They are among earth's most beautiful creatures-colorfully patterned, flitting from flower to flower, gentle harbingers of spring. Some, like the now-endangered monarch, can even fly thousands of miles each year. Enter the magical world of butterflies with the president of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), the driving force behind the current revolution in butterfly watching. Lavishly illustrated and user-friendly, this watcher's guide will help you recognize the characteristics that distinguish easily identifiable groups of butterflies; shop for and use the new breed of close-range binoculars; create a butterfly-friendly garden; identify many different forms of butterfly behavior; and protect their environments. It contains more than 160 species of North American butterflies in 6 families-and best of all, unlike most butterfly guides, large-size photographs show these lovely creatures in the wild.