The Last Monarch Butterfly: Conserving the Monarch Butterfly in a Brave New World (Paperback)

by Phil Schappert PhD (Author) "What surprised me was how cold it was..." (more)
Key Phrases: overwintering roosts, milkweed host plants, black swallowwort, North America, Sierra Chincua, Sierra Volcanica Transversal (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Ask people to name a species of butterfly and they will most likely mention the monarch. Found across most of the U.S., Central America, and northern South America, the monarch is a big, showy butterfly that is famous for the fact that it migrates. Spending the five coldest months of the year in a few winter roosts in Mexico (with the smaller, western population wintering in California), the butterflies move north with the spring after the emergence of their only food plants, the milkweeds. Schappert, a butterfly researcher and author (A World for Butterflies, 2000), follows the monarchs from their winter roosts as they fly north, mating along the way and laying eggs as they find appropriate plants. Two or three generations later, the late-summer butterflies begin the journey south, traveling distances as great as 4,350 miles. Monarchs face threats at every stage of their lives, a major one being the logging of the forests in the Mexican highlands, where the vast winter roosts are found. Nancy Bent
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Review
Chosen as one of the 'Best Books for Junior High and Young Adult 2005' by Science Books and Films. (Science Books and Films )

A primary source for reports; beautifully illustrated. (Nancy Bent Booklist )

Takes you inside the butterfly's world... makes a compelling case to preserve to preserve this amazing migration for future generations. (Christian Berg Allentown Morning Call )

An amazing insect; if the reader has any doubts about that, this book will put them to rest. (J. Richard Gorham Science Books and Films )

This well written volume gives excellent basic information on life cycle, predators, environmental hazards, and migration. (Paula J. Wolfe E-Streams )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 113 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (August 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552979695
• ISBN-13: 978-1552979693
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #418,231 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful introduction to the Monarch, February 16, 2008

By	Robert C. Ross (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In my Review of the excellent The Monarch Butterfly: Biology and Conservation I suggested that a general introduction would have made the book more useful to the general reader. This beautiful little book would serve the purpose very well.

It contains 30 colorful pictures documenting each stage of the insect's life. The text is clear and easy to read without speaking down to the reader. The book is divided into five main section.

The first section details the life cycle, from eggs, to caterpillar to chrysalis to adult. The second deals with overwintering roosts or colonies in the states of Michoacan and California. It describes the five known over-wintering sites, and the weaknesses in the Mexican government's protection.

The third describes the migration of the Monarchs to the north and northeast, well over 2,000 miles. The adult Monarchs drink nectar of many flowering plants - but the eggs must be laid on a milkweed plant. The caterpillars eat the milkweed, and the milk serves many purposes in the growth of the caterpillar into a Monarch.

The fourth describes threats to habitat, and predators, parasites and pathogens, herbicides and pesticides. The fifth discusses describes the return journey.

Schappert ends with a page on what the reader can do to help the Monarchs: become involved with local and national clubs, contribute to political action groups, plant milkweeds and favorite nectar plants in your garden.

This book is a useful supplement to The Monarch Butterfly: Biology and Conservation and to the splendid websites devoted to the insect. Google "monarch watch" , "monarch lab" , and "journey north"

Robert C. Ross 2008