Butterflies of Lane County
All sales proceeds are donated to the Lane County Butterfly Club. For sale at our meetings.
Compiled by Marta Markarushka, 3rd Edition, 2005.
This field guide is the only one that focuses on just the butterfly species in our area, and the only one small enough to fit in your pocket. Full color photos of each species. The guide is available for purchase at all club events for $20.00. All proceeds benefit the Lane County Butterfly Club, a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association. The field guide is available in Eugene at Down to Earth, Tsunami Books and Wild Birds Unlimited.
Finding Lane County Butterflies
All sales proceeds are donated to the Lane County Butterfly Club. For sale at our meetings.
Neil Bjorklund, Fourth Edition.
Now in it’s 4th Edition! When the first edition came out in 2004, this was one of, if not the, first butterfly-finding guides in the US. It is modeled after the popular bird-finding guides that now exist for almost every popular birding area in the States. It includes 32 of the best sites for butterflies in Lane County (and a couple just over the line in Linn County). For each site, it describes when to go, how to get there, and species you are likely to find there. Using this guide, you can, with some luck, find all of Lane County’s more than 90 species.
“Finding Lane County Butterflies” is available for purchase at all NABA events and at Down to Earth, Tsunami Books and Wild Birds Unlimited in Eugene. 100% of sales proceeds are donated to the Lane County Butterfly Club, a chapter of the North American Butterfly Association.
Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest
Robert Michael Pyle and Caitlin C. LaBar, Timber Press Field Guide 2018.
Bob Pyle’s latest field guide is an essential addition to the existing butterfly field guides that cover the Northwest. The detail and specificity on local species and sub-species can’t be found elsewhere. The photos are great, and the commentary has the signature humor and candor of one of our region’s most beloved butterfly authorities.
Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Washington, 4th Ed
Caitlan LaBar, 4th edition
This guide covers all 156 species found in Washington, with many of them also found in Oregon. Caitlan co-authored Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest with Robert Pyle.
Field Guide to Butterflies of North America
Jim Brock and Ken Kaufman, Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
Following on his success with the Kaufman Focus Guide to North American Birds, Ken Kaufman has teamed up with lepidopterist Jim Brock to produce a first rate field guide for butterflies. Probably the clearest and easiest to use guide to butterflies, this guide uses computer enhanced photos of butterflies with text and range maps side by side. Highly recommended, especially for beginner to moderately experienced butterfliers.
Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West
Jeffrey Glassberg, Oxford University Press, 2001.
This book covers all butterfly species in the western half of the US. Each species has a range map, a paragraph description, and at least one color photo taken in its natural habitat (some species have multiple photos showing dorsal, ventral, male, female.) This book is now rather dated, so the newer guides to the Pacific Northwest listed above are probably more useful.
The Guide to Butterflies of Oregon and Washington
William Neill, Westcliffe Publishers, 2001.
Neill’s book is full of gorgeous photos, and you’ll want it for that alone. He treats the more common species and leaves the intricate details of identifying the more difficult species to other books. A good introductory guide. Each species is shown in a color photo taken in its natural habitat.
A Field Guide to Western Butterflies
Peterson Field Guide Series, Paul Opler, Houghton-Mifflin, 1999.
When the revised edition came out in 1999, it was the most complete field guide we had for the Northwest. It has now been superseded by other field guides that are better organized for use in the field. Each species is shown in a drawing.
Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide
James A. Scott, Stanford University Press, 1992.
For an in-depth treatment of North American butterflies and their natural history, this is the best book you’ll find. This is the only book that describes in detail all the known caterpillar host plants used by each species throughout its range. It is, therefore, an essential guide for butterfly gardeners and serious students of butterfly ecology. Not useful as a field guide, due to its size and weight and the way it is organized. Each species is shown in a photo of a pinned specimen.
Lepidoptera of North America 6. Butterflies of Oregon: Their Taxonomy, Distribution, and Biology
Andrew D. Warren. Contributions of the C. P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity, Colorado State University, 2005
An invaluable narrative update on the taxonomy, distribution and biology of Oregon’s 171 naturally occurring butterfly species. Based on six years of extensive field research and extensive review of literature and collections, this monograph is a must-have supplement to field guides for the serious student of Oregon butterflies. Note: this book does not contain photos or maps. A PDF version may be found at this website.
Atlas of Oregon Butterflies
John Hinchcliff, Oregon State University Press, 1994.
This is the best source of information that exists on what butterfly species have been found where in Oregon. The book contains a map of Oregon for each species, showing where that species has been documented. The nomenclature is a little out of date, but with a little cross-referencing, its a great resource. No photos, illustrations or other species info. Available at Oregon State University Book Store along with “Atlas of Washington Butterflies”.
Airplanes in the Garden – Monarch Butterflies Take Flight
Joan Z. Calder, Patio Publishing, 2011.
This unique children’s picture book, containing vibrant watercolor not typically found in a children’s book, is a fun to read story with science facts. The book includes an informative section with migration maps, helpful tips to grow your own butterfly-friendly garden, and a butterfly song, which can be downloaded from the web. The book also contains web addresses to learn more about monarch butterflies.
The Pacific Northwest Native Plant Primer
Kristin Currin and Andrew Merritt, 2023
This book describes 225 native plants for the PNW garden, grouped by Wildflowers, Grasses, Ferns, Shrubs, and Trees. Each plant gets a photo and a few paragraphs of description with details including wildlife value. There are also five chapters of general information about gardening with native plants. Use this in conjunction with our searchable plant lists on the Gardening page of this website.
Real Gardens Grow Natives: Design, Plant, and Enjoy a Healthy Northwest Garden
Eileen M. Stark, 2014
This book describes 100 native plants for the NW garden, grouped by how much sun or shade they like. Each plant gets a photo and one page description with lots of detail, including benefits to wildlife. There are also six chapters of general information about gardening with native plants. Use this in conjunction with our searchable plant lists on the Gardening page of this website.