Best American field guide

[Sandy73]

Season's greetings.

Can anyone recommend a field guide for US butterflies?

Thank you in advance

Stuart

[KelvinR]

Happy New Year!

I bought the Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America last summer in New Hampshire. The previous books I'd bought two years earlier when I was very new to butterflies were regional and didn't show both upper and under sides, I needed something that did. The local bookstore had a copy, Amazon reviews were positive and it was commended in Mariposa Road, my "holiday reading".

It got plenty of use, particularly as I read Mariposa Road and wanted to see what Bob Pyle was referring too.

I did take it out on field trips, bit heavy (1lb?) but will fit in a cargo pocket for short walks.

It doesn't help with identifying caterpillars but does include larval foodplants for each species.

The range maps were moderately useful, a bit small but good enough to eliminate "out of state" possibilities

You can "Look Inside" on amazon.com but not on amazon.co.uk to get an idea of the style and content.

I assume you're headed across the pond? I filed my sightings on http://e-butterfly.org

Hope that helps, I'll try to answer any more specific questions you may have.

Kelvin Richards
PS My first post to UKB...that's one 2014 resolution that I can now tick, I've been lurking here for too long and it's time to contribute!

[Pete Eeles]

PS My first post to UKB...that's one 2014 resolution that I can now tick, I've been lurking here for too long and it's time to contribute!

Welcome aboard Kelvin

Cheers,

- Pete

[Roger Gibbons]

This may be of interest:

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org

Roger

[Padfield]

I have several guides to the American species, including the Kaufman (which I've never used in the field, but which looks quite functional). Depending on where you're going, you might also consider the Peterson Field Guides (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Field-Eastern-B ... 1388780031 and http://www.amazon.co.uk/Field-Western-B ... 1388780031). They are less up-to-date but the newer editions (still out of date, but better than the originals) are comprehensive and quite good. I prefer the pictures in the Eastern volume. The only book I have with information on early stages is the much bigger Scott (http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Butterflies ... 1388780163). This is also out of date (my copy is a 1992 reprint) but a good book, with much more ecological and biological information about buterflies in general and the American species in particular. For a true photo guide, with photos only of living butterflies, there is the equally out-of-date Audubon Society book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audubon-Society ... 1388780510. It's a bit annoying, because it doesn't have the Latin names with the pictures, only with the text, but I do enjoy browsing it.

Whichever book you use in the field, there is an amazingly comprehensive website covering North and South America here: http://butterfliesofamerica.com/L/intro.htm.

Sorry I didn't reply over Christmas - I thought it would be better if people who had actually visited the States recently gave their opinions first!

Guy