Butterflies of Australia

Abstract

The world over people love butterflies but few understand much more about them than their physical beauty. Butterflies of Australia offers a unique guide to help identify the nearly 400 species to which our continent plays host but with its focus on living butterflies, it is much more than an identification guide. Within its pages is a concise but broad, non-technical introduction to butterfly biology, history, ecology, evolution and conservation. Hundreds of meticulous illustrations show adult butterflies in life, flying or perched, among the plants and animals of their natural habitat, while others document the Australian butterfly species, with beautiful diagnostic half-wing illustrations of pinned specimens. It also explains and illustrates much of the known behaviour and ecology of Australian butterflies, and in so doing meets the needs of both the butterfly watcher and general nature lover. Butterflies of Australia presents a remarkable blend of natural history, science and art. With a copy as guide the reader can appreciate the charm and purpose underlying butterflies' far from frivolous lives.