This is a well-illustrated treatment of and guide to all the fossil and present-day species of butterflies in one of the richest areas in North America for butterfly diversity and study. For much of the year, the meadows, forests, and grassy slopes of the Florissant region of central Colorado are alive with butterflies - nearly 100 species of these fascinating and beautiful creatures. Many of them have unusual life histories: the larvae (caterpillars) of one species take two years to mature; others develop close associations with ants; and the adults of some species live only a few days, whereas others survive for months in winter hibernation. Central Colorado is also the site of the florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, which has yielded 12 of the 44 known species of butterfly fossils in the world. To find fossils of these delicate-winged creatures in such a perfect state of preservation is one of the wonders of nature, since the fossils have endured 35 million years of geologic activity, erosion, and climate change. Remarkably, most of the fossil species are closely related to various present-day species.
Butterfly enthusiasts, nature lovers, and curious general readers will perhaps be surprised to learn that Florida's butterfly fauna is unique--and that, until the appearance of this volume, there has been no adequate field guide for the butterflies of this region. This guide simplifies identification by illustrating only species found in Florida--using superb photographs of live butterflies coupled with detailed range maps and identification data. It also offers, with unprecedented detail, much information on flight times and abundances for each of five Florida subregions, including reports on 70 localities in which to find butterflies. Lastly, discussions of the foodplants for each species along with suggestions for attracting these species to one's garden make this work invaluable for all Florida gardeners interested in butterflies.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.