Le farfalle delle Alpi

Year: 2012 Format: 14x22 Pages: 352 Photos: col How to recognize them, where and when to observe them. Butterflies capture our imagination like few animals in the world: we associate them with spring and the renewal it brings with it; they have a mysterious and at the same time fascinating life cycle, during which a caterpillar transforms into a being with graceful flight and beautiful colours. For all these reasons and many others, throughout human history they have been linked in various ways to culture, art, literature, myth and magic. Today butterflies are also very important from a scientific point of view, because they are useful bioindicators and provide us, through their behavior and presence, with information on the state of health of the environment around us. In Italy, around 280 species of butterflies are currently registered; of these, just over 200 are present in flight over the Alps and can be observed during excursions in mountain environments: this guide, organized by cards, is intended as a tool to help recognize their characteristics and peculiarities. For each species, represented with images taken by professional photographers and indicated with the scientific name and (when it exists) the vernacular one translated into three languages, useful information for recognition is provided, the area of presence in the Alps and the period in which the different stages of development can be observed. A short text provides the main information on the life cycle and ecology. The aim of the book, born from the passion for scientific-naturalistic dissemination, is to make butterflies known and appreciated by a wide and diversified audience, guiding even non-experts to discover these wonderful and colorful insects.