Florissant Butterflies

Florissant Butterflies PDF Author: Thomas C. Emmel
Publisher: Stanford University Press
ISBN: 9780804720182
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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Book Description
This is a well-illustrated treatment of and guide to all the fossil and present-day species of butterflies in one of the richest areas in North America for butterfly diversity and study. For much of the year, the meadows, forests, and grassy slopes of the Florissant region of central Colorado are alive with butterflies - nearly 100 species of these fascinating and beautiful creatures. Many of them have unusual life histories: the larvae (caterpillars) of one species take two years to mature; others develop close associations with ants; and the adults of some species live only a few days, whereas others survive for months in winter hibernation. Central Colorado is also the site of the florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, which has yielded 12 of the 44 known species of butterfly fossils in the world. To find fossils of these delicate-winged creatures in such a perfect state of preservation is one of the wonders of nature, since the fossils have endured 35 million years of geologic activity, erosion, and climate change. Remarkably, most of the fossil species are closely related to various present-day species.

Florissant Butterflies

Florissant Butterflies PDF Author: Thomas C. Emmel
Publisher: Stanford University Press
ISBN: 9780804720182
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 154

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Book Description
This is a well-illustrated treatment of and guide to all the fossil and present-day species of butterflies in one of the richest areas in North America for butterfly diversity and study. For much of the year, the meadows, forests, and grassy slopes of the Florissant region of central Colorado are alive with butterflies - nearly 100 species of these fascinating and beautiful creatures. Many of them have unusual life histories: the larvae (caterpillars) of one species take two years to mature; others develop close associations with ants; and the adults of some species live only a few days, whereas others survive for months in winter hibernation. Central Colorado is also the site of the florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, which has yielded 12 of the 44 known species of butterfly fossils in the world. To find fossils of these delicate-winged creatures in such a perfect state of preservation is one of the wonders of nature, since the fossils have endured 35 million years of geologic activity, erosion, and climate change. Remarkably, most of the fossil species are closely related to various present-day species.

The Fossil Butterflies of Florissant

The Fossil Butterflies of Florissant PDF Author: Samuel Hubbard Scudder
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Butterflies, Fossil
Languages : en
Pages : 52

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Book Description
Extract from the eighth annual report of the Director [of the U.S. Geological Survey], 1886-'87.

Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior

Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey to the Secretary of the Interior PDF Author: Geological Survey (U.S.)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Forest reserves
Languages : en
Pages : 652

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Book Description


Butterfly People

Butterfly People PDF Author: William R. Leach
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 1400076927
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 449

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Book Description
With 32 pages of full-color inserts and black-and-white illustrations throughout. From one of our most highly regarded historians, here is an original and engrossing chronicle of nineteenth-century America's infatuation with butterflies—“flying flowers”—and the story of the naturalists who unveiled the mysteries of their existence. A product of William Leach's lifelong love of butterflies, this engaging and elegantly illustrated history shows how Americans from all walks of life passionately pursued butterflies, and how through their discoveries and observations they transformed the character of natural history. In a book as full of life as the subjects themselves and foregrounding a collecting culture now on the brink of vanishing, Leach reveals how the beauty of butterflies led Americans into a deeper understanding of the natural world.

The Language of Butterflies

The Language of Butterflies PDF Author: Wendy Williams
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 1501178067
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
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.

Life in Amber

Life in Amber PDF Author: George O. Poinar
Publisher: Stanford University Press
ISBN: 9780804720014
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
"Amber is a semi-precious gem that is formed over eons by natural forces out of the resin of trees. Human fascination with amber dates back to prehistoric times, when it was probably considered to have magical powers and was used for adornment and trade. Amber amulets and beads dating from 35,000 to 1,800 B.C. have been found, and where they have been found (for example in graves hundreds of miles from their chemically determined origins) has often helped to establish ancient trade routes." "The preservative qualities of plant resins were well known by the ancients. The Egyptians used resins to embalm their dead, and the Greeks used them to preserve their wine. Amber often preserved fossils, frequently in a pristine state, of all kinds of animal and plant organisms that made contact with the sticky substance and became trapped in it. These fossils include such fragile organisms as nematodes and mushrooms that ordinarily are not preserved under normal processes of fossilization, as well as larger organisms like scorpions and lizards, and the fossils are preserved in their full three-dimensional form, complete with minute details of scales, mouth parts, antennae, and hairs. It has even been suggested that viable DNA may persist in some amber-trapped organisms." "This book is a compendium of all that we know about life found in amber. It surveys all life forms, from microbes to vertebrates and plants, that have been reported from amber deposits throughout the world, beginning with the earliest pieces dating from some 300 million years ago. It also describes the formation of amber and the location, geological history, and early exploration of the major world amber deposits, including those still being worked today." "The book also provides practical information on how to determine fake amber containing present-day forms of life. It can serve as a beginning for tracing the geological history of a particular group of animals or plants or even reconstructing ancient paleoenvironments, and because amber fossils are preserved so completely, in a transparent medium, they can be intimately compared with related living species. Finally, the book discusses what amber fossils can tell us about evolution and speciation, cellular preservation, and paleosymbiosis." "The book is illustrated with 37 color photographs, 154 black-and-white photographs and drawings, and 8 maps."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

How to Spot Butterflies

How to Spot Butterflies PDF Author: Patricia Sutton
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780395892756
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 164

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Book Description
In a recent article, the New York Times Magazine described butterfly watching as the fastest-growing segment of nature recreation. Little wonder - butterflies are beautiful, exotic, interesting, and observable by anyone, virtually anywhere, young or old, urban or rural. Consummate teachers, the Suttons use the same easy-to-understand style that has made both of their previous books in the How to Spot series bestsellers. Taking up where field guides leave off, they reveal which habitats are sure to hold large butterfly populations and which specific host plants attract butterflies. They address how to use binoculars and share the secrets of how to approach a butterfly without scaring it off. Environmentally sensitive and unobtrusive observation is emphasized, not outdated netting and collecting. Exceptional nectar sources, which are feeding grounds for vast numbers of butterflies, are described. Full-color photographs appear throughout. The Suttons' proven butterfly-watching techniques

Butterflies of West Africa

Butterflies of West Africa PDF Author: Torben Larsen
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004531106
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 595

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Book Description


Butterflies

Butterflies PDF Author: Carol L. Boggs
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226063194
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 775

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Book Description
In Butterflies: Ecology and Evolution Taking Flight, the world's leading experts synthesize current knowledge of butterflies to show how the study of these fascinating creatures as model systems can lead to deeper understanding of ecological and evolutionary patterns and processes in general. The twenty-six chapters are organized into broad functional areas, covering the uses of butterflies in the study of behavior, ecology, genetics and evolution, systematics, and conservation biology. Especially in the context of the current biodiversity crisis, this book shows how results found with butterflies can help us understand large, rapid changes in the world we share with them—for example, geographic distributions of some butterflies have begun to shift in response to global warming, giving early evidence of climate change that scientists, politicians, and citizens alike should heed. The first international synthesis of butterfly biology in two decades, Butterflies: Ecology and Evolution Taking Flight offers students, scientists, and amateur naturalists a concise overview of the latest developments in the field. Furthermore, it articulates an exciting new perspective of the whole group of approximately 15,000 species of butterflies as a comprehensive model system for all the sciences concerned with biodiversity and its preservation. Contributors: Carol L. Boggs, Paul M. Brakefield, Adriana D. Briscoe, Dana L. Campbell, Elizabeth E. Crone, Mark Deering, Henri Descimon, Erika I. Deinert, Paul R. Ehrlich, John P. Fay, Richard ffrench-Constant, Sherri Fownes, Lawrence E. Gilbert, André Gilles, Ilkka Hanski, Jane K. Hill, Brian Huntley, Niklas Janz, Greg Kareofelas, Nusha Keyghobadi, P. Bernhard Koch, Claire Kremen, David C. Lees, Jean-François Martin, Antónia Monteiro, Paulo César Motta, Camille Parmesan, William D. Patterson, Naomi E. Pierce, Robert A. Raguso, Charles Lee Remington, Jens Roland, Ronald L. Rutowski, Cheryl B. Schultz, J. Mark Scriber, Arthur M. Shapiro, Michael C. Singer, Felix Sperling, Curtis Strobeck, Aram Stump, Chris D. Thomas, Richard VanBuskirk, Hans Van Dyck, Richard I. Vane-Wright, Ward B. Watt, Christer Wiklund, and Mark A. Willis

Butterflies of Oklahoma, Kansas, and North Texas

Butterflies of Oklahoma, Kansas, and North Texas PDF Author: John M. Dole
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN: 9780806135540
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
Written for anyone wishing to identify, attract, raise, or photograph butterflies common to America's southern plains, this guide includes instructions on building a butterfly sanctuary, descriptions of twenty prime butterfly spotting sites in the region, and color photographs of one hundred species of butterflies in their natural habitat. Original.