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Although it has pained some professionals to admit it, gifted amateurs have done much to advance the cause of science. Perhaps nowhere is this more true, English physician Michael Salmon writes, than in the field of lepidopterology.

The figure of the eccentric butterfly collector is a staple of British comedy, and indeed, as Salmon shows, many early collectors offered easy targets as the very definition of eccentricity. Over the years, more and more ordinary men and women came to share their passion for nature study, so that, by Victorian times, households throughout Britain "boasted a cabinet of shells, butterflies, or fossils, together with a series of George Routledge's shilling volumes on natural history, or a book of newspaper cuttings from the weekly 'nature' column." By the late 19th century, the fields and woods were crowded with collectors, so many that the numbers of butterfly species like the Large Blue, Black-veined White, and Large Tortoiseshell were considerably thinned. (They and many other species are now extinct or nearly so, Salmon writes, though not through the fault of collectors.) Some collectors were indeed mere hobbyists, but field notes and reports by amateurs formed an essential record for more formal scientific descriptions of range, behavior, and other aspects of lepidopteran natural history.

In a series of essays, Salmon offers a history of butterfly collecting in Britain, describes some 35 species of particular historical or biological interest (including the wayward North American monarch and the remarkable Camberwell Beauty, "the Holy Grail of British butterfly collectors"), and profiles more than a hundred prominent "Aurelians," or butterfly collectors, from 1550 to the present. His handsomely illustrated book, brimming with lore and trivia on such matters as the first recorded use of the butterfly net and the origin of butterfly names in English, makes lively reading--and an ideal gift--for Aurelians today. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The development and evolution of butterfly wing patters: rev
The title of this volume is an understatement: this book has necesary information for anyone who would understand the basis of butterfly classification, identification, and speciation. Check the table of contents. The contributions are of the highest level. See especially the annex. ... Read more

Book Description

Previously published in hardback and now made available in paperback, this ground-breaking book is a must for all interested in butterflies, whether as conservation biologist, amateur or professional entomologist or as a student studying the phenomenon of butterfly populations as part of a number of biology, ecology or conservation courses.Recently, many British butterflies have suffered severe declines whole others have flourished and expanded in range. This is the first book to describe the results from a British scheme to monitor butterflies during this period of change. The Monitoring Scheme, initiated in 1976 by the senior author is based on frequent counts at some 90 sites throughout Britain. The combined efforts of both amateurs and professionals have thus produced a dataset with no equivalent elsewhere in the world. The book therefore provides a unique perspective on trends in numbers, extinction and foundation of populations; flight periods, local distributions, migration and other aspects of population ecology. Practical problems encountered during the conservation of butterflies of individual sites are outlined. The relevance of this monitoring for an understanding of the effects of the weather -- climatic warming -- is described. ... Read more

Book Description

Lavishly illustrated and user-friendly, this watcher's guide--written by the president of the North American Butterfly Association--will help you distinguish easily identifiable groups of butterflies; shop for and use the new breed of close-range binoculars; create a butterfly-friendly garden; identify different forms of butterfly behavior; and protect their environments. It contains more than 160 species of North American butterflies in 6 families, with large-size photographs of these lovely creatures in the wild. "Glassberg [has an] infectious love of his subject."--Bird Watcher's Digest.
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Reviews (1)

A book for all naturalists
The most perfect book about butterflies in a specific region ever made! It contains the latest information about all butterflies in Canada and it is well illustrated with 32 great colour plates covering all species (I think). This is the only book you need about butterflies in Canada. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Will not be missed
Lots of pretty photographs, but that's about it. Practically useless as a field guide.

The species are grouped by zoogeographic regions, meaning all of the moths and butterflies of North America are lumped together in the Nearctic region. Within each reagion, species are arranged -- get this -- alphabetically! The result is that the first species listed is Actias luna, the luna moth; the second species is Aglais milberti, Milbert's tortoise-shell butterfly; the third is Alypia octomaculata, the eight-spotted forester; and so on. In other words, no attempt is made to group families or even orders together. Moths, butterflies, skippers are all mixed together indiscriminately. The young naturalist is thus deprived of the joy of natural classification that makes the study of these insects so fascinating.

Furthermore, many common names are inexplicably missing. The above-mentioned Milbert's tortoise-shell, for example, is identified only by its scientific name. Danaus plexippus is identified as the Monarch, but the Monarch's famous mimic, the Viceroy, is identified only as Basilarchia archippus. Habitats, date ranges and larval food plants are not reliably given. Over-all, a very poor performance.

Mercifully, this book is out of print now. I'm entering this review on the chance that someone might pick up a copy somewhere and get discouraged. Don't get discouraged. Throw this book into the rubbish and go buy a nice Peterson field guide. ... Read more

Book Description

This book reviews many of the latest advances in the ecology and conservation of butterflies. It brings together under one cover details of progress in the field of monitoring distribution and abundance, effects of land use, and the management of endangered species. Each chapter is written by recognized experts in their field.The book is unique in containing reviews of conservation efforts from different regions of Europe and other continents. This provides an up-to-date record and comparison of the challenges and progress made in different countries. ... Read more