Butterflies: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behaviour

by Dick Vane-Wright

Overview

Butterflies immediately catch our attention with their beautiful wing patterns and colors. They exemplify metamorphosis with the creeping caterpillar transforming into a soaring butterfly. They have also come to be creatures of science, revealing much to biologists about evolution and the ecological processes and historical accidents that have generated the diversity of life on Earth.

In Butterflies, Dick Vane-Wright provides a complete introduction to the biology, natural history, and classification of this major group. Using examples from around the world and eye-catching photographs, he explores what it means to be a butterfly, from how the yellow birdwing finds a mate to why the African gaudy commodores produce adults of different colors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501700170
Publisher:	Natural History Museum, London
Publication date:	05/26/2015
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Dick Vane-Wright is a specialist on the taxonomy, evolution, and classification of butterflies. He worked at the Natural History Museum, London, for more than forty years, becoming Head of the Department of Entomology, and continues to bring a love of these enchanting insects to a wider audience.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1. Becoming
Chapter 2. Mating
Chapter 3. Laying
Chapter 4. Eating
Chapter 5. Flying
Chapter 6. Communicating
Chapter 7. Varying
Chapter 8. Evolving
Chapter 9. Butterfly Futures

Appendix
Glossary
Index
Further Information

Editorial Reviews

"This colorful book is a fascinating introduction to the complex world of the butterfly. If you want to learn about false eyes or false heads, mimicry and mockers, adaption and evolution, it's all here. Once you’ve read this book, even the cabbage white will never look the same again."—New Scientist (reviewing the first edition)

"For those who wish to delve deeper into the origins, life-cycles and general natural history of these beautiful insects, this book offers a suitable opportunity. In addition to revealing a wealth of information about the subject, it is a delight to handle with a superb selection of first-rate photographs . . . offering a superbly illustrated insight into the world of these . . . insects."—The London Naturalist (reviewing the first edition)

"This is an excellent information and reference book . . . with superb color illustrations to accompany the fully-detailed text, and its fascinating facts on myriad butterflies. For example, did you know that some butterflies can change colour according to their environment, or that they can taste through their feet? Read the book to find out more!"—The School Librarian (reviewing the first edition)

"...Vane-Wright is perhaps uniquely qualifiedto synthesize and distill to a readable essence the vast literature on the natural history, ecology, andevolution of the world's 20,000 or so species ofbutterflies. This book is a second edition of onepublished by the Natural History Museum in 2003,but Vane-Wright has revised the text to includebreaking news, such as the origin of the 'moth'family Hedylidae from within butterflies, according to recent DNA-based phylogenetic studies. Healso frankly highlights areas where our knowledgeis still lacking, perhaps a source of inspiration fora new generation of butterfly biologists."—Andrew V. Z. Brower, The Quarterly Review of Biology (March 2016)

From the Publisher