Lori A. Spencer
Foreword by Robert Michael Pyle; Don R. Simons, Principal Photographer
It's a good sign when a regional book develops a 'buzz' outside of it range. Unlike most books, the text describes the larva of each species, and includes some pictures as well. The author describes her "ah-ha" moment when she discovered the wonders of butterfly metamorphosis after a 5th grade homework assignment. Her book reflects the joy learning about butterflies has given her through out her life. The book is nicely arranged, with full sized photos facing the species write-ups. Although the author says, "...there isn't much to differentiate my descriptions from those in other field guides. This book should be thought of as a companion to other field guides that cover butterflies and moths across the country," she neglects to mention the little tidbits she includes, and the quotes that begin each section that differentiates this book!
From the publisher: "A gorgeous guide to the beautiful butterflies and moths of Arkansas
This beautiful book continues the Ozark Society Foundation’s nature series created almost forty years ago and is the first time that all of Arkansas’s rich population of butterflies and moths has been written about. Most of the butterflies and moths in this guide are found throughout the eastern United States and parts of the western states. Lori Spencer facilitates species identification by presenting detailed text entries alongside lavish, full-sized photographs.
The book includes 263 species descriptions and more than 300 color photographs, among them shots of larvae. General information about butterfly gardening and prime butterfly locations is also included. Spencer discusses each species’ life cycle, survival, anatomy, and behavior, as well as presenting collection of specimens. Maps break down the regions—and hot spots—where they are found. The guide features an extensive glossary and three indexes listing common names, scientific names, and caterpillar host plants.
“This new book is as pretty as a fritillary and as loaded as a Luna Moth with sheer fascination of its topic. . . . Excellent and innovative.”
—Robert Michael Pyle, author of Chasing Monarchs and The Butterflies of Cascadia
“This much anticipated and long awaited book lives up to my expectations and more!! What a wonderful reference for all the butterfly lovers of the world.”
—Janet B. Carson, extension horticulture specialist, University of Arkansas
Paperback, 300 pages, 6 x 9 inches, 363 color photographs, drawings, maps, indexes, glossary; October 2006.
Lori A. Spencer is a professional entomologist, lepidopterist, and interpreter whose nature programs are in wide demand throughout Arkansas. She coordinates the Mount Magazine Butterfly Festival and consults for federal and state agencies on butterfly management. She is the author of numerous articles, many of them published in Ozarks Mountaineer."
