The definitive guide for butterfly gardeners, teachers, naturalists, and students in the southern U.S.
This book makes identifying and understanding caterpillars simple, with hundreds of color photos and clear, field-ready information. Learn about:
•167 caterpillar species and 185 host plants
•Caterpillar anatomy, behavior, ecology, and defenses
•Life cycles, habitats, and maps — including comparisons across 18 butterfly families
•How to find, identify, and even raise caterpillars
Florida’s mild climate and plant diversity mean caterpillars thrive here, including temperate species, tropical visitors from the Caribbean, and unique local races.
For anyone puzzled by munching caterpillars, the advice is simple: watch them. They’re vital to ecosystems, help naturally prune plants, and reveal the miracle of metamorphosis as they transform into winged butterflies.
Authors Marc C. Minno, Jerry F. Butler, and Donald W. Hall combine decades of expertise to make this a must-have field guide for southern butterfly enthusiasts.
"A fantastic guide to Florida's butterfly caterpillars and their host plants. A comprehensive work on butterfly caterpillars has been needed for a long time. This does an excellent job of filling that need."--Joseph D. Culin, Clemson University