The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia

Written by one of Australia’s leading lepidopterists, the book is stunningly illustrated with colour photographs, many of which are new, of each of the 435 currently recognised species. There is also a distribution map and flight chart for each species on the Australian mainland, together with information on similar species, variation, behaviour, habitat, status and larval food plants.
The introduction to the book covers adult structure, higher classification, distribution and habitats, as well as life cycle and behaviour. A new chapter on collecting and preserving butterflies is included. There is also an updated checklist of all species, a glossary, a bibliography and indexes of common and scientific names.
Buy from
All About: Butterflies of Australia

This new title investigates the always-popular subject of Australian butterflies.Early chapters explore the lifecycle of these majestic insects, with stunning images showing the progression from egg through caterpillar and chrysalis stages to adult butterfly. It also covers subjects such as defence mechanisms (camouflage, mimicry, etc),feeding and introduced species.
A large section of the book includes identification spreads on key species and families of Australian butterflies. Many of the country s most eye-catching species are covered, including White Nymph, Common Jezabel, Ulysses Butterfly and the gigantic Cairns Birdwing. For many species all stages of the lifecycle are illustrated, with images of eggs, caterpillars at various stages of development, and chrysalises, together with male and female butterflies where they differ significantly in appearance.
Buy from
A Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia: Their Life Histories and Larval Host Plants

Butterflies are probably the best-known group of insects because of their bright colours and the fact that most of them fly during the day. While the majority are tropical there are still reasonable numbers in the cooler climates of southern Australia.
Australia does not have many species compared to other countries that fall within the tropical region – only about 400 species. As a comparison, New Guinea has 1,600 and South America about 7,500.
This book should be read in conjunction with All About Butterflies of Australia (Reed New Holland, 2016) to get an overall view of just what butterflies are about. To save space most of the information in that book has not been repeated here. This publication has concentrated on illustrating as far as possible the adult butterflies, their early stages and the related host plants that the larvae feed on.
What makes this book different from other field guides is that all the illustrations of the butterflies are actual photos of live specimens. In most cases, this is how you will see them in the wild. It is just not possible to have every species as it would take a lifetime to gather live images of all the butterfly species as quite a few are very rare and extremely difficult to find.
Buy from
A Naturalist’s Guide to the Butterflies of Australia

This easy-to-use identification guide to the 280 species of butterfly most commonly seen in Australia is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High-quality photographs from Australia’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habitat and habits. The user-friendly introduction covers the rise of butterflies, pest and pollinators and the life cycle of butterflies. Also included is a checklist of the butterflies of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific names and is IUCN status.
Buy from
Regional Guides
Butterflies: Identification and life history

This guide aims to provide amateur naturalists, bushwalkers and interested others with a detailed account of butterflies found in Victoria and beyond. Information on butterfly behaviour, biology and habitat are all covered in this fascinating book. Although based on butterflies in Victoria, most species can be found all along the east coast of Australia. A handy checklist in the back of the book provides an instant summary of which species can be found in each state. Species descriptions are accompanied by stunning colour photographs of all the life stages of the butterfly, as well as their food plants or habitat.
Buy from
Butterflies of Tasmania
Covers biology, life cycles, behaviour, food-plants, distribution, conservation, and classification. All species that occur in Tasmania are discussed, many of which also occur on the Australian mainland.
Field Guide to the Butterflies of the ACT
A beautiful book with detailed notes and photographs of the wide range of butterflies found across the Australian Capital Territory.