Morton Monarchs

In this fascinating book from the New York Times bestselling author of The Horse, Wendy Williams explores the lives of one of the world’s most resilient creatures—the butterfly—shedding light on the role that they play in our ecosystem and in our human lives.

Butterflies are one of the world’s most beloved insects. From butterfly gardens to zoo exhibitions, they are one of the few insects we’ve encouraged to infiltrate our lives. Yet, what has drawn us to these creatures in the first place? And what are their lives really like? In this groundbreaking book, New York Times bestselling author and science journalist Wendy Williams reveals the inner lives of these “flying flowers”—creatures far more intelligent and tougher than we give them credit for.

Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles each year from Canada to Mexico. Other species have learned how to fool ants into taking care of them. Butterflies’ scales are inspiring researchers to create new life-saving medical technology. Williams takes readers to butterfly habitats across the globe and introduces us to not only various species, but to the scientists who have dedicated their lives to studying them.

Coupled with years of research and knowledge gained from experts in the field, this accessible “butterfly biography” explores the ancient partnership between these special creatures and humans, and why they continue to fascinate us today. Touching, eye-opening, and incredibly profound, The Language of Butterflies reveals the critical role they play in our world.

Make Your Yard a Home for Creatures Great and Small!

Imagine filling your backyard with birds, bees, butterflies, chipmunks, deer, toads and more. That's all possible with the beautiful, yet practical, projects in this book.

Birdhouses & More offers easy-to-follow plans for 25 projects--from feeders, to houses, to birdbaths and beyond. You can make each one quickly with basic materials and a simple set of tools. And the actual construction steps are a breeze, thanks to the thorough instructions, clear photos of key steps and detailed cutting lists that make it easy to plan the materials you'll need.

If you've dreamed of watching wildlife right outside your door, you need this book.

From renowned National Wildlife Federation naturalist and TV host David Mizejewski comes a new book to show you how to create a magical ecosystem right in your backyard! Invite beautiful songbirds, colorful butterflies, buzzing bees and other fascinating wildlife by nurturing a wildlife habitat garden. With more than 200 high-quality photographs, lists of the best native plants to support wildlife and 17 gardening projects the whole family can enjoy, from building bird houses to creating garden ponds, Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition is a must-have resource for nature enthusiasts, gardeners, and animal lovers.

This magnificently illustrated volume does double-duty as a field guide and a handsome reference volume. It shows more than 500 butterfly species and instructs nature lovers on how to identify each of them. Organized into the major butterfly family groups, the book's easy-reference format points out the key characteristics that identify each butterfly type, and describes its habitat, life cycle, and migration season. Every entry is presented with an at-a-glance guide to the butterfly's size, location of origin, and conservation status. A detailed color photo of each specimen clearly shows its unique, intricate markings. Nature lovers and butterfly collectors will find practical tips for locating and studying these beautiful and fragile insects in the wild. More than 500 magnificent color photos and reliable descriptive text combine to make this a must-own reference guide for butterfly enthusiasts everywhere.

The fascinating and complex evolutionary relationship of the monarch butterfly and the milkweed plant

Monarch butterflies are one of nature's most recognizable creatures, known for their bright colors and epic annual migration from the United States and Canada to Mexico. Yet there is much more to the monarch than its distinctive presence and mythic journeying. In Monarchs and Milkweed, Anurag Agrawal presents a vivid investigation into how the monarch butterfly has evolved closely alongside the milkweed—a toxic plant named for the sticky white substance emitted when its leaves are damaged—and how this inextricable and intimate relationship has been like an arms race over the millennia, a battle of exploitation and defense between two fascinating species.

The monarch life cycle begins each spring when it deposits eggs on milkweed leaves. But this dependency of monarchs on milkweeds as food is not reciprocated, and milkweeds do all they can to poison or thwart the young monarchs. Agrawal delves into major scientific discoveries, including his own pioneering research, and traces how plant poisons have not only shaped monarch-milkweed interactions but have also been culturally important for centuries. Agrawal presents current ideas regarding the recent decline in monarch populations, including habitat destruction, increased winter storms, and lack of milkweed—the last one a theory that the author rejects. He evaluates the current sustainability of monarchs and reveals a novel explanation for their plummeting numbers.

Lavishly illustrated with more than eighty color photos and images, Monarchs and Milkweed takes readers on an unforgettable exploration of one of nature's most important and sophisticated evolutionary relationships.

A quick-reference guide to attracting birds and butterflies for gardeners with little experience and time.

In the eye of a bird or butterfly, the typical suburban landscape resembles an unfriendly desert. Closely mowed lawns, tightly clipped shrubs, raked-up borders, and deadheaded flowers mean no place to nest, no food to eat, and nowhere to hide. To the humans who live there, this means no bird songs, no colorful butterflies, no dazzling hummingbirds, no night-sparkling fireflies.

Creating a garden that welcomes these creatures may seem like a confusing and complicated task, but the principles involved are relatively simple. Essentially, wildlife needs food, water, and shelter, just like we do, and this lavishly illustrated guide shows which plants attract which creatures, and how to plant and care for them.
 

- Raise your own butterflies!

- Create a butterfly habitat with 15 projects and activities

- Close-ups of 40 favorite North American butterflies

Everyone enjoys seeing butterflies flitting about on a warm summer day, but few people realize that many species are endangered. Without help, nine out of ten caterpillars won't survive long enough to become butterflies. The "grandfather of butterfly farming," Rick Mikula, wants to improve these odds. In The Family Butterfly Book, Rick shares his vast knowledge, contagious enthusiasm, and deep respect for these fascinating creatures.

Though many of us know that caterpillars turn into butterflies, Rick explains the transformation from start to finish - egg to caterpillar to chrysallis to butterfly - and reveals where each stage can be found in the wilds of our own backyards. With stunning color photographs and detailed illustrations, Rick explains how to attract, safely catch and handle, and raise and support butterflies. He also discusses how to make irresistible habitats for butterflies and emphasizes the importance of basking sites, water sources, and shelter. Did you ever want to hand-feed a butterfly? Have a live-butterfly tree? Feature butterflies in special celebrations? Rick explains all that and more.

Features many do-it-yourelf projects that can be completed for under $10 and 2% of net profitswill be donated to the a butterfly survival fund.

100 rules to garden by

Gardening doesn’t have to be difficult, and Kate Frey—expert gardener and designer—makes it easier than ever with her new book, Ground Rules. Frey distills the vital lessons of gardening into 100 simple rules that will yield a gorgeous, healthy, and thriving home garden. Discover tips on garden design, care and maintenance, healthy soil, and the best ways to water. You’ll also learn how to create a garden that encourages birds and butterflies, how to choose healthy plants at the garden center, how and when to re-pot a container, and much more. With bite-size chunks of expert information and inspiring photographs, Ground Rules is your new go-to resource.

This beginner-friendly handbook helps homeowners create a beautiful garden that attracts birds, bees, butterflies, and more.

In The Ultimate Wildlife Habitat Garden, Stacy Tornio makes it easy to attract birds, bees, and butterflies to your home garden by sharing details about which plants attract specific creatures. Entice birds with black-eyed susans, attract bumblebees by planting bee balm, and more. Choose from ten garden plans, including a hummingbird garden, a birdseed garden, and options that are low-maintenance and drought-resistant. You'll also get advice on finding the right feeder, avoiding pesticides, and choosing native plants. This beautiful, photo-filled guide will enable you to create the earth-friendly garden of your dreams.

“What a wonderful idea for an adventure! Absolutely inspired, timely, and important.” —Alistair Humphreys, National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and author of The Doorstep Mile and Around the World by Bike

Outdoor educator and field researcher Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle along­side monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration—a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts. Her panniers were recycled buckets.
 
In Bicycling with Butterflies, Dykman recounts her incredible journey and the dramatic ups and downs of the nearly nine-month odyssey. We’re beside her as she nav­igates unmapped roads in foreign countries, checks roadside milkweed for monarch eggs, and shares her passion with eager schoolchil­dren, skeptical bar patrons, and unimpressed border officials. We also meet some of the ardent monarch stewards who supported her efforts, from citizen scientists and research­ers to farmers and high-rise city dwellers.
 
With both humor and humility, Dykman offers a compelling story, confirming the urgency of saving the threatened monarch migration—and the other threatened systems of nature that affect the survival of us all.