The most comprehensive field guide available to North American butterflies--a must-have for any enthusiast's day pack or home library--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers.The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Butterflies is an easy-to-use, essential guide to all true butterflies, the most common skippers, and many migrants and strays. It features a durable vinyl biding, color plates visually arranged by shape and color, and thumb-tab silhouettes for quick and easy identification of butterflies in the field. The species account for each butterfly provides measurements, descriptions of each stage of the life cycle, and information on coloring or distinguishing markings, flight period, habitat, and range.
Robert Michael Pyle Bücher
Robert Michael Pyle ist ein Lepidopterologe und professioneller Schriftsteller, dessen Werk die komplexen Verbindungen zwischen der natürlichen Welt und menschlicher Erfahrung erforscht. In seinen Essays, Geschichten und Gedichten beschäftigt er sich mit Themen des Naturschutzes und unserem Platz in der Umwelt, wobei er sowohl die Schönheit als auch die Zerbrechlichkeit wilder Räume hervorhebt. Pyles unverwechselbare Prosa, die auf seinem tiefen wissenschaftlichen Verständnis beruht, lädt die Leser ein, über ihre Beziehung zur Natur und die dringende Notwendigkeit ihres Schutzes nachzudenken. Seine Schriften sind ein eindringlicher Aufruf, das empfindliche Gleichgewicht der Ökosysteme, in denen wir leben, zu erkennen und zu bewahren.






Set in the Willapa Hills of southwest Washington, the narrative explores the dual threat of extinction facing both the human and forest communities due to extensive logging. Robert Michael Pyle vividly portrays the landscape and its inhabitants—animals, plants, and people—while sharing his personal connection to the hills. His balanced perspective resonates with both loggers and environmentalists, emphasizing his empathy for the land and its people, but not for the companies that exploit them.
An ecologist reflects on the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest as he describes the lives of plants, animals, and humans through every season of the year during his thirty years in the village of Gray's River, near the mouth of the Columbia River--long out of print, this classic of nature writing is being given a new life in trade paperback with a new afterword by the author. Sky Time in Gray's River is an elegant meditation on life in the rural Northwest. Although Robert Michael Pyle is a lepidopterist, and southwestern Washington is notable for its lack of butterflies, something about the Gray's River Valley spoke to him when he visited more than forty years ago. Since then he has lived near the village of Gray's River, one of the first to be established near the mouth of the Columbia River and only tenuously connected to the world of the twenty-first century. Pyle brings Gray's River to life by compressing those forty years into twelve chapters, following the lives of the people, plants, and animals that make this valley their home, month by month through the seasons. Through his loving portrait of one riverside village, Pyle illustrates how a special place can transform anyone lucky enough to find it. He shows that you don't have to travel far to see something new every day--if you know how to look.
The author shares his journey of living and working in a unique natural setting that bridges knowledge and artistic imagination, as envisioned by Nabokov. Through vivid descriptions, he explores the intersection of nature and creativity, highlighting his experiences and insights in this special environment. The narrative emphasizes the profound connection between the natural world and personal growth, making it a compelling exploration of both landscape and artistry.
Thunder Tree
- 224 Seiten
- 8 Lesestunden
An engrossing memoir and eloquent portrait of place, The Thunder Tree shows how powerful the relationship between people and the natural world can be. This reprint of the classic book, updated with a new foreword by Richard Louv and a preface to this edition, makes one of Pyle's important early works once again available.
Magdalena Mountain
- 388 Seiten
- 14 Lesestunden
"An elegant, eccentric novel of love, loneliness, and lepidoptera . . . Worthy company for work by other naturalist/ Nabokov, Matthiessen, Kingsolver." ― Kirkus ReviewsIn Magdalena Mountain , Robert Michael Pyle's first and long-awaited novel, the award-winning naturalist proves he is as at home in an imagined landscape as he is in the natural one. At the center of this story of majesty and high mountain magic are three Magdalenas―Mary, a woman whose uncertain journey opens the book; Magdalena Mountain, shrouded in mystery and menace; and the all-black Magdalena alpine butterfly, the most elusive of several rare and beautiful species found on the mountain.And high in the Colorado Rocky Mountain wilderness, sharing the remote territory of the Erebia magdalena butterfly, lives the enigmatic Oberon, a reluctant de facto leader of the Grove, a diverse community of monks who share a devotion to nature. Converging in the same wilderness are October Carson, a beachcomber-wanderer in pursuit of the alpine butterflies he collects for museums; James Mead, a young graduate student intent upon learning the ecology of this seductive creature; and Mary Glanville, who also seeks the butterfly but can't remember why.While the mystery surrounding Mary takes a menacing turn, their shared quest pulls them deeper into the high mountain wilderness, culminating in a harrowing encounter on the stony slopes of Magdalena Mountain.
Evolution of the Genus Iris
- 88 Seiten
- 4 Lesestunden
Robert Michael Pyle's debut full-length poetry collection explores the beauty and complexity of the Iris genus, showcasing his lyrical prowess and deep connection to nature. Drawing on his extensive literary background, Pyle weaves themes of evolution and the natural world into evocative verses, inviting readers to reflect on the intricacies of life and the environment.
Chinook and Chanterelle
- 80 Seiten
- 3 Lesestunden
Set against the backdrop of an old Swedish farmstead in southwestern Washington, the author explores themes of nature and introspection through essays, poetry, and fiction. With a notable career that includes eighteen books and prestigious awards like the John Burroughs Medal, his work reflects a deep connection to the environment. His poems have been featured in prominent magazines and chapbooks, with "Evolution of the Genus Iris" marking his debut full-length poetry collection.
The Tangled Bank: Writings from Orion
- 208 Seiten
- 8 Lesestunden
The collection features Robert Michael Pyle's insightful "Tangled Bank" columns, which span a diverse range of topics, including nature, culture, and personal reflections. Through his keen observations, Pyle challenges the notion of a mundane world, revealing the intricate beauty and complexity of life. His narratives celebrate everything from the allure of hops to the charm of independent bookstores, showcasing his passion for the environment and the stories it holds.
Nature Matrix
- 288 Seiten
- 11 Lesestunden
Nature Matrix is a gathering of some of Robert Michael Pyle’s most significant, original, and timely expressions of a life immersed in the natural world, in all its splendor, power, and peril Nature Matrix: New and Selected Essays contains sixteen pieces that encompass the philosophy, ethic, and aesthetic of Robert Michael Pyle. The essays range from Pyle’s experience as a young national park ranger in the Sierra Nevada to the streets of Manhattan; from the suburban jungle to the tangles of the written word; and from the phenomenon of Bigfoot to that of the Big Year—a personal exercise in extreme birding and butterflying. They include deep profiles of John Jacob Astor I and Vladimir Nabokov, as well as excursions into wild places with teachers, children, and writers. The nature of real wilderness in modern times comes under Pyle’s lens, as does reconsideration of his trademark concept, “the extinction of experience”—maybe the greatest threat of alienation from the living world that we face today. Nature Matrix shows a way back toward possible integration with the world, as it plumbs the range and depth of experience in one lucky life lived in close connection to the physical earth and its denizens. This collection brings together the thoughts and hopes of one of our most widely read and respected natural philosophers as he seeks to summarize a life devoted to conservation.