Kaufman Field Guide To Butterflies Of North America: The Most User-Friendly Visual Reference with 2,300+ Images, Range Maps, and Rare Species

This book encompasses close to everything you need to know to identify butterflies. A must have for everybody from beginners to experts. I have several copies of this book and the previous edition as well. I keep one in my truck, my desk at home, my office, my camera bag, at the ranch and have given several to friends and relatives. Great pics with Identification markings, range, seasons, host plants and so much more! All the top ratings this book has received prove it is the best investment you'll ever make. This edition includes rarities from my area of south Texas that everyone north of me can only drool or should I say dream about. Anyone who comes to south Texas will get to see several hundred butterflies identified in this book. Durable indeed and it fits into the back pocket of your jeans too! Now if we could only convince the authors to publish one that includes photos of each butterfly species egg, caterpillar stages, chrysalis and larval host plants! I'd need a wheelbarrow to haul it around no doubt but I'd surely never need to buy any other butterfly or caterpillar book!

I am astounded at the sheer number of butterflies just in North America

I have long been a supporter of accurate paintings/drawings as illustrations for natural history field guides and still think that the illustrations in many of the volumes in the Peterson field guide series are generally better than their photographic counterparts. However, as a casual observer of butterflies in the field, I have not been happy with the illustrations in A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies by Paul Opler, illustrated by Vichai Malikul, in the Peterson series. For example, in the Opler & Malikul book the illustrations for distinguishing apart in dorsal view the Painted Lady Vanessa cardui and the American Lady Vanessa virginiensis are quite inadequate (Opler & Malikul Plate 23). So I was looking for an alternative and the comments by other reviewers of the Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America by Jim P. Brock and Kenn Kaufman encouraged me to purchase this book. I have used the book only for a short time but I too have found the digitally edited photographs perfect for the purpose of illustrating a butterfly field guide. The range of illustrations is excellent and the depiction of the butterflies as they are seen in nature (rather than as pinned and spread museum specimens) is very helpful and appropriate. Of course I will continue to check Opler's text and Malikul's illustrations in the Peterson guide but my "go to" book of choice for butterfly identification will now be the Brock & Kaufman volume. A really well-organized, well-written and well-illustrated field guide that gets the job done!

I grew up with Peterson Field Guides, and continue to use them; but, for butterflies, this Kaufman Guide is better. It's organization is similar enough that a Peterson user will find the transition easy.

Beautifully illustrated and detailed guide to butterflies of North America. The guide breaks down how to identify butterflies correctly by telling you what to look for; size, shape, posture, flight style, and fine details. As a beginner this is very helpful because some look very similar, such as the California Sister or the Lorquin's Admiral. There is so much information but the guide makes it easy by providing clear info on ranges, habitat and seasons, plus how to accurately use the guide itself. As with the "Field Guide to Birds of North America," Kaufman Guides do not disappoint.

My go to guide

When I was younger I had the Holland butterfly/moth books and I was looking for a comprehensive alternative that would have more updated information (a lot of the genuses and some of the species names have changed since Holland died). This book was priced right and seems comprehensive. I couldn't find anything missing. I think it's a great book.

It took me two years to understand the value of this great guide to North American butterfly ID, but I finally read the introduction ;-) I've been(seriously) trying to photograph butterflies for the past 6 years. It isn't easy. The frantic behavior of these beautiful insects during mating and the seeming fact that they don't ever land during migration, makes them difficult at best. But even after shooting, identifying them is a daunting task. In lieu of a good butterfly app (that doesn't exist), I can take Kaufman's Field Guide and usually find what I'm looking for. The PICTORIAL Table of Contents - as simple a concept as can be - is fantastic! It helps you get an idea as to the grouping of species. It took a couple of years, but just tonight, I noticed that I had mislabeled a Lorquin's Admiral AND a Red Admiral (on the cover)and totally missed a California Sister! Just finding a butterfly named the California Sister (and why) is enough to put this book over the top. There are few really good guides out there, but this is one of them.

Excellent product, the best field guide for butterflies that I could find, and I tried many. It is structured perfectly, with descriptive text and range maps adjacent to the colour plates, so no need to flip pages from plates to text as required by the National Audubon Society Field Guide (my other favourite). When a plate image looks similar to specimen sighted, a quick glance at the range map immediately allows for rejecting the way-out-of-range butterflies as a possible id. Great detail on Male & Female butterfly identification where different colouration and patterns exist, as well as on variations within the species, geographical and otherwise. Very comprehensive, with more species shown than any other guide I use. The vinyl cover, can take a beating. Great print and paper quality. A real handy tool and a winner. Thank you Jim & Kenn for a product that reflects your passion for bringing butterfly observation and identification out of the realm of entomology specialists.

A very interesting and easy-to-use book.

I have not had very much time, as yet, to study the book, and it is obviously something to refer to from time to time, rather than read through fully. However, it appears to be all I need in order to compare butterflies of Europe with the butterflies of the US. I communicate with several American friends in a forum and we share an interest in wildlife.

Excellent well made pocket book. Great once you get used to the format.

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