John M. Dole, Walter B. Gerard, and John M. Nelson
University of Oklahoma Press, Norman
2004, 288 pp.
Price: $24.95, soft cover
ISBN: 0-8061-3554-9

Butterflies are the most recognized and popular group of insects, and this is reflected in the large number of butterfly guides that have been published in recent years. This identification guide covers a geographic region of the United States that is not well known to butterfly collectors: the southern Great Plains. What makes this region unique is that it straddles the 100th meridian, the traditional demarcation between East andWest, which brings eastern and western butterflies together in this area.

The Introduction acquaints the reader with short descriptions of the geography, ecology, climate, natural history, and biodiversity of the butterflies from the southern plains. The book is then divided into two main sections: “Species Accounts,” and “Butterflies at Home and in Nature.” The book is enhanced by an appendix that provides a checklist of 258 species and their distributions in Oklahoma, Kansas, and north Texas, and a glossary. An extensive bibliography covers a variety of topics on butterfly identification and biology.

The authors cover 100 regularly occurring species found in Oklahoma, Kansas, and northern Texas. Each species is illustrated, with up to 4 color photographs of individuals as seen in nature. Only two species are represented by spread specimens. The subheadings for each species account include size, description, similar species, habitat, major food plants, abundance, season, and comments. Distribution maps for each species show counties where specimens have been collected.

The second part of the book consists of six chapters. The first chapter, “Life Stages and Raising Butterflies,” discusses methods of making enclosures for caterpillar rearing and tells how to obtain eggs and caterpillars, and provide the care and feeding necessary to produce adult butterflies. Chapter 2, “Butterfly Survival,” provides information on how butterflies reproduce, the problems of survival in the natural world, and butterfly conservation, with specific examples of how butterflies are being affected by habitat destruction and climate change.

Butterfly gardening has become a very popular activity, and in Chapter 3, the authors describe the basic elements necessary to set up and maintain an attractive butterfly garden. Butterflies need nectar sources and food plants for caterpillars; and this chapter provides a list of easily cultivated plants, including native and nonnative nectar sources and common native trees and shrubs that host several butterfly caterpillars.

The fourth chapter, “Butterfly Hotspots,” details where you can go in each state to observe butterflies. These areas range from commercial butterfly houses and gardens to state and national preserves that are located in a variety of habitats associated with the southern plains. Butterfly species lists are given for many of the botanical gardens and preserves mentioned in this chapter. The next chapter, on photographing butterflies, provides information on equipment, film, and tactics and techniques to successfully photograph butterflies in their natural surroundings.

The final chapter, “Identifying Butterflies,” gives a systematic approach to butterfly identification. To begin the identification process, a table provides general characters to each of the 18 butterfly groups defined in Part 1, such as swallowtails, whites and sulphurs, and harvesters. Once a group is known, the reader can consult that section of the book and compare photographs and descriptions to match the butterfly. The authors provide other hints to consider, such as habitat, time of year, and distribution, to help narrow in on a correct identification.

The photographs in this book are excellent and provide sufficient characters to identify most species. Because most butterflies hold their wings above the body when resting, some groups, particularly the sulphurs, do not show the dorsal surface of the wing, which is more diagnostic than the ventral surface shown in the species photographs. The major divisions within the book are listed by common names, with no indication of the scientific names, such as family or tribe, to which these divisions belong. A short section on the higher-level classification of butterflies would have been helpful to the first-time butterfly enthusiast.

Butterflies of Oklahoma, Kansas, and North Texas is a wonderful guide to this little-known area of North America. Researchers and amateurs will enjoy this book with its wealth of information on the natural history as well as an identification guide to the most common butterflies of this region. By only illustrating the most commonly encountered species, the authors have made sure that the first-time butterfly observer will not be overburdened with species accounts of rare or infrequently encountered strays.

Michael G. Pogue
Research Entomologist, USDA/SEL
mpogue@sel.barc.usda.gov
American Entomologist
Vol. 51, No.2, Summer 2005