Introduction
Conservation
The structure of a butterfly
The life cycle of a butterfly
The six butterfly families
How to use this guide
At-a-glance guide
Main descriptions
Swallowtail
Skippers
Whites and yellows
Browns
Fritillaries, admirals and tortoiseshells
Duke of Burgundy
Coppers, hairstreaks and blues
Extinct species and rare migrants
Day-flying moths

Further reading
Index

Over forty years, Richard Lewington has built up a reputation as one of Europe's finest wildlife illustrators. He first became interested in butterflies as a child when he inherited a cabinet of insects. He studied graphic design at the Berkshire College of Art, and since leaving in 1971 has specialised in natural-history illustration. His meticulous paintings of insects and other wildlife are the mainstay of many of the modern classics of field-guide art. He has also designed and illustrated wildlife stamps for a number of countries.

The second edition of Richard Lewington's pocket guide to the butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland
Presented in an accessible, easy-to-use format, this is an ideal guide for both beginners and more experienced enthusiasts. It includes more than 600 superb illustrations of all the life stages of each species, together with beautiful artworks of the butterflies in their natural settings and pertinent species information, distribution maps and life history charts.
The second edition features a new, illustrated 'at-a-glance' identification guide, updated distribution maps and species accounts, and new spreads and artwork for the Cryptic Wood White and Scarce Tortoiseshell.