Product Description
Caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly—follow the metamorphosis of this familiar backyard creature as it evolves into a delicate flying insect. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

One of our favorites of the Backyard books
We have ordered the majority of the Backyard books for our daughter who loves science.Good explanation, fair illustrations.Has been great for preschooler, early elementary age child regarding understanding material and encouraging interest in science.Our favorites are "Are you a Ladybug" and "Are you a Butterfly" but all books have been informative and fun to read!We have even learned quite a bit as parents and one of us actually has a science background.

Not the Best Butterfly Book for Young Children
I purchased four books on butterflies for the first grade class that I adopted and unfortunately this was the WORST book by far!It had about 20 written pages, but the information just wasn't that great.

What bothered me the most was that the book ended so abruptly.It just said not to touch a butterfly's wings. If they cannot fly, they will die.What kind of ending is that for a children's book??!

Believe it or not, one of the absolute BEST books on butterflies is from the Cat in the Hat series, "My, Oh My - a Butterfly!"It had the very best information, as well as a great rhyming pattern!

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book" was very cute too.

I'm sorry, but save your money with this book. I just can't recommend it at all!

Butterfly
I loved this series. They are written in a creative and interesting manner that will draw a young reader in. They tell the information by asking questions. At the end it of the book it brings the child to understand their attributes as well. I bought quite a number of books from this series.

Are you a Butterfly?
This is a book i would recommend to all of the preschool teachers. Great illustrations and lots of new vocabulary.

Great for the budding naturalist
Another winner from Kingfisher Publications!I just bought this book for my 2 year old daughter and we love it! the pictures are beautiful. The text is well thought out- it is engaging and informative but still will not overwhelm a toddler. I am going to get the rest of the books in this series in hopes that they are all as good. ... Read more

Product Description
This popular guide to attracting, identifying, and enjoying all the common North American species of butterflies includes 149 full-color photos, 65 range maps, and two sample garden plans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Lovely Book
I am now a fan of the Stokes series of books.I have several on birds and they are wonderful.This butterfly book is no exception.I did not want anything technical.I wanted easy to read, easy to find the butterfly I was looking for (to identify) and lots of beautiful pictures.And this is what this book is all about!Enjoyable!

Flutterbies Galore
This is a very handy and useful guide for general identification of common butterflies.It's a useful learning tool, and easy to read.The only criticism that I have, is that this guide rarely provides top AND bottom views of the butterflies that it contains.Overall, I'm very happy with this book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a handy butterfly field guide.

The very first butterfly book you should buy.
Buy this book if you are interested in attracting butterflies or creating a butterfly garden. Lots of interesting information about habitat and behavior. Identification Guide could be more complete. Not enough photos, especially comparison shots of open vs. closed wings. Overall an excellent butterfly book.

very pleased customer
I received my product in excellent condition and in a very timely manner.I am more than pleased with the service.
Thank You.

butterfly gardens
While visiting the Butterfly Garden exhibit in Boston's Science Museum, we asked a person in charge which book he recommended for growing one's own butterfly garden (my son lives in Framingham, MA). The answer was Stokes, and he wrote it down for us. The museum does not sell it.
The number of butterflies identified is smaller than some guides, but the details about their preferred plants are very good. Since I bought the book for my son (I live in California), I cannot provide more details except that he and his wife are very happy with it. ... Read more

Product Description
In a field of lacy leaves, a small caterpillar hatches, grows, and sheds its skin, becoming a smooth, green creeper. It eats and changes some more, then in a sequence of remarkable close-ups, spins a sliken sling in which to pupate--until it finally bursts forth as a brilliant black swallowtail butterfly. Includes suggestions on how children can grow butterfiles in their own gardens. Color throughout. *************Full color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Too graphic for my 4 year old granddaughter
I bought this book to alleviate my granddaughter's fear of butterflies. The author, although informative, went into painstaking horrific detail about the changing of caterpillar to butterfly. I love the illustrations (except for the scary caterpillar face). If I choose to keep this book I will black out all of the author's words with a black sharpie pen. I was very disenchanted. In the future it might be helpful to suggest an age range of children who might enjoy this book. I was not able to preview it or I would not have purchased it. Thumbs down.

Good Book
I bought these to hand out as birthday party favors for the kids to take home with them, everyone loved them.

Where Butterflies Grow
This is an excellent book to read with children prior to activating the Live Butterfly Garden Kit!My 3 year old nephew was thrilled as he went through the book to show me the different stages of the butterfly.The pictures are exceptionally beautiful.Live Butterfly Garden

Where Butterflies Grow
I purchased this book so I can show my grandchildren what will happen as our caterpillars grow and turn into butterflies.It is well written and beautifully illustrated. I highly recommend it.

Good for both young and older children
Both my toddler and grade-school age son enjoy this book - on different levels of course.The pictures are simply beautiful and my toddler just enjoys paging through looking at them - getting the basic idea that a caterpillar becomes a butterfly (maybe).My older son obviously understands more but also enjoys the pictures.You'll get a lot of use out of this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Peterson First Guides are the first books the beginning naturalist needs.Condensed versions of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the First Guides focus on the animals, plants, and other natural things you are most likely to see.They make it fun to get into the field and easy to progress to the full-fledged Peterson Guides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Peterson guide
A good first guide, but not comprehensive of all creatures to bre found in US.

For a Total Newbie
I was a little dissappointed in this guide.I thought it would offer better descriptions and more species. The very first moth I went to look up wasn't even in there (the satin moth).I realize this is more for a beginner or a child, but I thought this was even more basic than that.

very pleased customer
I was very pleased with this purchase.I was a little apprehensive about purchasing a used book but it was in excellent condition and was very pleased how fast I received it.Good Job.
Thank You.

Worthless
The problem with buying online is that you can't see the item before you buy it.You can only go by the very little bit amazon allows you to view.In the case of this pamphlet, there isn't much to see at all.Poor, childishly sketched pictures, very few butterflies or moths included.I regret purchasing it.

Best for casual naturalists
This is a useful guide for the naturalist with a mild interest in butterflies and moths, and it's very readable for adults and kids alike. Like other Peterson First Guides, it's compact and fits nicely into a pants pocket or the side slot of a backpack. The illustrations are sometimes more "painterly" than I would like for identification of similar or difficult species. I give it one demerit for that, and another for inexplicable lack of a scientific name of each listed butterfly (the scientific names are buried in the index alongside common names).

Butterfly and moth enthusiasts -- adults and young people alike -- would do better by sticking with the full guides. ... Read more

Product Description
This magnificent field guide is the latest addition to the exciting series that is revolutionizing the way we look at butterflies. Greatly expanding on Butterflies Through Binoculars: The Boston-New York-Washington Region--identified by Defenders of Wildlife Magazine as "the first to focus on netless butterflying" and called " a clear winner" by the Audubon Naturalist--Glassberg here shows us how to find, identify, and enjoy all of the butterflies native to the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. This guide:

*Combines the immediacy and vividness of actual photographs of living butterflies with the traditional field guide format

*Emphasizes conservation over collection

*Includes 630 color photographs, arranged on 72 color plates, of butterflies in the wild

*Provides adjacent color maps that show where each species occurs in a given locality and for how much of the year

*Supplies entirely new field marks for butterfly identification

*Demonstrates how to identify subjects by way of the key characteristics butterflies are likely to display in their natural settings

*Shows how species can be recognized both from above and below

*Explains how to differentiate between males and females.

For butterfly enthusiasts, for bird watchers who want to add a new dimension to their hobby, for anyone who is simply interested in exploring the wilds of their own back yard, this new field guide offers hours of delightful help and instruction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Handy and Usable Book
I've been using this book for years to identify butterflies.It is organized by color which speeds the identification process, especially after only getting a quick look.There are also range maps and information on the times of year the butterfly should be seen.It is an excellent beginning field guide and works well, even if you're not a novice to butterfly ID.

Use it at the Fen
I use this book for identifying butterflies at Ives Road Fen Preserve in Southeast Michigan.It gives key features of male and female, top and bottom wing surface, with photos of the butterflies in the wild.It shows the ranges and tells the caterpillar food plants.It is not just for children or beginners, as one reviewer said.

The best butterfly guide I've seen
Obviously the result of exhaustive field research, this book is fantastic. The photos are great and make it easy to identify individual species. I appreciate the fact that living butterflies in their natural habitat were the "models" in most of the ID photos. Buyers should be aware that though this book is quite thick, the section containing color photos comprises only about 1/4 of its total pages.

Perfect for kids
If you have no background in biology or you are a young child, then this is the perfect guide for you.If, however, you are an informed enthusiast or competent scientist, then you should buy the peterson guide or the kaufman guide, or both.

Butterfly Photography
A must book for butterfly enthusiasts.Arrived on time, and in great shape.Thanks! ... Read more

Product Description
Roll out the welcome mat for butterfles and hummingbirds. Attracting Butterfles and Hummingbirds to Your Backyard reveals the secrets for creating irresistible gardens and a welcoming landscape, which will lure these amazing creatures up close and personal for your enjoyment and wonder. Author Sally Roth knows the best plants, feeders, and water features that appeal to butterflies and hummingbirds, plus she offers an entertaining and insightful guide to butterfly and hummingbird behavior.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

AWESOME
This book is AWESOME!!! Very informative and easy reading for a novice like me. I totally impressed myself when I identified a butterfly last night from what I learned in this book. I have planted many of the flowers suggested and BELIEVE me IT WORKS!!! Butterflies are coming! So much fun to see and watch.

butterflies and humming birds
what to plant to attract these pretty creatures to your garden. 2 years ago had 6 butterflies and 0 humming birds. planted some of the plants and flowers. to many butterflies to count and really colorful ones and now have a family of humming birds year around

great
great book, beautiful pictures and discriptions and lots of great information in an easy to read format

great book
Great book for those interested in starting a butterfly/hummingbird gardens.Some of the written text is a little difficult to read.Recommended for the beginner!!

Butterfliesand Hummingbirds
Thisbookisabeauitful learning tool and is sowelldone with illustrations. Adefinite buy. ... Read more

Product Description
"Fiona Mountain is a major new talent in the field of historical fiction."
-Alison Weir, author of The Lady Elizabeth

They say I'm mad and perhaps it's true.
It is well known that lust brings madness and desperation and ruin. But upon my oath, I never meant any harm. All I wanted was to be happy, to love and to be loved in return, and for my life to count for something.
That is not madness, is it?

So begins the story of Eleanor Glanville, the beautiful daughter of a seventeenth-century Puritan nobleman whose unconventional passions scandalized society. When butterflies were believed to be the souls of the dead, Eleanor's scientific study of them made her little better than a witch. But her life-set against a backdrop of war, betrayal, and sexual obsession-was that of a woman far ahead of her time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Ending doesn't disappoint
I started this book not realizing it was based on a real person. Part-way through I was convinced that I would hate the ending because I liked Eleanor so much, but it seemed however the book ended it would be too trite, fantastic, or depressing.I almost didn't finish reading it, but it ended up being wrapped up in a very believable way.It's kind of like Memoirs of a Geisha meets the Witch of Blackbird Pond, but I mean that in the nicest way.

Well written historical fiction about a forgotten seventeenth-century female scientist
First Line: They say I am mad and perhaps it's true.


Eleanor Glanville's father fought with Cromwell in the English Civil War. Although she had a stern Puritan upbringing, her father also educated her in the sciences-- a very rare occurrence in the seventeenth century. The estate upon which she grew up was mostly marshland in Somerset, and Eleanor always craved to be outdoors. This craving ultimately led to her love of and obsession with butterflies.

Through two marriages and four children, she became one of the world's foremost lepidopterists (authorities on butterflies). Do we know her name? No. Do we know that she's responsible for naming several species of butterflies? No. Why? Because her second husband and her children were people of their time who said she was mad and called her a witch. Mad people are not remembered. Witches are forgotten.

That is, until Fiona Mountain spent three years researching Eleanor Glanville in order to tell her remarkable story. No known portrait of Eleanor exists, but I feel as if I know her after listening to her telling me her story.

At 516 pages, I feel that the story could have been told in many less. For me, the weakest part of the story was Eleanor's childbearing years where she spent almost every waking minute trying to please husband and children or, when a widow, trying not to lust after the man she really loved.

The book did come to life when Eleanor was a child discovering the wildlife in the marshes and learning how important it was to protect the land as it was for the butterflies she loved. I also loved the sections when she met and corresponded with James Petiver, a fellow lepidopterist. Their passion for butterflies fueled their thirst for knowledge and discovery. One scene in particular will stay with me for a long time: a maid walking into a room to discover Eleanor and one of her children with dozens of butterflies floating in the sun-filled space.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a scientific angle about an amazing woman whose life's story was almost lost should enjoy Lady of the Butterflies.

The ending made it better.
"Lady of the Butterflies" is the story of a woman, Eleanor Glanville, whose love for butterflies an all things beautiful ultimately causes trouble for her.

It's amazing how many topics this book touched on. I enjoyed the description of the development of science (insects), the belief of spontaneous generation, the brief history of being a physician versus an apothecary, the treatment of malaria, marsh drainage, the process of declaring someone insane, religions of the time, etc.

I found the book very enjoyable except for the main character, Eleanor Glanville. The author describes her as a highly intelligent and inquisitive woman who cares for her land the people. In reality, I find that though Eleanor doesn't seem to care as deeply as she thinks she does. Eleanor claims to have so much love for her children, her men, and her land. In [b:] reality, she is always chasing after whatever/whoever she wants and it is so easy for her to discard her responsibilities and her past. Even her pursuit of butterflies took a back seat while she was more or less content with her married life. Not to mention that she didn't seem alarmed at all about the disappearance of her beloved butterflies with the draining of the Fens and considered draining her own land for profit.

I don't really care for the metaphor of worms/butterflies/Eleanor making their/her own coffin and then being reborn. I think it might be more fitting to say that Eleanor flits from one pretty flower to another, and another like a butterfly. Or perhaps that Eleanor pinches and kills every butterfly she catches, and she will never catch enough butterflies.

The ending of the book was completely unexpected and I liked how it changed the entire book. =)

I loved how many different historical topics the author touched on in this book. It is not just another book about battles and property ownership. As a gardener who has a problem with caterpillars destroying my plants, I have to admit that the author made caterpillars and butterflies beautiful (or as beautiful as they could be in my eyes).

"Reserve judgment until the truth is compelling."
As the story begins, Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians are out and Charles Stuart is in. Eleanor is the daughter of Major William Goodricke, a strict Puritan and former soldier in Cromwell's army.Her father dies, leaving the family's estate in Somerset, Tickenham Court, to a very young Eleanor. Her ward-ship is given to a like-minded associate of her father's and he eventually marries her off to Edmund Ashfield. Eleanor loves her husband (so she thinks) but what about Edmund's great friend, the dashing and ever so charming cavalier Richard Glanville who sets her heart a-flutter?

Eleanor settles into married life and motherhood, but the lure of the butterflies sends her flitting about the countryside in chase of them. Tragedy strikes, leaving Eleanor widowed - can she resist the charms of the oh-so-hunky Richard Glanville or will she keep her independence and control of her property? Well you know I'm not going to tell you but let's just say that events start taking a dark turn and her fascination with the butterflies has spooked the superstitious country folk and leaving her vulnerable to accusations of madness and witchcraft. Can she hold onto her property and her freedom? Or will she lose it all?

"no one who was not deprived of their senses would go in pursuit of butterflies"

This was a beautifully written novel, and one I had a hard time putting down. A lot of time is spent on Eleanor and her beloved butterflies, as well as the debates over whether or not to drain the fens (a very hot issue among the commonors) and may not suit readers liking their books action packed with heroines leaping tall buildings in a single bound, but for those who want to sit back and savor some lovely prose with a glass of red wine or a box of chocolates (or both!) this should do quite nicely. As very little of Eleanor's life is known outside of birth, death and whom she married, the author has plenty of*wiggle room* to weave her story as she sees it. Things did get just a wee bit melodramatic (the big search is all I'll say), but a surprising ending and not one I saw coming at all. Eleanor is a passionate woman in this book, and you will find some sex in this book, but I didn't find it gratuitous.

An enchanting seventeenth-century tale
The Lady of the Butterflies is 17th century English heiress and entomologist, Eleanor Glanville. Intense and headstrong, she is raised by a stern Puritan father who encourages her boundless curiosity and delights in her keen intellect, but denies her the unconditional love and joyful experiences she craves. The secret of metamorphosis that she seeks in the butterflies she loves is one she also seeks for herself: "Music and dancing. Singing and pretty clothes. Beauty and colour. Christmas and feasting. Love.--- I knew that all that separated me from light and from life was the thinnest shell. If I could only shore up enough strength to break through and find my way out--"

A lonely child, Eleanor Goodricke grows up roaming the wide Somerset moors and water meadows of her ancestral home, Tickenham Court, and studying their prolific and varied wildlife. From an early age she feels a mystical connection with the land and a sense of responsibility for the people of the estate she will inherit. But Eleanor is different, and it is dangerous for a woman to be different. At a time when learned men in London are enthusiastically exploring the sciences of the natural world, rural people cling stubbornly to their old ways and prejudices. Women are still taken up as witches. A beautiful but tiny golden-haired sprite, Eleanor seems like one of the fairy-folk regarded with superstitious dread by her tenants, and her scientific experiments arouse their fear of sorcery.

In her desire to find love, Eleanor throws herself headlong into marriage, but struggles to reconcile her Puritan upbringing with her passionate nature. She marries twice, but the one man who truly understands her is kindred-spirit and fellow entomologist, James Petiver. As they watch the miracle of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis he tells her, "You are a glorious, lawless little creature, Eleanor Glanville. You should belong to no one. You were born to be as free as the Red Admirals".

"Lady of the Butterflies" is the story of a turbulent life set in the turbulent, perilous Restoration period. Scars from the Civil War are still raw when conflict spreads to Somerset with Monmouth's Rebellion and its bloody aftermath, followed by the overthrow of Stuart king James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Proposals by wealthy gentlemen investors to drain the Somerset Levels are met with bitter and violent opposition from those who make their living from the wetlands, following a centuries-old way of life. A woman born ahead of her time, Eleanor is fearless in her search for knowledge, love, happiness and fulfillment. Her vivid, restless spirit shines through this captivating novel like one of the glowing golden butterflies for which she is named.

The author provides both a Historical Note, and an Acknowledgements section with an extensive bibliography. Further background information can be found at her website

"Lady of the Butterflies" is scheduled for reissue in September 2010 under the title "Rebel Heiress" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Collect them all!
Scholarly content from the Smithsonian packaged in a well-made full color book from DK. I have a whole shelf of these guides...just can't resist them. Check out travel guides published by DK too. Or just about anything else they publish.

[...]

In response to the one star review:

I was right there with you until you misspelled "butterflies." Actually you lost me with your complaint that the butterflies aren't grouped by color, but thanks for cracking me up.

You summed it up. You want a different book. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this one.

Try this:

Caterpillars in the Field and Garden: A Field Guide to the Butterfly Caterpillars of North America

http://www.amazon.com/Caterpillars-Field-Garden-Butterfly-America/dp/0195149874/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1270565504&sr=8-1-fkmr0


Or maybe this is more along the lines of what you have in mind:

My, Oh My--A Butterfly!: All About Butterflies (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=My%2C+Oh+My--A+Butterfly!%3A+All+About+Butterflies+(Cat+in+the+Hat%27s+Learning+Library)&x=0&y=0

Exactly what I wanted
I wanted a book that had butterflies and moths from around the world so I could get some paint schemes, and this one is what I was hoping for! I don't know that it would be very useful for identifying either (maybe if it had appendices for color or something for referencing), but it's great for my purposes. It includes basic butterfly/moth info, habitats, haunts, and what I was really looking for: Pictures. If there would be one thing that I would have liked even more, it would be even bigger pictures, but I'm being picky. I don't need to buy another book.

Butterflies and Moths at the First Edition Bookstore
At this small used and new bookshop tucked away in the North Woods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, there is great opportunity to observe many different butterflies and moths. Customers sit in my gardens with their copies of this Smithsonian handbook and identify the various species they see on the host plants in the butterfly garden.A very comprehensive field guide for the novice as well as for the experienced naturalist .

Accessible?
The jacket blurb says this series comprises the most "accessible recognition guides."I'm not sure what that means, nor am I sure who this book is intended for but it wasn't me, nor, I suspect, any average backyard nature observer.

The illustrations are beautiful but as an identification guide it is totally useless.First, it is too inclusive.Butterflies and moths from the entire world are included, making its applicability limited.Worse, the insects are arranged not by color, size, habitat, or similar factor, but by their zoological family!If I were knowledgeable enough to have this information at my disposal, I probably wouldn't need a guide book.Finally, very few of the insects have an illustration of the caterpillar stage included.

My recommendation: if you want to identify moths or buttereflies, look for another guide. ... Read more

Product Description
For every person who has ever watched and marveled at the magic as a butterfly emerges from a chrysalis, this book is a treasure chest of amazing butterfly transformations. Readers are invited to explore and experience the life cycles of 22 common backyard butterflies, in this unique collection of stunning fullcolor, up-close photography, all taken in a live garden setting.

From the Black Swallowtail to the Monarch, the Question Mark to the Painted Lady, each butterfly is shown from start to maturity, with sequential photographs of the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and emerging butterfly. Additional detail shots highlight caterpillar behavior, changes in the chrysalis as the wing pattern emerges, open- and closed-wing shots, and the color variations between the male and female butterflies.

Authors Judy Burris and Wayne Richards, a brother-and-sister team, tell how they created the ultimate butterfly havens in their own backyards, planting every kind of caterpillar host plant and nectar-producing flower imaginable. With cameras in hand, they set out on a mission to record the lives of all the butterflies that flocked to their gardens. Readers learn how they can create their own butterfly gardens, with specific host plants suggested for each species, most of which are found across North America.

This richly visual and highly browsable guide to the life cycles of butterflies will appeal to wildlife enthusiasts, gardeners, school teachers, and families alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Brilliant book!
The wonderful book is well-organized, with lots of great informationfor the casual and serious observer of nature.Great series of photos 23 butterflies' life-cycles. There are maps of the breeding-range, graphs of the life-cycle season, and a size of wingspan drawing, which are all very helpful.Best of all, for those wanting to attract specific butterflies, there are lists, photos and detailed information about the plants that "host" the caterpillars, and then the plants that are the preferred nectar sources for the adult.The list and detailed descriptions of top nectar flowers is too wonderful:Verbena bonariensis, Coneflowers, Lantana, Butterfly bush, Milkweeds, Mexican sunflower, Tall garden phlox, sunflowers, Zinnia, Cosmos, Sweet William, Pentas lanceolata, and Petunia.There are many photos of butterflies other than the 23 covered in detail, a great glossary,24 side-by-side photos to compare butterfly eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalises!All in all, this is a book anyone interested in knowing more about butterflies will cherish, and pull out to show children.A fabulous gift for a serious gardener, or a curious child, aged 5 to 12 especially!

Better than the pocket size Audubon
I bought this book at the same time that I bought the Audubon book on butterflies. This one is so much better because it gives useful details and pictures about the entire life cycle, which part of the US it's found in, host plants,etc. The Audubon book has just one picture of each butterfly whereas this book has dozens of pictures from egg to caterpillar to emerging butterfly not to mention host plants and where to plant them.

Learn about each stage of the most common butterflies
Beautiful color photographs of each stage in the life of 23 butterflies:egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult butterfly.The host plants and favorite nectaring ones are identified.Anyone who wants to attract butterflies to their garden and identify them will love this book.

Well-written book!
I bought this for my five-year-old for her birthday to accompany the butterfly kit.Some info is a little advanced, but most of it, she understands and is fascinated by it.The photographs are great, and the layout is spot on.

LIfe Cycles of Butterflies
We gave a copy of this book to our neighbor and immediately ordered this copy since it is a wonderful book for people who love butterflies..or anybody else who might want information on butterflies. ... Read more

Product Description
Filled with succinct descriptions and dazzling photographs, the National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Butterflies in North America is designed to be compact enough for nature-lovers to easily bring along when observing butterflies. This streamlined volume contains: a simple field guide identifying 80 of the most widespread butterflies in North America and a complete overview of observing butterflies, covering basic identifying field marks and practical tips for observing and distinguishing different butterflies.

This pocket guide is packed with information; bright photographs capturing the butterflies perched with their wings spread and closed; specific descriptions of each species' important identifying characteristics, life cycle, habitat and range, line drawings depicting the basic butterfly anatomy, a description of major butterfly groups and a glossary of technical terms.

When observing these beautifully fragile creatures, the National Audubon Society Guide to Familiar Butterflies of North America is an excellent and handy reference guide to take along during any nature walk.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great pictures but...
The pictures are really beautiful and the size is convenient but there are quite a few better books out there if you want information about the life cycle, host plants, and a more detailed description of each butterfly.

Butterfly book rating
This book was a gift for my 7 yr old granddaugter.We have lots of butterflies and she loves to try to identify them.The book has awesome color photos.The small pocket size makes it convenient to carry around with you. I have found all of the Audubon books to be very very good investments. Thanks

Audubon Butterflies of N. America Handbook
Very nice little handbook, easy to take with when camping or traveling, even to use in the backyard when you spot a different butterfly.Great colors and descriptions!

Great considering its size
For a book with the "footprint" of a postcard, this guide has a boatload of useful information and truly superb photos.The descriptions are brief but highlight a few interesting facts about each species; all contain basic entries about identification, habitat, range, and life cycles.Each entry is accompanied by a gorgeous full color photo of the butterfly viewed from above and a smaller side view (the latter are so small that their usefulness is somewhat compromised, but they're better than nothing).No photos of the caterpillars.

Familiar Butterflies of North America
The size makes it very convenient for use while observing. Species pictures on the left hand pages in the upper left corner are most useful when the pages are fanned for quick identification. Information on thatparticular member of the species is excellent. ... Read more

Product Description

One of America's Most Fascinating True Crime Cases

Fear rocked Chip St. Clair's world. As a boy, he never knew what would set his father off--maybe the ice cubes had melted in his glass of Tab, maybe dinner was overcooked or undercooked or the gravy was too runny. Regardless, the beatings always came. As did the twisted games of cat and mouse--being thrown from a rowboat into frigid Lake Michigan, the middle-of-the-night moves to different states, or being left to dangle over a ten-story balcony while his father watched from inside. But one fateful night when the police answered the call, the truth came to light from the shadows, sparking national headlines: Chip St. Clair's entire life--his name, even his date of birth--had been a lie, and the man he called 'Dad' was an impostor, an escaped child killer who had been on the run for over two decades. The stunning revelation would send one of America's Most Wanted to justice and another on a quest for his true identity.

With chilling detail and a riveting, lyrical narrative, The Butterfly Garden reveals St. Clair's struggle to piece together his haunted past before it consumes him and shares his inspiring metamorphosis from victim to victim's advocate. The Butterfly Garden is a timeless triumph, a reminder that hope can be the most powerful of all emotions, freeing us to soar despite the past and the odds against us.

Customer Reviews (17)

Very good, but still confused.
I took this from someone else cause I felt the same way, "It was an interesting story but the end left me with many unanswered questions." Also, what the hell is up with the family. Not so much the mom and dad (cause they are crazy in their own right), but to the Aunt (dad's sister). Who would cover this up? If someone in my family was on the run and I knew where they were at, I would totally turn them in.

Brilliantly Written!!
This book is brilliantly written!!Initially after reading I felt frustrated because there were still many unanswered questions.But then I realized the VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE that actually all of us need to understand is that we MUST be able to come to peace with what we do not know, and not allow it to consume and hinder us from living the life of peace and happiness we deserve.Many times it is faith we need to have and the courage to look within, change ourselves for the better, and focus on the new memories we can create.As a survivor of childhood abuse, I realize I may never have all the answers I too am seeking, but what I NOW know is that from this moment on I will look into the mirror and be proud of who I see and focus on what I CAN do to make a change in this world!

Good book club book.
It was an interesting story but the end left me with many unanswered questions.I managed to find a few answers on the internet.

Hard to Imagine
Unbelievable what one human being can inflict on another life that is so innocent.Makes you appreciate your own life for not having had to experience what this person went through.Unimaginable!

PURE INSPIRATION!
This book is one you will never forget.It is raw and will make you experience every emotion possible, leaving you with a feeling of ultimate power over your own destiny!!BY FAR, one of the BEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN!!! ... Read more

Product Description
IT'S HARD TO BE VELMA entering first grade. That's because everyone has marvelous memories of her two older sisters, who were practically perfect first graders, and no one even notices Velma. But all that changes on a class trip to the butterfly conservatory, a place neither of her sisters has been. When a monarch roosts on Velma's finger and won't budge for days - no one will ever forget it . . . or her!Kids will enjoy reading about everything butterflies, from migration to metamorphosis, as they follow Velma's own transformation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Cute book
This is such a cute book! I read it to my students each year when we watch our monarch butterflies.

Fluttering into Finding the Spotlight
Velma Gratch and the way cool butterfly is about a little girl trying to step out of the shadow of her two older sisters, whom every one of the school staff remembers for their special talents.Velma is not particularly good at math, spelling, singing, or sports.So, she decides to stand out by being really bad at each of those subjects in which her sisters so excelled.This does make Velma stand out, but not in a way that makes Velma happy.It's then that Velma discovers science.Velma's metamorphasis becomes complete and she finds something that will flutter her right out her older sisters' shadows for good.This story lends itself very well for elementary teachers who would like to kick-off a unit on butterflies or anyone looking for a funny story about finding your place in life from a child's point of view.The Adventures of Roxy and Mozart

Wonderful Book especially for kids who love butterflies!
My 6 year old loves this book. She could have it read to her over and over. The illustrations are colorful and fun. The Book also touches on siblings finding their own way and interests. Worth a purchase. It is a keeper for your collection.

Excellent book
I saw this online and ordered a copy for my granddaughter. When it came I was so enchanted that I bought another copy for a different grandchild. The story is engaging and the illustrations suit the narrative. All the tension in the plot comes from within Velma herself, who is concerned about entering first grade; everyone around her is supportive. It was pleasant to find a book without bratty kids. The reading level and the sophistication level are just right for a first-grader. I highly recommend this book.

Velma Gratch and the way cool butterfly
A delightful story of a little red-haired girl trying to find her place in the world.Velma Gratch has lived in the shadow of her older sisters, and desperately wishes to be known for something that she alone has accomplished. The frustrated first grader learns that she will take a field trip to the Butterfly Conservatory.Her sisters have never been there.She becomes excited and learns as much as she can on the subject of butterflies.While at the conservatory, a beautiful little Monarch Butterfly takes a liking to Velma, and decides to perch itself on her finger for quite a few hilarious days.Velma will now be remembered as the Gratch sister with the way cool butterfly.
Alan Madison weaves a magical story which keeps readers guessing what will happen next.The reader will not just be entertained.They may accidently learn some really cool facts about butterflies.
The illustrations of Kevin Hawkes are comical as well as scientifically accurate.
My classroom full of 5 year olds loved this story.It was a wonderful addition to our study of Butterflies. ... Read more

Product Description

The Book “In the Time of the Butterflies” was published in 1994. It was selected as a Notable Book for 1994 by the American Library Association, and it was also a 1994 Book of the Month Club choice. In 1995, it was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in fiction, and it was chosen as one of the Best Books for Young Adults by the Young Adult Library Services Association and the American Library Association. The book was made into a film in 2001, directed by Mariano Barroso and starring Salma Hayek as Minerva. Mark Anthony played the role of Lío.

Product Description

The police don't show up on Easy Rawlins's doorstep until the third girl dies. It's Los Angeles, 1956, and it takes more than one murdered black girl before the cops get interested. Now they need Easy. As he says: "I was worth a precinct full of detectives when the cops needed the word in the ghetto." But Easy turns them down. He's married now, a father -- and his detective days are over. Then a white college coed dies the same brutal death, and the cops put the heat on Easy: If he doesn't help, his best friend is headed for jail. So Easy's back, walking the midnight streets of Watts and the darker, twisted avenues of a cunning killer's mind.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

More a literary work than a mystery
Mosley's third Easy Rawlins mystery - continuing the careful character development of the first two mysteries. Mosley is a master of characterization and in my view, simply uses the detective story to carry out his craft. The novel is set in 1956 Watts and portrays Rawlin's struggle with racist police, class issues in his own community (where he comes into a little property and has to conceal it), and marital difficulties in a very conservative, pre-civil rights era.

Once again the Los Angeles police blackmail Rawlins (by threatening to arrest one of his friends) into investigating a murder - this time when an apparent serial killer switches from black girls to a white coed. The investigation takes him into the dark world of prostitution and organized crime - leading to situations that threaten his marriage and put his own life in danger.

Rawlins is very different from most so-called "hard boiled" detectives - strong and intelligent, without being macho. And full of foibles and compassion, consistent with the sensitivity of an intelligent black male who has been kicked around by a profoundly racist society - yet hasn't become bitter and angry.

Mouse, Rawlin's sidekick, is back - a man who is like a child emotionally - but who, unlike Rawlin's lets his anger get on top of him. And who is so large and powerful this can get deadly.

Dr Stuart Jeanne Bramhall, author of THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY ACT: MEMOIR OF AN AMERICAN REFUGEE

Great read
My favorite author came through with another great read.I've found each of Mosley's new lead characters to be fascinating.Can't wait to see who's next.

Terrific Purchase
This was a great value for the money. A must for a 'Walter Mosley' fan.

Another good Easy Rawlins Book
This is another in the series of "Easy Rawlins" books. Each one is different, but so far good.

He keeps going... and going... and going....
Earlier this year I mentioned that this year will be my "year of Michael Crichton"... now I might change that to my "year of Walter Mosley".Damn this book was good!I'm of those readers who don't have to read a "series" in order to enjoy it.I love reading about one of my favorite literary characters (Easy) and his extremely colorful life.I love reading how diverse circumstances helped formed him into the man he is.I started reading the Easy Rawlins "series" about five years (or so) and I started when his relationship with Bonita has been going on for a while and Jesus wasn't mute.THAT one threw me, but like I said, I didn't read this "series" in order.

White Butterfly is a classic Easy Rawlins novel with that perfect Walter Mosley touch all over the place.To call Easy a ghetto Renaissance man would not be a stretch.He seems to know everyone, everyone seems to know him, knows the right questions to ask, has best friends that would frighten Hitler, and has a soul that is as real as heat on a sidewalk.I think that is why I love reading about Easy so much.His soul.There isn't anything extraordinary about him really until you start to understand him.He's an ordinary man with a... original soul.In another time Easy might have led crowds in Birmingham.In another time Easy might have taught Plato.In another time Easy might have written a play for Shakespeare.In another time Easy might have written a prologue for W.E.B. Dubois.But in this time, in this place, in this book he's just a man.A man trying to find the killer or killers of young women.

Unfortunately, then like today, nobody cares if a Black woman is killed but the moment a white lady meets her maker all hell breaks loose.Easy is pretty much forced to take on this case to find out who is raping, brutalizing, and killing young women around L.A.The corrupt L.A.P.D. blackmails Easy to help them and then "fails" to give him the important information.In classic, unique Easy fashion he finds out what he needs to know and finds out a number of things he DOESN'T want to know.Intertwined within this story is also a story about family, a man's broken heart, a man's black soul, corrupt government looking out for us, how a woman sees her man, how this man's family sees him, and the continual test of a tested friendship.

What's the quote: "the more things change, the more they stay the same".That adage could not be truer within the pages of this novel.You'll shake your head over the dimwits in the L.A.P.D. and the practices they still use to this day even though they don't work.You'll recognize the struggle of a Black man and his family in the streets of L.A., you'll see that the need to survive back then is the same and the WAY you survive is just the same.Walter Mosley is a true living legend and his work is absolutely mesmerizing. ... Read more

Product Description
Lucy searches for a butterfly in her garden. Follow her as she meets a pink earthworm, a brown spider, a red ladybird and more creatures, and get ready for a surprise - a 3-D butterfly! This work is a peep-through-the-holes picture book from an award-winning children's book creator. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wow the colors are beautiful
The Butterfly book is a hit!My granddaughter loves it and it is difficult to keep her from trying to take the pop up out of the book..We are really enjoying reading it and love the design of the pages.

Great picture book
This is a beautiful and vibrant book that needs to be in every preschoolers library.

Must Have for my 19 month old
I saw this in our local bookstore and had to have it.My instincts were right, because my 19 month-old can't get enough of the beautiful illustrations and the story is just simple enough so that my four year-old can read it to her sister before bedtime.The colors used are vibrant and interesting, and the pop-up butterfly at the end is a great surprise for the young ones.Great for pre-schoolers. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderful pictures, informative and easy to understand prose
As soon as I got my copy I sat and read it cover to cover. What amazing photography and lovely prose. It made learning about butterflies and their life cycles interesting and informative. I am reading it again because I enjoyed it so very much.

An exceptional book - not just for Alabama!
The sight of brightly colored butterflies fluttering among the flowers is one of life's genuine delights, but there is so much more to see and understand about these fascinating insects if you know where, when and how to look and that is the value of this book.

More than three decades ago Rachel Carson wrote a small gem of a book, The Sense of Wonder, calling for us to nurture our childhood sense of wonder of the natural world and to introduce children to it, teaching them how to see it.However, we all need guides to see beyond the shallow glance and these guides are hard to come by.There are many nature books filled with useful facts, but rare books do exist that seem to say, "Come with me and let me show you marvelous things." This is one of them.

First, browse through the beautifully printed pages and you will see an incredible collection of exquisitely crafted photographs.Sara Bright is a master of the art of capturing these elusive subjects.The quality of light, detail and composition is often breathtaking and always informative.

Then - read Paulette Ogard's captivating prose as she expertly leads you through the chemical and structural strategies of butterfly survival in their different habitats and niches.Immerse yourselfinto the very accessible text and you become aware of a four- stage life cycle composed of particular host plants and ingenious defensive adaptations.Then, look back at the photographs and see what you missed at first glance.Did you notice that frass chain?Fortunately, the photographer is also an expert lepidopterist and captured these details.

I live in Alabama and I look forward to using this exciting resource with my grandchildren to enhance our knowledge and enjoyment of nature's wondrous diversity.But don't pass up this book if you live in other regions.While it can be used for identification purposes in much of the Southeast, with the exception of earth's polar regions, butterflies cover the globe and their stories have similarities.Time invested in this book will sharpen your powers of observation of these "flying flowers" anywhere. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Charming, but a bit long
Reminds me of The King Who Rained by Fred Gwynne from when I was a kid and loved.I love the clear and simple pictures in t"Butterflies".Ialso like that the author has made all the figures of speech tie in to a topic kids can relate to--starting school.But I think many kids haven't heard of many of these expressions, so it's more fun for adults or older kids kids (upper elementary?) to read.Otherwise you first have to explain what being "in a pickle" means before kids would get the joke that the people are inside a pickle in the picture.

Cute book!
This is a very cute short story about a boy's first day at school. The 1-2 lines of text on each page include a commonly used metaphor like "cat got your tongue", "wrong side of the bed" and, of course, "butterflies in your stomach". The pictures, simple line drawings with color photo accents, visually depict the literal meaning of the phrase, like a cat running away with a pink tongue. You get the feeling you're seeing what the boy is imagining.

I would say this book is better for introducing the idea of a figure of speech than curing first-day-of-school worries, although it could be a starting place for that discussion as well. Younger children who are still concrete thinkers may not grasp the humor of the literal vs figurative use of the words. I would say most children would enjoy this from about 1st grade on up; it would be fun for older kids when learning about metaphors in English class. It made me smile:) ... Read more

Product Description
This Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press illustrates in full color 423 of the most common, widespread, important, or unusual North American species of Lepidoptera.Information includes:

How to identify butterflies and moths
How to attract, rear and preserve them for study
How to assist these fascinating insects in their struggle for survival

Plus range maps, a special emphasis on immature forms, and an inde of scientific names.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Good information
As with the other field guides I own, this little book has quite a lot of information about the butterflies that visit your yard and neighborhood.You will find it very useful for all your nature walks!!

A classic, and still the best to start with
I've been using the Golden Guide to Butterflies and Moths since the mid 1960s, and I still recommend it to folks just starting out with butterflies.It's packed with information about each species, and illustrated with beautiful watercolor images that show caterpillars and pupae as well as adult butterflies and moths.Because the species are grouped by taxonomy, readers can begin to learn butterfly classification without being confronted with the imposing scientific names that novices often find daunting.Its slim size makes the book easy to take into the field.

The book is not a complete accounting of all of the North American species.Nearly all of the most commonly encountered butterfly species from the eastern 2/3 of North America are included.More species are omitted from the West.My only complaint is that the color rendering is a bit off for a few species, particularly the hairstreaks. This is not the field guide to use if you are trying to learn to identify skippers, but for a beginner it's without peer.

butterflies & moths - flying beauty
I bought this book as my first book to begin designing my own crocheted butterflies and possibly some moth designs, and I wanted a basic coverage of butterfly and moth shapes without a great deal of scientific and technical detail. This book fills the bill admirably with good pictures of butterflies and moths. According to the forward, they "...included all the more common, widespread, important, or unusual kinds..." of North America.They also have range maps for many of the examples. The illustrations are beautiful--incredibly detailed drawings (paintings?) by Andre Durenceau. I wish I could capture their full beauty in crochet, or even beadwork! Perhaps some day.... Anyway, this book will provide many, many design ideas for me. I believe you could identify most any butterfly or moth pictured in this book because the illustrations are superb. The first half of the book is given to butterflies, the second to moths.

A SUPER bargain for what you get - It's Awesome!
This little book's awesome.It's a great beginner's book, and even if you're not a beginner, chances are you'll find it useful.It's good for an intro to species, and since there are few moth books around, I find the moth section very helpful.For such a small book, obviously you won't have a whole lot of species, but it's got some of the most conspicuous, common, and interesting ones.Also, it's got animals from the major families, so at least if you see an unfamiliar animal, you have an idea of what family it's in and what it's related to.The information on spreading boards alone was worth the purchase, as I'd had no idea how to preserve lepidoptera before this book.And to the reviewer who said this taught you sick murdering techniques, the book recommends you collect sparingly IF you collect at all, and that you not take protected species.I've successfully preserved a butterfly I found dead, and was able to humanely kill and preserve a moth someone had stepped on, because of what I read in this book.So there.

This Book Doesn't Help At All
I live in the country where there are a lot of moths. I thought it would be neat to buy a book so that we could identify them. This book was such a good price that I chose it thinking that even though it is not fancy that it would serve my purpose. Well it didn't. Not only is there no real information on the moths in this book: the moth pictures are all illustrated. I have caught some moths that are so unique looking that I figured I could recognize them from a drawing. Well I couldn't. I have not been able to identify a single moth that we have caught. It is upsetting to my son who gets the book each time hoping that we will be able to put a name to the latest catch and release. If you like to murder moths and put them on display, it does give some directions in how to do this. I personally think that is sick so I didn't even read that part. Anyway, I am now going to have to buy one of the more expensive books on moths, so I didn't end up saving any money with this book. I have spent more since I did buy this book. I would suggest looking at the other books on moths and forget about this one. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (30)

Taking Flight
A long-time lover of butterflies, after seeing an interview with Peter Laufer about "The Dangerous World of Butterflies", I was intrigued by the premise.Yet the book was not exactly what I thought it was going to be - I guess I was surprised with how much of Laufer's metamorphosis from someone who knows nothing to very little about butterflies into a butterfly afficionado was part of the story, as well as the more surprising aspects of his discoveries.Yet his journey is essential to the tale he tells about these beautiful insects that belie the dangerous world in which they live.

Laufer initially came up with the idea of writing a book about "butterflies and flowers" as a respite from writing about the Iraq war, thinking it would be a peaceful topic to research.Yet the more he learned about butterflies and their world, the more he realized that the insect world is just as fraught with difficulties and tragedies as the human world.Beginning with butterfly farming in Central America and the southern United States, Laufer examines the different mindsets concerning captivity and collection.Detailing the remarkable nature of the Monarch butterfly, Laufer discovered their mountaintop wintering sites were in danger of habitat destruction and spent time with those who are trying to restore the balance to save the necessary ground and plants to secure the location.Laufer also uncovered the smuggling rings that surround butterflies, especially the rare and endangered, documenting the hunt and capture of one of the world's most wanted butterfly smugglers.To end the book, Laufer looks at efforts by California scientists who are trying to save certain species from extinction.Along the way, Laufer intermixes the tales of criminals, collectors, conservationists, ecological devastation, and species depletion with how rooted butterflies are in popular culture by examining works of literature and art.

"The Dangerous World of Butterflies" is an eye-opening read.It is hard to imagine how laws concerning Homeland Security could affect butterfly habitats along the Rio Grande, but they surprisingly do.While Laufer certainly doesn't keep his opinions to himself (which may be offputting to some readers) he faithfully and fairly details all sides of the story, including arguments between evolution and creationism, and the question of integrity concerning collectors and museum collections.Laufer is a natural storyteller, and while the story may seem scattered at times, "The Dangerous World of Butterflies" offers a unique look at this unique creation.Just as Laufer now sees butterflies everywhere he goes, readers may be pleasantly left with insects on the brain once they read Laufer's ode to this enigmatic beauty.

The Orchid Thief it ain't
Admittedly...i went into this book with the high hopes that it was "The Orchid Thief", but with butterflies.Sadly, its not.Entertaining, but not as well written or as interesting as Susan Orlean's venture into obsession.Still....grab it if you like stories about insects, eccentrics, and jungles.

Good read, but biased
Laufer's book on butterflies is an interesting book covering some aspects on the butterfly trade.But I found it to be very biased.I collect butterflies from around the world, some personally but most I purchase.He does not do a good job covering the financial benefits to the poor people in third world countries who raise butterflies for sale to collectors.Yes, he does cover an American expat couple in Central America raising butterflies.But thousand of poor people around the world raise butterflies for the trade taking pressure off collecting wild specimens.He does not say much about people who purchase butterflies.Moreover, his left-wing political comments concerning President Bush and the Iraq war found in the introduction and scattered through out the book I found to be very annoying, he should have just stuck to the topic.He is a good writer, the section on the Japanese collector of endangered species is very good and if he expanded the book in some areas and edited it in other areas it would be a much better book.

Fascinating Book
As a butterfly enthusiast with a butterfly garden, I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot. However, I was disappointed that Mr. Laufer didn't mention the wonderful work of Monarch Watch. Dr. Orley Taylor, founder and director, is a leading butterfly educator, scientist and conservationist. He recently helped to put Monarch butterfly caterpillars on the International Space Station as a research project.

This is from the Monarch Watch (http://monarchwatch.org) website: "Monarch Watch is an educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas that engages citizen scientists in large-scale research projects. This program produces real data that relate to a serious conservation issue. Monarch Watch gets children of all ages involved in science. Our website provides a wealth of information on the biology and conservation of Monarch butterflies and many children use it as a resource for science fair projects or reports. Additionally, we encourage children to showcase their research or school projects on our website and we involve them in real science with the tagging program.
Since its inception in 1992, Monarch Watch has evolved into an electronically-based program with an award-winning website, an active e-mail discussion list, and a growing online community forum. The program involves more than 2,000 schools, nature centers, and other organizations in the United States and Canada, and we estimate 100,000+ students and adults participate in tagging activities each fall."

slow service....
The book was great for a used library book.The delivery lacked alot.It took 29 days from the time I ordered it for it to be delivered.Thankfully, it made it here two days before Christmas.I doubt I would order from this supplier again. ... Read more

Product Description
This newly designed field guide features descriptions of 524 species of butterflies.One hundred color photographs as well as 348 color range maps accompany the species descriptions. The 541 exquisite color paintings clearly show even the most minute field marks. Introductory chapters include information on butterfly gardening, habitats, and conservation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great Field Guide
Excellent guide to the butterflies of the Eastern US. The guide goes over photography, butterfly habits, and collecting/raising butterflies.The drawings allow for easy identification of butterflies by displaying distinctive differences.I find the drawings to work much better than photographs taken in the wild.There is more information that can be added to book (larvae, pupae etc.) but given its size, it would be near impossible.

Eastern butterflies of the USA
I have the 1960's edition of this book also. One thing that makes the Peterson Field Guide Series books so terrific is that they are updated every few years. Several "new to the USA species" have shown up in the past 40 years. Most have migrated here from Mexico.
All of the Peterson Field Guide books are beautifuly done. The color photos and drawings are wonderful, as well as the maps. I would also recommend that you buy the Guide to the Western species.

Excellent Resource for Butterfly watchers!
Easy to use, with beautiful color pictures of real butterflies. Small enough to take with you butterfly watching.

Excellent for the student
Unlike some other reviewers I have always liked the Peterson guides best and this is no exception. The emphasis of the book is not simply on sight identification (which can be difficult at best) but also on a rounded education about the world of butterflies.

The first several chapters cover butterfly habitat, life history, behavior and other things helpful for the collector or student. The main chapters are divided by common names with each sub-heading giving both common and scientific names. The butterflies are described according to range, size, and habitat, and there is typically some discussion of the insects' identifying peculiarities.

This isn't the best guide for someone wanting to identity bugs in their garden - other guides have much better and many more photos - but for the general student this is the best.

Not quite what I expected
While the author doubtless put a lot of work into this work I did not feel it came up to the standards of other Peterson handbooks.Perhaps it was the wrong book for what I wanted but I would have liked to see more on the larval and pupal forms of the butterflies than there was.Also I felt the organization of the book was a bit confusing and hard to use.

Richard Sallee ... Read more