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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 595.7890974
EAN num: 9780691090566
ISBN number: 0691090564
Label: Princeton University Press
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 360
Printing Date: March 19, 2007
Publishing house: Princeton University Press
Sale Popularity Level: 234510
Studio: Princeton University Press
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
Here is an accessible, informative, and highly illustrated book that offers a fresh view of butterflies in the East Coast states, from the Atlantic seaboard to the Appalachians. In addition to providing a wealth of facts and photos, the book is the very first to furnish detailed and up-to-date photo-illustrated information on the host plants favored by particular species. With 234 full-page species accounts and accompanying range maps, plus more than 950 large-size colour photos, it is an essential reference work for field observers, gardeners, educators, and conservation managers--or anyone interested in appreciating the lepidopteran world close at hand.
The introductory chapters detail the subtle ecology of the East Coast region, establishing a consistent ecological framework that enriches the individual species accounts. There is also an overview of current scientific literature and observational findings to help readers better interpret complex butterfly behaviors in the field, including seasonal movements, host plant and diapause strategies, defensive chemistry, and more.
The book is written by Rick Cech, a seasoned field observer who has spent years studying and photographing East Coast butterflies. His substantial first-hand experience with both the common and rare species in the region adds much depth and new insight to the commentary.
- 234 full-page species accounts and accompanying range maps
- 950 large-size colour photos
- 215 photos of individual host plants and habitats
- 735 high-quality photos of butterflies and caterpillars
- Introductory chapters detailing the subtle ecology of the East Coast region
- An overview of current scientific literature and observational findings
- Descriptions of diapause and host plant strategies and defensive chemistry
- User-friendly with clear, concise text
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers -
This book (Cech and Tudor) is perhaps the best nature guidebook ever, definitely the best butterfly or insect book. It is a beautifully illustrated guide to the animals and their natural habitats on the east coast, where I live. It covers most butterflies for the central U. S. and eastern Canada as well, and similar coverage for Texas (with the greatest diversity of all) and the west coast would be great if they could do this project as well.
Rated by buyers 
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This is a very informative book and will help you identify butterflies and learn about their habbitats and habits. Not a pocket or field guide, mostly a coffee table book. Very pretty pictures and again a great learning tool!
Rated by buyers -
Not a book that is easily carried around in the field (though I just heard there is a softcover) this book provides much more in depth information on each species compared to other field guides. Great buy!
Rated by buyers -
What part do beauty, grace and harmlessness play for the tough to get going when the going gets tough? According to authors Rick Cech and Guy Tudor, Charles Darwin would say none. For Darwin's survival of the fittest means being as ferocious, speedy and strong as lions and tigers and bears. Yet beautiful, graceful, harmless butterflies have been around much longer than ferocious bears, speedy tigers and strong lions.
As of 1992, 44 fossil records were "officially described" for butterflies. The oldest butterfly fossils date back 48 million years. They were found in Colorado and Texas. They were of metalmarks, nymphalids and swallowtail-like types
But butterflies probably very first showed up 60-145 million years ago, along with the very first land-growing plants. They make up the largest numbers of plant-eating insects. That's quite a big deal. Only 9 of 29 insect orders have learned to eat plants. Many plants are hard to chew, with thick or waxy outsides. Others are poisonous or friendly to parasitic flies and wasps.
So are butterflies the flighty, intellectual lightweights of the insect world? No, say the authors. In fact, the phrase "bright as a butterfly" means colorful and intelligent. For example, beautifully colored patterns identify Baltimores, Monarchs, Pipevine Swallowtails and Zebra Heliconians as poisonous plant-eaters. Heliconians have a "large mushroom body in their brains thought to be associated with learning." They live at least 6 months, the longest butterfly lifespan. [Mourning cloaks live 11 months. But they sleep through late summer and winter.] They go to the same home every evening, show younger Zebras a regular route of pollen flowers and foodplants, and don't beat against florescent lights.
However, the authors think caterpillars mightn't be so smart. I'm not sure I agree. It's a challenge outrunning cold, disease, drought, fungi, mold, pesticides and storms. It's a bigger challenge keeping out of harm's way from ambush and assassin bugs, ants, birds, lizards, people, robberflies, small mammals and spiders.
It's a still bigger challenge being born and getting fed. For example, the naughty passionvine is a plant butterflies lay eggs on. It makes "false eggs" so the butterfly thinks the space is already taken. Or its nectar glands attract ants that eat buttefly eggs. Or it sends up "decoy tendrils" to drop and break butterfly eggs. Or it sends out sharp hooks to kill by catching, or putting holes in, butterfly caterpillars.
BUTTERFLIES OF THE EAST COAST tells what Atlantic state butterflies look like, what they eat and where they live. The pictures are clear. The information is well organized. I've seen butterfly gardening work: the butterflies and fireflies of childhood are back! How does this book make the world also safe - from pesticides and people - for butterfly children? It comes down to doing what Virginia Tech's advanced master gardeners say: reduce, reuse, recycle. Stop spraying and swatting caterpillars we'll now recognize as butterfly wannabes. Let nature's cycle of life and food chain work. And photograph the caterpillars the authors didn't find.
Rated by buyers -
This is an excellent serious work, not a field guide. The illustrations are all clear colour photographs with the best field identifications, range maps and lists of brooding plants I have seen. It is also the most comprehensive for the East Coast of the U. S.. My interest is creating a butterfly garden. It would have benefitted from a list of common names, illustrations of the chrysalides, and a list of food plants, but otherwise it is a wonderfully complete scholarly work.
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