A recently-published butterfly book - for the Northeast

[Thomas Fiore]

Hi all,

I have no financial interest at all in this book, which was published in 2023, and is available - one of the very best in newer books in the field of regional butterfly study, and this a science-based publication but totally accessible writing to anyone at all with any interest in butterflies in our region.  

The title is “Butterflies of Maine and the Canadian Maritime Provinces” with multiple authors, led (front cover, etc.) by Phillip G. deMaynadier - publisher is Comstock - Cornell University Press.  This book is in great part a result of years-long efforts to survey the butterfly fauna of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Maine in separate atlas-projects and other field work, plus much work in gathering records both historical, recent and nearly-current from the provinces and Maine, with highly-detailed range maps and much discussion for all of the species. It’s not a field guide, but should be useful in understanding what is found where and also where some species could be, with further searches and exploring. It also is valuable in looking at places just outside of the coverage areas of the book, such as elsewhere in Northern New England, and for NY state. It surely must rank with any of the recent such books (worldwide) in this field, and ought to be in every library through the region - and for those with interest in northeastern butterflies, possibly on the home bookshelf.  I myself read straight through it all once I had a copy in-hand.  There is also a nice small section on the history of butterfly study in the region covered, history which may not be well-known to many.  There are also a lot of comments with each species-account, which are sure to be of interest.  The book deserves a wider audience, beyond just those who may live in or regularly-visit the areas covered by the book.  As one who has happily sought butterflies in all of the counties in Maine and in most of Nova Scotia as well as forays in the rest of eastern North America, this is a great addition to increasing our knowledge in my own opinion.

Great work by all who were involved in this - by many hundreds and hundreds of contributors. 

Good summer observations and studies to all -

Tom Fiore

New York, Maine, etc.