterfly migrations by following the travels of the North American monarch, which summers as far north as Canada but winters in Mexico and Southern California. Looking forward, he questions what the future holds for these delicate creatures as they face changing environments. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great identification and locator guide.
The late Dr. Woodbury has accumplished what few other butterfly authors have been able to do with his The Butterflies of Delmarva which is to write about an arcane subject such as the Lepidopterous creatures around us and make it understandable to the casual nature lover as well as the experienced pro. He achieves this difficult task by illustrating the living butterflies with beautiful and informative color photos. Each photo clearly shows identifying characteristics of almost every one of the resident and stray butterflies inhabiting or visiting the Delmarva penninsula. This makes field observations and identifications surprisingly easy. For example, after studying Dr. Woodbury's excellent photo of Papilio polyxenes asterius (The Black Swallowtail) and comparing it with the fine one of Papilio troilus (The Spicebush Swallowtail) I am sure that even the beginner will find he or she can quickly tell one from the other when faced with identifying that next big black butterfly flittering and fluttering in the meadow. This little gem of a book would be worth the money for the photos alone, but there is much more offered here as well. Dr. Woodbury accurately and concisely describes the actual locality where each of the individual species occurs as well as the hostplants where the caterpillars of each species may be found and the nectaring plants for the adults as well! Had Dr. Woodbury included the Superfamily Hesperioidea (the Skippers)of Delmarva, I would have gladly afixed the fifth star in my review.

What a disapointment!
When I ran across this book in a store one day, I quickly bought it. What a disappointment. Mr. Woodbury's photographs are excellent, and can be seen in a number of field guides, but the information accompanying this book is useless. For example, Mr. Woodbury lists the Regal Fritillary, shows a photo, and gives a range description without once mentioning that this butterfly has not been recorded from the eastern United States for many years, outside a few local populations. One is left with the impression that this is a butterfly that may be seen commonly. It appears that the text of this book was quickly thrown together to get it into print. Recommended for the photos only ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone is familiar with the sight of tiger swallowtails wafting over the prairie, delighting us with their black-and-yellow beauty, and all auto travelers are used to seeing bright orange monarchs floating over the highways in fall. But how many of us take the time to appreciate the less common butterflies of the Midwest, such as the little wood satyr or the silver-spotted skipper? In Butterßies in Your Pocket, Steve Hendrix and Diane Debinski have created an easy-to-use and inexpensive way to identify and enjoy these winged jewels.

This new Bur Oak Guide illustrates sixty-five species and is one of the first to use digital photos instead of drawings. The guide shows sexual differences between males and females, seasonal forms, and both the upper and undersides of wings when these are critical for proper identification. In addition to common and scientific names, it also provides information on size, habitat, preferences, and months when each species can be found.

The popularity of butterfly gardens and an increase in prairie restoration have raised awareness of the beauty of butterflies as well as their threatened status. Butterflies in Your Pocket is a helpful guide to appreciating and learning about these fragile midwestern inhabitants. ... Read more