Customer Reviews

Stokes Butterfly Book : The Complete Guide to Butterfly Gardening, Identification, and Behavior

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The two things I liked best about this book are the pages devoted to identifying butterflies by color (it groups them so that if you see one that is predominantly orange, you can look at the page of orange butterflies to find the one you're trying to identify), and the pages devoted to creating an attractive butterfly garden, with schemes showing how to arrange plants that attract butterflies. It's not a technical book, thereby making it a good guide for backyard butterfly enthusiasts.

I've been enchanted with birds ever since I observed my parents whistling and mocking the mockingbirds who mocked them back. I've been a gardener forever, cursing those creepy caterpillers who devoured this and that. In the past few years I've taken a greater interest in butterflies, and lo what do I discover...the creepy caterpillers turn into the beautiful butterflies if the birds don't eat them first. I knew that of course because like lots of kids, I too brought home the cocoon found on some branch and kept it in a glass jar with holes punched in the top until it did not "hatch." Yes, I said did NOT. I never had any success with this effort so I forgot about caterpillers and cocoons--until I opened STOKES BUTTERFLY BOOK and there are those darn cocoons again.

This is a wonderful book for adolescent children who can read big words and like big type or older people with vision problems. The pictures are colorful and closeup and the type large enough that my aunt can see it under her "reading" machine" (she has diabetes and is sight impaired).

The book is filled with all sorts of interesting information about the behaviour of butterfiles (basking in the sun to warm up their wings, puddling to suck up nutients; courting and laying eggs --surprise there are two sexes, just like the birds). There are also lots of photos of their predecessors--the caterpillers who require a daily ration of greens to grow up into beautiful bugs.

Now I must admit it is about time that I realized that every orange and black butterfly I see is NOT a Monarch, but goodness there are so MANY orange and black butterfiles will I ever be able to tell them apart? Some are Crescents and Checkerspots (in my neck of the woods which is the East Coast) and there are Admirals. Goodness--Monarchs, Admirals, Viceroys--I had no idea there was an aristocracy of butterflies.

I intend to use this book with my granddaughters who love to walk in grandma's garden and learn the names of plants and bugs and birds. Now we'll learn the names of caterpillers and their reincarnations who form an intermediate link in the food chain.

I love the Stokes Nature Guides. I've owned The Butterfly Book for years. I found that when I followed the book's recommendations and put plants for both caterpillars and adult butterflies in my yard that my enjoyment of butterflies grew. I love all of the pictures of caterpillars and found the instructions for raising caterpillars helpful.
The butterfly book covers planting for both caterpillars and butterflies and butterfly behavior. In fact, planting for butterflies in containers is also a cinch. Butterfly gardens of all sizes, shapes, and types are being planted at home, in school yards, and at nursing homes.
I keep watching for adult Monarchs to come back to my yard each spring. I love watching their caterpillars gobble up leaves. A couple of years ago, I learned how to how to find and identify butterfly eggs and made a video on Butterfly Homes.
In the last section of the book, 63 of the most common butterflies, including the ones you are most likely to see in your yard, are described. They are grouped by family. I found the book's description of the appearance and behavior of butterflies in different families especially helpful. This book is an excellent choice for young and old alike.

This book will give you all the information you need to select the plants neccesary to attract butterflies and feed their catapillars. Picutures help you identify both adult butterflies and their catipillars. I keep my copy handy to check who/what is enjoying the garden. Great for the beginner or expert.

The book was less informative than the title suggested. It was far from complete in its description of butterfly behavior, planting for butterfly gardens and in butterfly identification; however, I found the 2 pages on caterpillar identification very informative. Overall, for very basic knowledge, the book was helpful and would probably be enjoyed more by children. Children would especially like of the number of large photos. Also unlike what the title may suggest, the book read more like a magazine in length which may appeal to children more, too. The book is an easy read and can be completed cover to cover in under an hour. This book is for you if you have only a basic knowledge of butterflies and want a simple, easy to read reference. If you're looking for a substantial reference book, you may want to look elsewhere.

Yes, this is a good "beginner" book, but falls short on the amount of butterflies that are around. I have enjoyed learning from this book. It does have lots of garden ideas to attact butterflies. In general, it's a great beginner book. JT

Buy this book if you are interested in attracting butterflies or creating a butterfly garden. Lots of interesting information about habitat and behavior. Identification Guide could be more complete. Not enough photos, especially comparison shots of open vs. closed wings. Overall an excellent butterfly book.

While visiting the Butterfly Garden exhibit in Boston's Science Museum, we asked a person in charge which book he recommended for growing one's own butterfly garden (my son lives in Framingham, MA). The answer was Stokes, and he wrote it down for us. The museum does not sell it.
The number of butterflies identified is smaller than some guides, but the details about their preferred plants are very good. Since I bought the book for my son (I live in California), I cannot provide more details except that he and his wife are very happy with it.

I love the book, it is eactly as she described it to be. Fast shipping as well
Thanks

This book is very informative and a must have for butterfly gardeners.