Butterfly enthusiasts will delight in the 200 vivid images from across the globe, accompanied by informative and engaging text from preeminent writers in the field.

We can see them fly gracefully from flower to flower with their multi-coloured wings: they are butterflies, the most admired and collected of insects; like bees, they are vital for plant pollination, which is why we have recently started protecting them as their numbers are significantly dwindling. Through this book you will get to know them better, explore their physiology, their defence and reproduction mechanisms and their most noteworthy features, and uncover the secrets behind the complicated patterns and amazing colours that characterize their appearance. We will also focus on the dangers that these wonderful insects face today due to pollution and human intervention that is putting at serious risk the life of a species that we need to protect at any cost, for example by following the instructions at the end of the book that explain how to set out your garden or balcony in order to attract - and help - these most heavenly insects. AGES: 6 plus AUTHOR: Rita Mabel Schiavo Graduated in Biological Sciences, specialising in Natural Sciences at the University of Milan, has a major interest in the fields of herpetology and eco-ethology. She is one of the founding members and directors of ADM -Teaching in Museums Association- and ADMaiora, which both work in education and learning in museums, natural parks, oases and exhibitions.

Listing of butterfly species accompanied by illustrations placing the members of the order within their specific eco-systems and explains how all the elements--flora and fauna, climate, altitude, predators, migratory habits--identify a species and explain its evolution.

A unique global survey that touches on all butterfly families and subfamilies while celebrating their immense beauty and great diversity, Butterflies of the World is an essential reference and the best book of its kind.

This inspiring and compelling narrative weaves together stories of sixty successful women from all walks of life and throughout the world. The author spent several years in eight countries interviewing dynamic female role models: businesswomen, CEOs, a Congresswoman, a governor, an ex-Prime Minister, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, a winemaker, artists, doctors, nurses, and many others. The author calls these women "Iron Butterflies" because they meld a will of iron with the gentle, nurturing touch of a butterfly. With disarming candor, these women talk about their struggles, their fallibilities, and their strengths in the journey to the top of their professions. Forging their leadership from an amalgam of masculine and feminine skills, all of these Iron Butterflies have transformed themselves and in doing so they are contributing to a larger social transformation. A key to this personal and social transformation rests in their ability to address vulnerability in themselves and those around them, and transform it into a crucible of healing, growth, and innovation. Knowing how to deal with vulnerability, in ourselves and with others, evokes feminine skills and values and is a key to the societal change so many are seeking. Critiquing the command-and-control style of leadership, derived from the gladiator concept of male invulnerability, the author convincingly demonstrates how traditional feminine skills and values—such as inclusion, empathy, a holistic perspective, relational skills, and emotional strength—can be applied to empower more people than ever before. Like the sixty Iron Butterflies profiled, leaders in the 21st century will paradoxically embrace vulnerability and durability, creating better working and living relationships for us all.

In this “deeply personal and lyrical book” (Publishers Weekly) 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. “[A] glorious and exuberant celebration of these biological flying machines…Williams takes us on a humorous and beautifully crafted journey” (The Washington Post). From butterfly gardens to zoo exhibits, these “flying flowers” 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 “entertaining look at ‘the world’s favorite insect’” (Booklist, starred review), New York Times bestselling author and science journalist Wendy Williams reveals the inner lives of these delicate creatures, who are 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 “digs deeply into the lives of both butterflies and [the] scientists” (Science magazine) who have spent decades 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. “Informative, thought-provoking,” (BookPage, starred review) and extremely profound, The Language of Butterflies is a “fascinating book [that] will be of interest to anyone who has ever admired a butterfly, and anyone who cares about preserving these stunning creatures” (Library Journal).

Briefly describes the life cycle of the butterfly and moth.