Customer Reviews

Peterson First Guide to Butterflies and Moths (Peterson First Guide (R))

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This introductory field guide is much, much better than the old Little Golden Guide" that beginning Lepidoptrists (butterfly lovers) have relied on in the past. I wish I had had the new First Guide version a kid! It shows accurate color drawings of the most common species, along with the food plants and, in some cases, the other life stages such as larvae and pupae.

I especially like the fact that it includes so many moths -- not just the showy ones like Cecropias and Lunas that beginners dream about but seldom find -- but some of the little gray and brown ones, too, such as might show up any evening around your yard light. Plus, I finally found out that a grayish day-flying moth with a metallic-blue body that I see around here all the tiime is callled a "Southern Ctenucha."

As a Master Gardener volunteer, I currently recommend this to 4H-ers (and adults, too) who are just getting started in entomology. It's easy to use, and the light pocket size makes it nice for children to carry on field trips. Buy it along with "First Guide to Caterpillars" in the same series (which I have also reviewed here on Amazon).

Typical of all the Peterson guides. This one has all the information one normally needs. It also is arranged in sometimes frustrating sections which require one to go to several sections for a complete profile of the subject matter. I simply do not want to spend the time going back and forth in the book when I simply want basic information on one insect.

This is a useful guide for the naturalist with a mild interest in butterflies and moths, and it's very readable for adults and kids alike. Like other Peterson First Guides, it's compact and fits nicely into a pants pocket or the side slot of a backpack. The illustrations are sometimes more "painterly" than I would like for identification of similar or difficult species. I give it one demerit for that, and another for inexplicable lack of a scientific name of each listed butterfly (the scientific names are buried in the index alongside common names).

Butterfly and moth enthusiasts -- adults and young people alike -- would do better by sticking with the full guides.

A simple, easy to take along guide. The photos, and brief descriptions make it easy to identify the Butterflies and Moths you come across.

The problem with buying online is that you can't see the item before you buy it. You can only go by the very little bit amazon allows you to view. In the case of this pamphlet, there isn't much to see at all. Poor, childishly sketched pictures, very few butterflies or moths included. I regret purchasing it.

I bought this when my daughter started expressing interest in butterflies. The pictures are ok. There is so little information. It is rather dull. Not sure if there is anything better out there, but this book is rather uninspiring.

I like this butterfly book because it is very covenient to carry with me. It is also very full of information.

Since I like to photograph nature, I come across a lot of butterflies, but don't know much about them. This compact little book is easy to take along and has many fine illustrations. A good choice.

I bought this for my almost 5 year old bug lover. She is always finding moths and butterflies and asking me what they are. This book has what look like drawings instead of actual pictures. It can be kind of hard to tell the name because they aren't labeled well. Sometimes it can be hard to tell which name goes with which creature. The pictures are very accurate to the actual butterfly and moth. For basic identification it's great, but if you own any Audobon Society book, you will be disappointed with this.

A good first guide, but not comprehensive of all creatures to bre found in US.