Butterflies through Binoculars: The West A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America (Glassberg Field Guide Series)

Butterflies through Binoculars: The West A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America (Glassberg Field Guide Series)
by Jeffrey Glassberg

Butterflies through Binoculars: The West A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America (Glassberg Field Guide Series)
List Price: $24.95
Our Price: $15.03
You Save: $9.92 (40%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.05 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: Jeffrey Glassberg
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-07-26
ISBN: 0195106695
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Book Reviews of Butterflies through Binoculars: The West A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America (Glassberg Field Guide Series)

Book Review: Fantastic field guide / ID reference
Summary: 5 Stars

A quick summary for anyone who doesn't want to read my ramblings. This is a great identification reference. It is intended only as an identification guide. And as that, it is excellent. But with so many butterflies described, the casual butterfly observers may want a smaller book / chart with only local species for easier lookup (perhaps in addition).

First, it is important to know what this is. It is a field guide to aid in identification of butterflies and skippers, with very good photos for that end. The photos may not be artistically pleasing to everyone, but they are taken in such a way to best present the butterfly for identification. Unique identification characteristics of individual species are pointed out when they will aid in the identification. Size and geographical distribution is also given. On each photo the author also tells you how large the photo is compared to a real specimen.

This is not a butterfly reference book. You will not find detailed information about the butterflies in this book. Instead, you will be able to identify what you find, and then use the name to look up more details on that butterfly in another book / the Internet.

This is also not a coffee table book with large glossy photos of butterflies. Due to the sheer number of species described in the book, each photo is rather small, and as mentioned earlier, may not be artistically pleasing to everyone. Little attention is paid to the background, since that is not very important to identification. When the plant the butterfly frequents is important to the identification, it will be mentioned in the text.

The sheer number of butterflies in this guide can be overwhelming to the casual observer. I don't know if I'll ever see more than 1% to 2% of the butterflies listed here. Since the butterflies are not sorted by region, getting a less comprehensive book with local species only may be easier for the casual observer. This book stays at home, while I carry a small laminated "quick guide" to common local butterflies.

I don't observe them through binoculars (the book does have a short section on that as well), I photograph them. There's a short section on butterfly photography that, while mainly focused on film photography, does contain some good tips.

The only thing I have not been able to identify definitively so far with this book are skippers.

Summary of Butterflies through Binoculars: The West A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America (Glassberg Field Guide Series)

This field guide offers a comprehensive display of all the magnificent butterflies of the western region, stretching from the plains of middle America to the Pacific coast, and from southwestern Canada all the way to the Hawaiian islands.

Jeffrey Glassberg's acclaimed Butterflies Through Binoculars series has essentially revolutionized the way we view butterflies. Featuring an extensive array of photographs, this new volume offers expert guidance in locating, identifying, and enjoying all the butterflies of the West. In fact, together with its companion volume Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East, every type of butterfly from the continental United States is described and, in most cases, photographed. As a complement to its outstanding instruction in spotting both rare and common butterfly species, the volume also includes range maps, advice on food plants, wing areas, flight times, and a host of other butterfly facts. Moreover, each stunning photograph contains identification marks, shown clearly for ease in positive identification.

From butterfly biology to butterfly conservation, this useful and practical field guide provides all the necessary information to make your butterfly experience a success. Whether you are a butterfly enthusiast, a birder, a conservationist, or a nature lover in general, this guide is the ideal accompaniment to your search for western butterflies.

Butterflies Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Butterflies Books
Look--A Butterfly (Now I Know) ImageLook--A Butterfly (Now I Know)
by David Cutts
Troll Communications; Published: 1989-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.50
Life of the Butterfly (Carolrhoda Nature Watch Book) ImageLife of the Butterfly (Carolrhoda Nature Watch Book)
by Andres Fischer-Nagel, Heiderose Fischer-Nagel
Carolrhoda Books; Published: 1987-03; Library Binding; Book
Price in other shops: $19.95
del Huevo a la Mariposa = From Egg to Butterfly (de Principio a Fin) (Spanish Edition) Imagedel Huevo a la Mariposa = From Egg to Butterfly (de Principio a Fin) (Spanish Edition)
by Shannon Zemlicka
Ediciones Lerner; Published: 2006-10; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $19.49
Price in other shops: $19.93
Butterfly (Observing Nature) ImageButterfly (Observing Nature)
by Stephen Savage
Steck-Vaughn; Published: 1995-01; Library Binding; Book
Price in other shops: $24.26
Butterflies (Nature Close-Ups Series) ImageButterflies (Nature Close-Ups Series)
by Hidetomo Oda
Raintree Publishers; Published: 1986-06; Library Binding; Book
Price in other shops: $17.96
The Illustrated  Encyclopedia  of Butterflies ImageThe Illustrated Encyclopedia of Butterflies
by John Feltwell
Book Sales; Published: 2001-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $45.00
The Butterfly Handbook: The Definitive Reference for Every Enthusiast (Quarto Book) ImageThe Butterfly Handbook: The Definitive Reference for Every Enthusiast (Quarto Book)
by Lee D. Miller, Jacqueline Miller, Dr. Lee Miller, Dr. Jacqueline Miller
Barron's Educational Series; Published: 2004-03-01; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $25.00
Cal 99 Butterflies ImageCal 99 Butterflies
Browntrout Pubs (Cal); Published: 1998-07; Calendar; Book
Price in other shops: $10.99
Butterfly ImageButterfly
by Thomas Marent
DK Publishing; Published: 2008-03-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $83.92
The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Butterflies and Moths: A Natural History and Identification Guide (Illustrated World Encyclopaedi) ImageThe Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Butterflies and Moths: A Natural History and Identification Guide (Illustrated World Encyclopaedi)
by Sally Morgan
Anness; Published: 2012-03-16; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $22.86
Price in other shops: $35.00
Similar Books and other products
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America ImageThe Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America
by David Allen Sibley
Random; Knopf; Published: 2003-04-29; Turtleback; Book
Best price: $12.11
Price in other shops: $19.95
An Introduction to Southern California Butterflies ImageAn Introduction to Southern California Butterflies
by Fred Heath
Mountain Press Publishing Company; Published: 2004-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $20.56
Price in other shops: $22.00
Pentax 62215 Papilio 6.5x21 Porro Prism Binocular ImagePentax 62215 Papilio 6.5x21 Porro Prism Binocular
Pentax; Release date: 2005-07-01; Digital Camera
Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West (Princeton Field Guides) ImageDragonflies and Damselflies of the West (Princeton Field Guides)
by Dennis Paulson
Princeton University Press; Published: 2009-04-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $19.84
Price in other shops: $29.95
Dragonflies through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America (Butterflies Through Binoculars Series) ImageDragonflies through Binoculars: A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America (Butterflies Through Binoculars Series)
by Sidney W. Dunkle
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2000-10-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.99
Price in other shops: $29.95
Caterpillars in the Field and Garden: A Field Guide to the Butterfly Caterpillars of North America (Butterflies [Or Other] Through Binoculars) ImageCaterpillars in the Field and Garden: A Field Guide to the Butterfly Caterpillars of North America (Butterflies [Or Other] Through Binoculars)
by Thomas J. Allen, James P. Brock, Jeffrey Glassberg
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2005-06-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.90
Price in other shops: $29.95
A Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guide) ImageA Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guide)
by Paul A. Opler
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 1999-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.28
Price in other shops: $24.00
Butterflies through Binoculars: The East A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Eastern North America (Butterflies Through Binoculars Series) ImageButterflies through Binoculars: The East A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Eastern North America (Butterflies Through Binoculars Series)
by Jeffrey Glassberg
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1999-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.79
Price in other shops: $24.95
Butterflies of North America (Kaufman Field Guides) ImageButterflies of North America (Kaufman Field Guides)
by Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2006-09-01; Vinyl Bound; Book
Best price: $12.21
Price in other shops: $19.95
Pentax 62216 Papilio 8.5x21 Porro Prism Binocular ImagePentax 62216 Papilio 8.5x21 Porro Prism Binocular
Pentax; Release date: 2005-07-01; Digital Camera
Price in other shops: $200.00
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories