Butterflies: Color in Flight

Butterflies come in every color of the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, and white. But their vibrant wings aren't just beautiful, they give each butterfly a special power too.

Over the years, butterflies' wings have brightened, dulled and transformed as they adapt to their ever-changing environments, helping them survive and thrive through everything from the industrial revolution to the climate crisis.
Colors help butterflies camouflage and stay safe in their surroundings, making them disappear among vibrant flower petals and invisible against bronze tree trunks. Intricate patterns on their wings confuse and scare away predators, but they can attract the perfect mate too. And then there are some butterflies who are not in fact the color the appear to be at all--instead they are iridescent and simply reflecting the light.

In this beautifully illustrated book, you'll discover hundreds of different colored and patterned butterflies from around the world and find out what makes them so special. You'll also learn about the butterfly life cycle, their sense of smell, taste and sight, flight and migration, as well as what butterflies have mean to us and why they're important players in our ecosystem.

CONTENTS INCLUDE
- Stunning gallery-style spreads grouping butterflies together by color
- Detailed examination of the four stages of the butterfly life cycle: Egg-larva-chrysalis-butterfly
- The amazing Monarch migration from North America to Mexico
- How color works in butterfly wings, and how butterflies use color to their advantage
- The threats to butterfly populations and things we can do to help
- The survival techniques of caterpillars

Author Jon Dunn is a natural history writer, photographer, and wildlife tour guide based in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, but with strong links in mainland Europe and North America that see him traveling widely in search of memorable wildlife encounters. Jon's words are accompanied by stunningly detailed watercolor illustrations by South African artist Georgina Taylor.

Author: Jon Dunn
Publisher: Laurence King
Published: 03/17/2026
Pages: 48
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.11lbs
Size: 9.63h x 9.39w x 0.47d
ISBN: 9781510230958

About the Author

Jon Dunn (Author)

Jon Dunn is a natural history writer, photographer, and wildlife tour guide. His written work and photographs have been featured in a number of publications, including BBC Wildlife, Birding World, British Wildlife, Birdwatch, British Birds, The Shetland Times, The Wall Street Journal, La Reppublica, and The Sun. His book, Orchid Summer (Bloomsbury, 2018) was met with critical acclaim. When he's not writing or capturing beautiful creatures on camera, Jon spends much of his time traveling the world in search of memorable wildlife encounters. He lives in the Shetland Isles, Scotland.

Georgina Taylor (Illustrator)
Georgina Taylor captures stunning botanical and wildlife images through watercolor. Georgina is inspired by the natural world and her work draws influences from traditional medical and botanical illustrations. Georgina's many clients include LoveBaby, OwlintheMoss and True Keratin. Georgina is based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.