The illustrations in this guide, from originals painted by Richard Lewington, show 58 British butterfly species; another 10 or so occur in the British Isles, but are so scarce that they are unlikely to be seen. The paintings are a quick identification aid to the butterflies most likely to be seen and all are drawn to life size.
The second edition features a few new species, and the larger and more spaced out images have increased the pagination from 8 to 12 pages.