This field guide to Indiana's rich butterfly fauna covers all 149 species of butterflies and their close relatives, the skippers. Belth also offers an introduction to the natural history of butterflies --

In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

Biological homogenization is the dominant process shaping the future global biosphere. As global transportation becomes faster and more frequent, it is inevitable that biotic intermixing will increase. Unique local biotas will become extinct only to be replaced by already widespread biotas that can tolerate human activities. This process is affecting all aspects of our world: language, economies, and ecosystems alike. The ultimate outcome is the loss of uniqueness and the growth of uniformity. In this way, fast food restaurants exist in Moscow and Java Sparrows breed on Hawaii. Biological homogenization qualifies as a global environmental catastrophe. The Earth has never witnessed such a broad and complete reorganization of species distributions.

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.

"Ohio's resident amphibians currently include 25 species and subspecies of salamanders, a complex of unisexual ambystomatid salamanders, and 14 species of frogs and toads. Existing, comprehensive works of amphibians for Ohio are dated and out-of-print. Given this deficiency, and pressured by recent survey and monitoring activity and current research needs, the decision to produce a comprehensive book about Ohio's amphibians, which this volume represents, quickly followed. Focusing on verifiable information about the amphibian species of Ohio, the core of this tome is comprised of 37 chapters, organized by sections on salamanders and on frogs and toads, covering all amphibians in Ohio that have been documented and vouchered. Preceding these taxonomic, species-oriented chapters are sections on the history of herpetological work in Ohio, a summary of the Ohio environment in which its amphibian species exist, informative introductions to amphibian systematics, brief summaries of the two groups, and keys to adult and larval stages. Following the species accounts are sections on potential occurences in Ohio; on species ranking based on conservation status and knowledge; on amphibian conservation; on amphibian distribution; on environmental applications; and, a summary. Completing the book are two appendices involving field and vouchering/documentation techniques, a glossary, a combined and comprehensive listing of cited literature, and an index. This book is both scientifically accurate and written in a style suitable for the complete spectrum of individuals and entities who are professionally or casually involved or interested in amphibians"--Abstract, page iii.