Nomads of the Wind The Migration of the Monarch Butterfly and Other Wonders of the Butterfly World

About this book

Perhaps the most incredible feat of all is the 2,000 mile migration of the monarch butterfly. Once a year millions of a special long-living generation of Monarchs migrate from the north-eastern United States and southern Canada to the Oyamel fir forests of Mexico, where they survive the winter. But then, as soon as they feel the first warmth of spring they all set out on the return journey through the Rio Grande and Texas, procreating on the way, until the second and third generations arrive back at the Great Lakes to start the cycle all over again.

For Nomads of the Wind, award-winning nature photographer Ingo Arndt has followed them on their journey while the accompanying informative text by Claus-Peter Lieckfeld and Peter Huemer explains the latest research on the migration and describes in detail the transformation from caterpillar to magnificently coloured butterfly.

But this is not the only wonder in the world of butterflies, a world full of surprises. There are butterflies that are masters of disguise and others that are imposters or that mimic their poisonous relatives to protect themselves from predators. Ingo Arndt has photographed them all and in so doing has created a beautiful record of the butterflies themselves, their existence, habits and life cycle. A fitting tribute to this extraordinary species that lights up our lives.

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Biography

Ingo Arndt is one of the world's most highly acclaimed nature photographers. His award-winning photographs have been published in GEO, National Geographic, nature+kosmos, and BBC Wildlife. Reporting assignments have taken him to every continent, where he has photographed animals and their habitats in unparalleled detail. His numerous awards include the World Press Photo Award (2005), the German Prize for Science Photography (2006), and several awards in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His other photographic books include Monkeys and Apes in the Wild, published by Papadakis in 2008.

Claus-Peter Lieckfeld was a founding member and editor the German ecological magazine natur and is now a freelance author. His articles on nature and animals have appeared in many journals such as GEO, Die Zeit, Merian, and SZ-Magazin. He has also written the text for several important illustrated books on the natural world, including Africa and polar bears.

Peter Huemer studied biology, earth sciences, zoology and botany at the University of Innsbruck, where he is now a lecturer; he is also attached to the Natural Science Collection of the Tyrolean State Museum as a biologist. A recognized butterfly expert, he has described more than 60 new butterfly species as well as contributing to more than two hundred articles and books.