This coloring book comprises of fifty accurately rendered, and finely detailed illustrations of 100 species of butterflies and moths. Coloring enthusiasts are invited to use vivid and vibrant colors to bring these winged beauties to life and fly off the page!
     Butterflies, or Lepidoptera as they are scientifically named, are insects. Whereas many people generally regard insects as "creepy crawlies", most people regard butterflies as things of exquisite beauty. In nature they are hunted and eaten by birds, bats, mice, lizards, and other predators. To protect themselves, some have developed great camouflage to make themselves indistinguishable from their surroundings, or imitation eyes to startle away predators. Their wings are a gorgeous kaleidoscope of subtle tints and hues. Their vibrant colors and fine details make them the perfect subject for this coloring book. When colored, you can frame as your own works of art.
     Some of the butterflies included are the Admiral Red, Alcon Blue, Apollo, Arran Brown, Bath White, Black-veined White/Hawthorn, Brimstone, Brown Hair-Streak, Camberwell Beauty, Chalk Hill Blue, Clouded Yellow, Comma, Common Cabbage, Common Copper, Dark Underwig Copper, Dark Green Fritillary, Duke of Burgundy Fritillary, Dusky veined White, Glanville Fritillary, Great Tortoise-shell, Green-veined White, High Brown Fritillary, Howard's White, Large Blue, Large Copper, Large Heath, Marbled White, Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Pale Clouded Yellow, Peacock's Eye, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Pearl-bordered Likeness, Purple Emperor, Purple Hair Streak, Purple-Edged Copper, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Scarce Copper, Scarce Swallow-tail, Scare Clouded Yellow, Scotch Argus, Silver Washed Fritillary, Small Tortoise-shell, Small White, Speckled Wood, Swallow-tail, White Admiral, and Wood White.
     Butterflies go through 4 life stages of development. Egg, larva (or caterpillar), pupa, and adult. This book focusses on their final stage as adult butterflies. 48 of the butterflies in this book are from Britain, and 52 are from other countries. Comprehensive accompanying text provides information on coloration, special characteristics, habitat, and more. Both scientific and common names are given where applicable, and the back cover of the book has illustrations which depict the actual colors of the butterflies.
     With such detailed descriptions, and colored pictures on the back cover, this coloring book can also serve as an inexpensive butterfly identification guide. The original colored pictures and text that this coloring book is derived are from long out of print scientific publications from over a century ago. Because of this, the text has more value for its historical significance than being up to date scientifically. Aspects such as the coloration are accurate, but sadly and unfortunately some of the butterflies are now extinct (such as the British Large Copper, and British Large Blue), or extremely rare, and may no longer be found in places mentioned in this book. Some may also have been renamed. So please view the text in light of its historical value, rather than modern scientific accuracy.
