Jaret C. Daniels, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Entomology at the University of Florida and Director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of Natural History, specializing in insect ecology and conservation. He has authored numerous scientific papers, popular articles, and books on wildlife conservation, insects, and butterflies, including butterfly field guides for Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Ohio, and Michigan, as well as butterfly quick guides for various regions throughout the United States. He is also the author of such books as Vibrant Butterflies, Backyard Bugs, and Our Love of Bees. Jaret lives in Gainesville, Florida, with his wife, Stephanie.

This pocket-sized guidebook by entomologist Daniels (Univ. of Florida; Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees & Butterflies: Southeast), organized by color, offers a wealth of information. Introductory sections cover butterfly body parts, wing structure, life cycle, observation tips, and Q&A. Each of the almost 200 entries includes species name, wingspan, wing markings above and below, larva markings, host plants, range, and relative abundance (rare; occasional; common). A comments section denotes flight styles, feeding patterns, and congregation points. Photos accompany each entry, most taken by Daniels. Additional resources, like comparison notes for butterflies that look similar and a section of caterpillar photos, add utility.

VERDICT A compact and useful guidebook for libraries in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

--Maggie Knapp, Library Journal