Lane County Butterfly Club – Books
Recommended Books
Butterflies of Lane County
Compiled by Marta Markarushka, NABA Eugene-Springfield, New: Third Edition, 2005.
This newly revised field guide is the only one that focuses on just the butterfly species in our area, and the only one small enough to fit in your pocket. Eight new species have been added and more than 70 new photos. Full color photos of each species. The guide is available for purchase at all NABA events for $16.00 each. All proceeds benefit the Lane County Butterfly Club, a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA). The pocket-sized field guide is available in Eugene at Down to Earth and the U of O Bookstore.
Finding Lane County Butterflies
Neil Bjorklund, Fourth Edition.
A Guide to Finding, Watching, and Conserving Native Butterflies in Lane County, Oregon
Now in it’s 4th Edition! When the first edition came out in 2004, this was one of, if not the, first butterfly-finding guides in the US. It is modeled after the popular bird-finding guides that now exist for almost every popular birding area in the States. It includes 32 of the best sites for butterflies in Lane County (and a couple just over the line in Linn County). For each site, it describes when to go, how to get there, and species you are likely to find there. Using this guide, you can, with some luck, find all of Lane County’s more than 90 species.
“Finding Lane County Butterflies” is available for purchase at all NABA events. 100% of sales proceeds are donated to the Lane County Butterfly Club, a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association.
Lepidoptera of North America 6. Butterflies of Oregon: Their Taxonomy, Distribution, and Biology
Andrew D. Warren. Contributions of the C. P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity, Colorado State University.
An invaluable narrative update on the taxonomy, distribution and biology of Oregon’s 171 naturally occurring butterfly species. Based on six years of extensive field research and extensive review of literature and collections, this monograph is a must-have supplement to the field guides below for the serious student of Oregon butterflies. (Note: this book does not contain photos or maps.)
Butterflies of North America
Jim Brock and Ken Kaufman, Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
Following on his success with the Kaufman Focus Guide to North American Birds, Ken Kaufman has teamed up with lepidopterist Jim Brock to produce a first rate field guide for butterflies. Probably the clearest and easiest to use guide to butterflies, this guide uses computer enhanced photos of butterflies with text and range maps side by side. Highly recommended, especially for beginner to moderately experienced butterfliers.
Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest
Robert Michael Pyle and Caitlin C. LaBar, Timber Press Field Guide 2018.
Bob Pyle’s latest field guide is an essential addition to the existing butterfly field guides that cover the Northwest. The detail and specificity on local species and sub-species can’t be found elsewhere. The photos are great, and the commentary has the signature humor and candor of one of our region’s most beloved butterfly authorities.
Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West
Jeffrey Glassberg, Oxford University Press, 2001.
Right now, this is the field guide of choice for most butterfliers in our area. The photos are clear, the layout of the book, with all the information for each species in one place, is very handy. Each species is shown in a color photo taken in its natural habitat. Glassberg also provides a wealth of information on many of the more difficult to identify species and their variations.
The Guide to Butterflies of Oregon and Washington
William Neill, Westcliffe Publishers, 2001.
Neill’s new book is full of gorgeous photos, and you’ll want it for that alone. He treats the more common species and leaves the intricate details of identifying the more difficult species to other books. A good introductory guide. Each species is shown in a color photo taken in its natural habitat.
A Field Guide to Western Butterflies
Peterson Field Guide Series, Paul Opler, Houghton-Mifflin, 1999.
When the revised edition came out in 1999, it was the most complete field guide we had for the Northwest. It has now been superseded by other field guides that are better organized for use in the field. Each species is shown in a drawing.
Field Guide to North American Butterflies
National Audubon Society, Robert Michael Pyle, Knopf, 1995.
This classic was the first butterfly guide to use photos for all species. Great photos. Many of the species names are out of date. Each species is shown in a color photo taken in its natural habitat.
Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide
James A. Scott, Stanford University Press, 1992.
For an in-depth treatment of North American butterflies and their natural history, this is the best book you’ll find. This is the only book that describes in detail all the known caterpillar host plants used by each species throughout its range. It is, therefore, an essential guide for butterfly gardeners and serious students of butterfly ecology. Not useful as a field guide, due to its size and weight and the way it is organized. Each species is shown in a photo of a pinned specimen.
Butterflies of British Columbia
Crispin S. Guppy & Jon H. Shepard, UBC Press, 2001.
This new book covers many of the species that occur in Oregon and Washington. We haven’t seen it yet, but reviews have been good.
Common Butterflies of California
Bob Stewart, West Coast Lady Press, 1998.
This book has outstanding photos of 96 species of butterflies common to California, and most of these species also occur in Oregon. All the photos are of living, free-flying butterflies. Like “The Guide to Butterflies of Oregon and Washington”, by William Neill, this book is worth having just to look at the beautiful photos. However, it is not recommended as a “stand-alone” field guide to the butterflies of our area.
Atlas of Oregon Butterflies
John Hinchcliff, Oregon State University Press, 1994.
This is the best source of information that exists on what butterfly species have been found where in Oregon. The book contains a map of Oregon for each species, showing where that species has been documented. The nomenclature is a little out of date, but with a little cross-referencing, its a great resource. No photos, illustrations or other species info.
This is the best source of information that exists on what butterfly species have been found where in Oregon. The book contains a map of Oregon for each species, showing where that species has been documented. The nomenclature is a little out of date, but with a little cross-referencing, its a great resource. No photos, illustrations or other species info.
Available at Oregon State University Book Store along with “Atlas of Washington Butterflies”.
Airplanes in the Garden – Monarch Butterflies Take Flight
Joan Z. Calder, Patio Publishing, 2011.
This unique children’s picture book, containing vibrant watercolor not typically found in a children’s book, is a fun to read story with science facts. The book includes an informative section with migration maps, helpful tips to grow your own butterfly-friendly garden, and a butterfly song, which can be downloaded from the web. The book also contains web addresses to learn more about monarch butterflies.
Butterfly Gardening
Jane Hurwitz, Princeton University Press, 2018.
An indispensable and lavishly illustrated guide to creating a garden that attracts and sustains butterflies. Butterfly gardening creates habitats that support butterflies, connecting us with some of the most beautiful creatures in the natural world and bringing new levels of excitement and joy to gardening. In this engaging and accessible guide, lavishly illustrated with more than two hundred color photographs and maps, accomplished butterfly gardener Jane Hurwitz presents essential information on how to choose and cultivate plants that will attract a range of butterflies to your garden and help sustain all the stages of their life cycles.