The Family Butterfly Book: Projects, Activities, and a Field Guide to 40 Favorite North American Species

My 3 year old sat & studied this book for hours, literally! I am completely fascinated by all the facts & pictures in the book, & have had fun learning about butterflies along with my kids. We have caught 3 caterpillars since first reading this book, & have released one swallowtail after it emerged from its chrysalis. What fun!

This book is unbelievable. The paper is glossy and heavyweight. There are photographs throughout. The text is interspersed with sidebars, tidbits, and photographs. Mikula dispels myths such as the one about butterflies will die if you touch their wings. Easy to understand information is given about the life cycle of the butterfly with photographs of every stage. How to raise butterflies in various ways, even how to catch butterflies in the wild and help them mate are given in such easy to follow methods that Mikula has me believing I can do this! Project instructions for making a homemade butterfly net and a hanging butterfly cage are included. We even learn how to properly hold a butterfly and how to hand feed them! I thought only butterfly specialist-scientists could do this stuff! You will be surprised to learn that not only does Mikula recommend raising butterflies to release into the wild, but also raising them indoors and letting them fly around your house (and never go outdoors)!Information about the plants, shrubs and trees that the caterpillars and butterflies need is provided, which plant material for which species of butterfly is all outlined. Mikula explains that the use of herbicides and pesticides as being poisonous to butterflies and encourages organic gardening. Some garden designs for butterfly gardens are provided. Mikula's passion for butterflies is apparent throughout the book as the text just cries out his enthusiasm. There are so many detailed hints and tips such as what color clothing to wear when approaching butterflies in the wild, to not use fabric softener when approaching butterflies, and that the wooden butterfly boxes don't work as their sellers would have you believe. And did you know that butterflies would benefit from a water source in your yard? Of course full instructions for the best water feature for butterflies is given. Full color illustrations of different species of butterflies are provided with illustrations of not only the butterfly, but the caterpillar, larvae, eggs, and chrysalis. This is along with listing of the host plants, nectar plants, size and the regions they live in. This section comprises about 50 pages of the book and is very helpful. This book is a great reference to learn about butterflies and a great source of butterfly projects.. Of course you can take the plunge and go full tilt and raise your own butterflies! If you choose to do so, all the information is right here.

If you have a child in your family that loves butterflies, this is a book you must own. Rick Mikula covers every aspect of butterflies in the colorful pages. You'll learn ways to raise butterflies at home with your family, best ways to watch them, plants they like and so much more! I am a nature center director. We use this book all the time. We give copies to our volunteers, show it to families that come in to see our butterfly displays, recommend it to teachers, and use the ideas included on a regular basis. If you ever have the opportunity to see Rick Mikula speak, don't miss it! Once you meet the "grandfather of butterflies," you'll be hooked on butterflies forever!

I didn't know there was a grandfather of butterfly farming, but I found this book and what a gem it is! This detailed book is a beautiful guide to learning about butterflies. The author provides information about butterflies and then shows how to attract and study them. The experience is quite extensive and provides projects to enhance creative study. Fantastic for home and classroom!

I could go on and on about this book! It's a wealth of information for the beginning butterfly gardener! Great info, colorful pictures, everything you need to know to get started attracting butterflies into your yard. Highly reccomended reading! :o)