The Life Cycles of Butterflies

For every person who has ever watched and marvelled at the magic as a butterfly emerges from a chrysalis, this book is a treasure chest of amazing butterfly transformations. Readers are invited to explore and experience the life cycles of 22 common butterflies, in this unique collection of stunning full-colour, up-close photography, all taken in a live garden setting. From the Black Swallowtail to the Monarch, the Question Mark to the Painted Lady, each butterfly is shown from start to maturity, with sequential photographs of the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and emerging butterfly. Additional detail shots highlight caterpillar behaviour, changes in the chrysalis as the wing pattern emerges, open- and closed-wing shots, and the colour variations between the male and female butterflies. Authors Judy Burris and Wayne Richards, a brother-and-sister team, tell how they created the ultimate butterfly havens in their own backyards, planting every kind of caterpillar host plant and nectar-producing flower imaginable. With cameras in hand, they set out on a mission to record the lives of all the butterflies that flocked to their gardens. Readers learn how they can create their own butterfly gardens, with specific host plants suggested for each species. This richly visual and highly browse able guide to the life cycles of butterflies will appeal to wildlife enthusiasts, gardener'.