The Butterflies of Australia 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 much more than an identification guide.

Within its pages is a concise but broad, non-technical introduction to butterfly biology, history, ecology, evolution and conservation. Hundreds of meticulous illustrations show adult butterflies 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 much of the known behaviour and ecology of Australian butterflies, and in so doing meets the needs of both the butterfly watcher and general nature lover.

The Butterflies of Australia presents a remarkable blend of natural history, science and art. With a copy as guide the reader can appreciate the charm and purpose underlying butterflies' far from frivolous lives.

Roger Kitching holds the Chair of Ecology at Griffith University's School of the Environment. Professor Kitching is a rainforest ecologist with special expertise in the biology, conservation and management of invertebrate biodiversity. He was admitted as a member of the Order of Australia in 2010. He was also one of the authors of Australia's Biodiversity and Climate Change [CSIRO PUBLISHING, 2009).