Butterflies and Moths: A Guide to the More Common American Species (Golden Guides) [Paperback]

Robert T. Mitchell (Author), Herbert S. Zim (Author), Andre Durenceau (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Golden Guides | Publication Date: August 1987

Text and illustrations identify numerous butterfly and moth species found in North America. Includes a brief description of the life cycle, defenses, and enemies of these insects.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Golden Guides first appeared in 1949 and quickly established themselves as authorities on subjects from Natural History to Science. Relaunched in 2000, Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press feature modern, new covers as part of a multi-year, million-dollar program to revise, update, and expand the complete line of guides for a new generation of students.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Golden Books Pub Co (Adult); Revised edition (August 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307240525
• ISBN-13: 978-0307240521
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,341,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great place to start!, September 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Butterflies and Moths: A Guide to the More Common American Species (Golden Guides) (Paperback)

This golden guide is an excellent place to learn the basics. It's small, therefore portable, and pictures often show male and female variations, different coloration phases and a view of wings spread and folded. It also contains range maps and pupa and larva pictures for most butterflies and moths. Keep in mind, though, that pictures are artist renderings, not photos.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Teaches in a Pleasing Way, November 6, 2002

By 

A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "What should ... (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Butterflies and Moths (Golden Guide) (Paperback)

I carried an earlier edition of "Butterflies and Moths" around with my as I traipsed about fields near my home, butterfly hunting. I'd find a butterfly (or moth, as the case may be) and approximate which one it was through this guide.

The pictures are accurate. Not only will you see the butterfly, but a close up of various parts. There are maps showing where it can be found, a very useful tool when the picture doesn't seem to match. It can help you determine if you have a certain variation, or a very lost butterfly.

Though a picture is worth a thousand words, the text found here is equally helpful. There are Latin names, pupae descriptions, eating habits and more. They've been careful not to overwhelm the reader, but there's plenty to whet the reading appetite of any young butterfly hunter.

It isn't just for children. Anyone with a garden would be happy to have this as a reference or as curious reading to learn just who has been munching the lettuce.

I fully recommend "Butterflies and Moths" by Robert T. Mitchell.

Anthony Trendl

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Source for Illustrations of Caterpillars, September 22, 2001

By 

C. Lee (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Butterflies and Moths (Golden Guide) (Paperback)

Golden Guides are often described as books for children just discovering the natural world. While the series is eminently usable by young naturalists, Golden Guides are solid introductory field guides.

The strong point of "Butterflies and Moths" is its extensive coverage of butterfly larvae and pupae. A common complaint about many if not all more advanced field guides for laypeople is that they fail to include illustrations for te identification of caterpillars. The Golden Guide remedies this shortcoming and includes solid coverage of moths as well, whose less-glamorous condition excludes them from other butterflies-only guides (the Peterson Guide is a notable exception). In terms of weaknesses, the illustrations of adult butterflies have, in my experience, not been detailed or accurate enough to positively identify some species.