Field Guides & Other Resources
Albert Orr, Roger Kitching, The Butterflies of Australia
A complete guide to Australian butterflies, with hundreds of beautiful illustrations in typical habitats. This book offers a unique guide to help identify the nearly 400 species to which our continent plays host but with its focus on living butterflies, it is a non-technical introduction to butterfly biology, history, ecology, evolution and conservation. Butterflies are shown in life, flying or perched, among the plants and animals of their natural habitat, while others document the Australian butterfly species, with beautiful diagnostic half-wing illustrations of pinned specimens. It also explains and illustrates butterfly behaviour and ecology, and in so doing meets the needs of both the butterfly watcher and general nature lover. The book is too big to carry around with you, but it’s a very rewarding publication to learn about butterflies at your leisure. - 2011, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest NSW, 336 pages
Michael F. Braby, The Complete Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia (2nd edition)
The bestselling guide to Australian butterflies. This award-winning book is a fully updated guide to all butterfly species on Australia's mainland and remote islands. 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 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. - 2016, CSIRO Publishing, Clayton South Vic, 400 pages
Garry Sankowsky, A Field Guide to Butterflies of Australia. Their Life Histories and Larval Host Plants
A comprehensive guide to Australian butterflies. Key features are not only images of live butterflies but also photos documenting the different life stages (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, etc) for many and images of host plants, important factors in locating butterflies. On average each of the 350+ butterfly species included have one page of coverage, although some of the larger and more well-known species have up to three pages and some of the smaller species are set at two or three species to a page. There is a distribution map for each species. - 2020, Reed New Holland, Sydney NSW, 400 pages
Paul Zborowski, Ted Edwards, A Guide to Australian Moths
With striking colour photographs of live moths in their natural habitat, this guide illustrates all the major moth families in Australia, including some rarely seen species. It provides many curious facts about the unusual aspects of moth biology, including details on day-flying species, camouflage, moths that mimic wasps, larvae with stinging hairs, and larvae that have gills. This easy-to-read book highlights the environmental role of moths, their relationships with other animals and plants, and their importance to humans. It provides a unique introduction to the extraordinary diversity of moths found in Australia. - 2007, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood Victoria, 226 pages
John T. Moss, Ross Kendall, The Mistletoes of Subtropical Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria
A comprehensive reference book and a field guide to all 46 species of mistletoe known to occur in subtropical Queensland, New Soth Wales and Victoria. It provides a detailed introduction to mistletoes, their biology and current information on the roles they play in various ecosystems. Each species is illustrated by colour photographs supported by detailed plant descriptions, information on habitat and host plants. It also provides details of the 34 butterfly and three moth species that use various mistletoes as hosts. This book is a key reference for anyone with an interest in the natural world. - 2016, Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club, Runcorn, 134 pages
Helen Schwencke, Frank Jordan, Create More Butterflies
This guide to 48 butterflies and their host-plants for South-east Queensland and Northern New South Wales is valuable book not only for the home gardener. It is packed with over 250 photos of the life cycles of the featured butterflies. Of particular interest are the many species that are easily attracted to breed in any garden, if the food plants for the different species of butterflies' caterpillars are provided. There are separate sections on getting started, native food plants we can share parts of, where to find good butterfly watching places in south-east Queensland, observing nature, raising caterpillars, the relationships butterflies and other creatures have with each other, nectar plants, and some spectacular day-flying and other moths. - 2020 (2nd revised edition), Earthling Enterprises, West End, 90 pages
John T. Moss, Butterfly Host Plants of South-east Queensland and Northern New South Wales (4th edition), compiled for Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club
This book is a labour of love and lists over 500 plant species which are hosts to the immature stages of around 200 SEQ butterflies and ten different moths. To assess the potential for butterflies in your garden or in bushland reserves you need to look beyond nectar plants and find out whether the larvae have their needs fulfilled. Don’t expect illustrations, this is an important publication to work with. It’s a must have for anyone wanting to attract butterflies to their garden or any rehabilitation area. - 2019, Butterflies and Other Invertebrates Club, Runcorn, 72 pages
Helen Schwencke, Dick Copeman, Inviting Nature to Dinner
This book is all about the benefits of bringing biodiversity to our backyards, and about how we can begin to make a difference by planting native hosts and with that supporting healthy populations of insects that will support the whole complex web of life. The authors take the reader on an exciting journey into the world of small creatures. Based on both academic and citizen science, eminently readable and beautifully illustrated, their text also provides practical advice on designing your garden and sourcing plants for it, so that you too can join them in Inviting Nature to Dinner. - 2020, Earthling Enterprises, West End, 118 pages
