This richly detailed book, written by the Xerces Society, delves into the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly, and how that knowledge can help you select plants at your local nursery that will offer food and protection for these vulnerable, beloved insects at every stage of their life cycle.

From the publisher:

The plight of the monarch butterfly has captured public attention and sparked widespread interest in helping to save their dwindling populations. In this in-depth portrait of the monarch butterfly—covering its life cycle, its remarkable relationship with milkweed, its extraordinary migration, and the threats it now faces due to habitat loss and climate change—detailed instructions on how to design and create monarch-friendly landscapes are enriched by guidance on observing and understanding butterfly behavior and habits.

Following the model of their previous best-selling book, 100 Plants to Feed the Bees, the Xerces Society provides at-a-glance profiles of the plant species that provide monarchs with nourishment. The plants, which are all commercially available, range from dozens of species of milkweed—the only food of monarch caterpillars—to numerous flowering plants, shrubs, and trees that provide nectar for the adult butterfly, including those that bloom in late season and sustain monarchs in their great migration.

Gorgeous photographs of monarchs and plants, plus illustrations, maps, and garden plans, make this a visually engaging guide.

This beautiful field guide contains photographs and the natural history of 91 species of butterflies that live in the Monterey area. 

One of our favorite field guides! Beautifully illustrated and easy to peruse, this guide to Northern California’s wild diversity of life is great for kids and curious adults. 

People who live in Northern California have access to a dramatic variety of landscapes, climates and biodiversity. Marine and coastal zones, rugged mountains, humid forests, wild backcountry, grasslands, sagebrush scrublands, deserts, streams and lakes all contribute to its unique, scenic wonders and ecological grandeur. Conservation International defines the California Floristic Province—the area of California west of the Sierra Nevada-Cascade Range—as a world biodiversity hotspot, owing to an unusual concentration of endemic plants. Of approximately 8000 plant species in the geographic region, about half are endemic. Many areas of Northern California, especially in the mountains, have been protected, and the significance of that foresight is inestimable.

Lone Pine’s newest field guide – the NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NATURE GUIDE – is a handy aid for area residents and visitors alike in identifying the animals and plants you’ll find when visiting Northern California’s great outdoors. The book features 267 types of animals and 117 plants found in the region. Each species is portrayed by an accurate hand-drawn color illustration. Accompanying text presents the common and scientific names of the species, descriptions of size and other identifying characteristics, natural history and fascinating facts, and where you can expect to find that species.

The book is conveniently organized by color-coded categories: mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, fish, invertebrates, trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses and ferns.