The Life Cycles of Butterflies: From Egg to Maturity, a Visual Guide to 23 Common Garden Butterflies

Recently planted a pollinator garden and have learned so much from this book about butterflies. Includes great photos -- from egg to the mature butterfly, including the caterpillar stages and chrysalis. Also provides the host and preferred nectar plant for each, along with a lot of other information related to range and identification.

There aren't many books out there that feature quality photographs identifying butterflies and caterpillars by species. This book does that and more. Although it only features those species that occur in the region in which the authors live (Kentucky is their home state,) the book shows clear pictures of each life stage: egg, caterpillar in both early and late stages, chrysallis, and adult butterfly. Each species also has useful information listed in the text, such as known host plant(s) and favored nectar plants. There are also some additional species shown as adults in the back of the book for which the authors have yet to photo-document an entire life cycle. I have seen this listed as a children's book, and it would be appropriate for many children, but I find it quite beautiful and informative enough to be suitable for adults as well. I've been gardening for birds, butterflies and bees for years now. One of my successes was having Black Swallowtail caterpillars the very first year I grew dill for them. But when I bought this book I was able to locate and identify the tiny eggs, and observe the entire life cycle of this species. I live in the Mid-Atlantic region, and most of the butterflies profiled in the book also occur in my area. Some species profiled occur over most of the U.S.--like the Monarch and Painted Lady-- but some are more limited in range. If you live on the Pacific coast, for instance, you might not see many of these butterflies. The photos are still beautiful. The insects featured are still fascinating. And the format of the book is user-friendly.

This book is intended to be a middle reader book. It provides life cycle information on butterflies and shows what the egg, caterpillar, and chrysalis look like for each species, as well as the adult butterfly. I am a Master Naturalist and work with butterflies frequently. I found this book to be invaluable in identifying butterflies in all their life stages. Your kids will love the pics, you’ll love the science and fun facts that go along with the photos. If you enjoy butterflies, this book is fabulous!

Thrilled to get this book after we saw three monarchs on our new swamp milkweed. There is so much to learn about butterflies and this book is perfect with lots of photos and easy to understand info about the different kinds of butterflies we see in our tiny garden. Very well organized to get info fast.

Wonderful, informative and beautiful photos. Don't know why it took me so long to get this book. If you are fascinated by butterflies, you need this book. Me and my butterfly garden thank you for such useful information. I live in southeast Louisiana and am fortunate to have seen most of the 23 butterflies in your book. Learned so much about them from this book.

I've bought this book three times (so far). One for my granddaughter who loves butterflies and hand raised over a hundred painted ladies then released them; one for my elderly father who is now fostering a brood of Monarch butterflies each year in his safety net enclosure; and one for the local school system's science lab so hundreds of kids can be introduced to the joy of identifying and raising butterflies. The book includes many of the most common butterflies that you find in your own backyard and neighborhood. It has beautiful pictures showing the egg, the caterpillar and the butterfly. Each butterfly has information about the host plant for caterpillars and the nectar plants for the butterfly. Wonderful book for everyone.

NB: This book is oriented to common butterflies of the US/North America. The remainder of this review will be in the context of its value to a reader in the continental US. This is a very good book, tainted by failings with regards to discussion of host plants and nectar source plants. The presentation of a fair number of butterfly species from egg through larval stages to imago (adult) is clear, well done, and attractive. It is also well organized, featuring a uniform layout of photos and information for each species. The book opens with an introduction to butterflies in general, which is a nice resource for those with only the barest familiarity with Lepidoptera. The information regarding host plants presented there, however, doesn’t always correspond well with the section on host plants—at least several plants mentioned in the butterfly life cycles section are not included in the section on host plants. In addition, there is woefully insufficient attention given to use of native plants, and properly noting which plants discussed are natives or not. [NB: The authors use an asterisk with plants they say are potentially invasive non-natives. They do not, however, indicate native status for all of the plants they present, a task which easily could have been completed.] A sizable minority of the host plants described are non-native, and they use an asterisk with Ulmus spp. (elm trees), even though elms are quite obviously native to the US, and they do the same with Humulus spp. (hops), even though the Common Hop is a North American native as well. They go farther into the weeds, so to speak, with their listing of “top nectar flowers”. Of the thirteen listed, nine are non-natives—though some, like Cosmos spp. and Lantana camara, are naturalized to some extent in the southern US. Thus, they describe only four (4!) native nectar source plants. The book was published in 2006, and given its success in sales and garnering awards, appropriate updating, especially with regards to discussion of native plants as both hosts and nectar sources, is both warranted and sorely needed. Summary—excellent presentation of the basics of life cycles of nearly two-dozen common butterflies of the US, with uniformly superior photographs and succinct descriptions. Fair-to-partly cloudy presentation of host plants and “top nectar flowers”, with much too little attention given to native plants as real, and excellent, options.

The wonderful book is well-organized, with lots of great information for 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!

Totally geared at butterflies in the USA. Yet not indicated in your blurb. Very disappointed

El libro llegó un poco maltratado de la portada con pequeños detalles, pero lo recompensa el precio en que lo agarré, además me sorprendió lo grande que esta el libro y muy ilustrativo.