A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America

About this book

This is a revised second edition of the most detailed, comprehensive, and user-friendly photographic field guide to the butterflies of North America. Written by Jeffrey Glassberg, the pioneering authority on the field identification of butterflies, A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of North America covers all known species, beautifully illustrating them with 3,500 large, gorgeous colour photographs – the very best images available. This second edition includes more than 500 new photos and updated text, maps, and species names. For most species, there are photographs of topsides and undersides, males and females, and variants. All text is embedded in the photographs, allowing swift access in the field, and arrows point to field marks, showing you exactly what to look for. Detailed, same-page range maps include information about the number of broods in each area and where strays have been recorded. Colour text boxes highlight information about habitat, caterpillar food plants, abundance and flight period, and other interesting facts. Also included are a quick visual index and a caterpillar food plant index. The result is an ideal field guide that will enable you to identify almost every butterfly you see.

Contents

- Introduction 7
- About This Book 7
- Butterfly Identification 7
- Butterfly Biology 8
- Names 9
- Interacting with Butterflies 9
- "Releasing" Butterflies 10
- Conservation 11
- North American Butterfly Association 11
- Wing Areas and Body Parts 12
- About the Species Accounts 13
- Abbreviations, Symbols and Glossary 14
- About the Maps 15
- Swallowtails Papilionidae 16
- Parnassians Parnassiinae 16
- True Swallowtails Papilioninae 18
- Whites and Yellows Pieridae 36
- Whites Pierinae 36
- Marbles and Orangetips 46
- Yellows Coliadinae 52
- Sulphurs 52
- Yellows 68
- Gossamerwings Lycaenidae 74
- Coppers Lycaeninae 74
- Harvester Miletinae 83
- Hairstreaks Theclinae 84
- Blues Polyommatinae 122
- Metalmarks Riodinidae 146
- Brushfoots Nymphalidae 158
- Heliconians and Fritillaries Heliconiinae 158
- Heliconians 158
- Greater Fritillaries 162
- Lesser Fritillaries 182
- True Brushfoots Nymphalinae 190
- Patches, Checkerspots and Crescents 190
- Anglewings, Ladies and Relatives 220
- Admirals and Relatives Limenitidinae et al. 232
- Leafwings Charaxinae 246
- Emperors Apaturinae 250
- Snouts Libytheinae 253
- Satyrs Satyrinae 254
- Ticlears, Clearwings Ithomiinae 277
- Mimic-Queen and Monarchs Danainae 277
- Skippers Hesperiidae 280
- Firetips Pyrrhopyginae 280
- Spreadwing Skippers Pyrginae 280
- Skipperlings Heteropterinae 332
- Grass-Skippers Hesperiinae 334
- Giant-Skippers Megathyminae 394
- Hawaii 400
- Conclusion
- Photo Credits 402
- Selected Bibliography 403
- Selected Websites 403
- Caterpillar Foodplant Index 404
- Butterfly Species Index 408
- Visual Index 418

Customer Reviews

Biography

Jeffrey Glassberg is a leading butterfly authority and author. He is president of the North American Butterfly Association, editor of American Butterflies magazine, and the author of many books, including the Butterflies through Binoculars series. He is adjunct professor of evolutionary biology at Rice University and lives in Morristown, New Jersey.