A Field Guide to Western Butterflies

by Roger Tory Peterson, Paul A. Opler, Amy Bartlett Wright

This all-new edition includes more than 590 species, illustrated in lifelike positions on beautiful new color plates. With descriptions of all the butterflies that occur west of the 100th meridian in the United States and Canada, this guide has accurate information on ranges, habitats, flight seasons, food plants, and more. Brand-new color range maps and more than 100 color photographs accompany the species descriptions. Paul Opler is the author of several books, including the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies. He is a professor and senior research scientist at Colorado State University and a vice president of the North American Butterfly Association. Amy Bartlett Wright wrote and illustrated the Peterson First Guide to Caterpillars and illustrated the Peterson First Guide to Butterflies and Moths.

  • Format: eBook
  • ISBN-13/ EAN: 9780547351148
  • ISBN-10: 0547351143
  • Pages: 560
  • Publication Date: 04/15/1999
About the Book
About the Authors
Excerpts
  • About the Book
    This guide includes more than 590 species, illustrated in lifelike positions on beautiful new color plates. With descriptions of all the butterflies that occur west of the 100th meridian in the United States and Canada, this guide has accurate information on ranges, habitats, flight seasons, food plants, and more. Color range maps and more than 100 color photographs accompany the species descriptions. Paul Opler is the author of several books, including the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies. Amy Bartlett Wright wrote and illustrated the Peterson First Guide to Caterpillars and illustrated the Peterson First Guide to Butterflies and Moths.
  • About the Author

    Roger Tory Peterson

    ROGER TORY PETERSON, one of the world's greatest naturalists, received every major award for ornithology, natural science, and conservation as well as numerous honorary degrees, medals, and citations, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Peterson Identification System has been called the greatest invention since binoculars.

    Paul A. Opler

    Amy Bartlett Wright

    Amy Bartlett Wright has contributed to the Peterson Field Guide series, and her illustrations have been exhibited at the Smithsonian's Ripley Center.  

  • Excerpts
    American Copper Lycaena phlaeas Pl. 14 7?8–11?4 in. (22–30 mm). Small. Sexes similar. Upperside: Forewing iridescent fiery red-orange; hindwing gray with red-orange border on outer edge. Underside: Hindwing gray with small black spots and zigzag red-orange submarginal line. SIMILAR SPECIES: (1) Ruddy and (2) Lustrous Coppers are similar in color but lack gray hindwing and marginal orange band. EARLY STAGES: Caterpillar varies from green to rose red; some have red stripe up middle of back. FOOD: Sheep sorrel, rarely curled dock, on plains east of Rockies; alpine sorrel in western mountains and Arctic. FLIGHT: May–Sept. (2 flights) on plains; July–Aug. (1 flight) in West and Arctic. RANGE: Holarctic. In N. Amer. probably introduced from Europe to eastern half of continent. Native populations in Arctic and western alpine habitats from Alaska, Yukon, and arctic islands south discontinuously to cen. Calif., ne. Ore., Idaho-Mont. border, cen. Utah, and nw. Wyo. HABITAT: Introduced populations in waste lots and hayfields; native western populations on tundra and rocky alpine slopes. REMARKS: American Copper is a misnomer for the introduced eastern populations of this butterfly, but it is a traditional name of long standing.

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