A Flutter of Butterflies is a stunning showcase of illustrations of Australian butterflies and moths held by the National Library of Australia. The artists' works span the years from the 1770s, through the early colonial period to the turn of the twenty-first century, and capture a range of styles and purpose, from taxonomic description and identification to purely decorative.
Included are some of Australian most-loved artists, including Louisa Anne Meredith, Marian Ellis Rowan and Charles McCubbin. Common to all is a deep appreciation of Australian Lepidoptera and a meticulous approach to its depiction. In bringing together over 200 years of drawings and paintings of Australian butterflies and moths, this beautifully illustrated book is an enduring tribute to these fascinating insects.
Dr Michael Braby is Curator of Entomology at the Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory and is a leading authority on the taxonomy, biology and natural history of Australian butterflies and day-flying moths.
Dr Penny Olsen is a research scientist and natural history writer.