Butterflies Through Binoculars: The Westa Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America

A while back I wrote a review of the Peterson Series "Field Guide to Western Butterflies", which I had used in the field during the 4th of July Butterfly Count in the Organ Mountains of New Mexico. I gave it five stars as I thought it the best field guide to actually use in the field. The rival Audubon guide to butterflies left me cold because it simply does not show enough detail for identifying hard species. I thus dismissed photo guides because of this bad experience, thinking that artists did better work in illustrating these beautiful insects. I was wrong! There is a way to produce a photo guide to butterflies that actually works and Jeffrey Glassberg has done it! This is the best field guide that I have ever seen for butterflies. The photos, mostly taken by the author, are simply superb! The best thing that Glassberg has done is to standardize the photos so you can compare the same characters. This is a major innovation and must certainly have taken a lot of time. The placing of maps and descriptions opposite the photographic plates is also a major change from the other popular guides. It sure saves a lot of page flipping! I am often laughed at because I still use a 35 mm SLR for photographing insects, but Glassberg's photos (all with a 35 mm SLR) show why it still may pay. Digitals are, I know, the coming thing and will soon overtake SLRs, but most digitals still cannot match an old Nikon FM2n with a 55 mm macro or an Olympus with a 90 mm macro, both of which I use. Glassberg's remarks about how much space digital shots take up (5 MB roughly for a decent high resolution) are probably dated because of gigabyte technology which allows as much as 200 shots at a time, even at high resolution. However, I still like the feel of a SLR and many digitals (but not the more expensive ones) are boxy and difficult to hold. I get irritated with the automatic focus that often keeps me from getting the shot of an easily disturbed subject. Those aside; if you are at all interested in butterflies and can afford only one book, get this guide! It is the new standard for photo guides and it will be hard to ever beat it.

WOW. Great book much better than any other I have seen. The descriptions between different frittillaries is amazing. Down to the small missing line that distinguishes great spangled from nokomis. Did I know that before I got the book? DUH.. NO!!! The best thing about this book is it shows SIDE view AND a TOP view... Many times you only see or photo either top or side. I was very frustrated with other books. I intend to recommend this book on my website theoutdoorgirls.comCherry Emerson, Ph.D.

As a beginner, I was able to pick up this book and start identifying butterflies in the field right away. The pictures are great and make it very easy to see the key features. The descriptions are clear and the additional information on range, habitats, and seasons very helpful.

This field guide is designed to encourage sight identification of butterflies by using field marks and habitat clues, just like birdwatchers do. Jeffrey Glassberg's photographs reveal butterflies in their natural settings as they are actually seen. Glassberg is a superb photographer and he groups similar butterflies on the same page, making comparison and contrast easier. Glassberg has provided all information on facing pages: range map and text on the left, photos on the right. There is no need to flip to another page. The introductory text contains use information on conservation, habitat, binoculars, photography, and tips for improving sight identification. Glassberg's mission, as founder and President of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), has been to promote the nonconsumptive enjoyment of butterflies by the public. This field guide, and its companion Butterflies through Binoculars: the East, do the job.

This field guide is designed to encourage sight identification of butterflies by using field marks and habitat clues, much as birdwatchers do. Jeffrey Glassberg's photographs reveal butterflies in their natural settings as they are actually seen. Glassberg is a superb photographer and he groups similar butterflies on the same page, making comparison and contrast easier. Glassberg has provided all information on facing pages: range map and text on the left, photos on the right. There is no need to flip to another page. The introductory text contains useful information on conservation issues, habitat, photography and tips for improving field skills and sight identification. Glassberg's mission, as founder and President of the North American Butterfly Association, has been to promote the nonconsumptive enjoyment of butterflies by the public. This field guide, and its companion Butterflies through Binouclars: the East, do the job.