The Life Cycles of Butterflies

May 1, 2006
Accomplishing exactly what its title promises, this book describes in text and photos the butterflies that commonly visit gardens in the eastern states. The authors, a sibling team of butterfly and gardening enthusiasts, detail every phase of each species. Beginning with a chapter that looks at the basics of butterfly egg laying, the growth of caterpillars, metamorphosis, and butterfly behavior, the authors move to the heart of the book. With exquisite close-up photography, the eggs, caterpillars, chrysalids, and adults of 23 well-known butterflies are revealed. The reader is treated to the almost architectural forms of eggs; caterpillars that can be striped, spotted, spiny, or smooth; and chrysalids that may be ornamented with flecks of gold or camouflaged to resemble a dead leaf. Adult butterflies are depicted both with wings open and folded. A field notes section for each species supplies photos of host plants and nectar plants, a map of the breeding range, and a life-size silhouette. This tidy book offers the single best resource for photos of the complete life cycle of butterflies.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)