The Butterfly Isles

The race to find all 59 species of British butterfly over the course of one summer - a deftly written and hugely engaging blend of natural history, family memoir and travel.

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Butterflies animate our summers but the fifty-nine species found in the British Isles can be surprisingly elusive. Some bask unseen at the top of trees in London parks; others lurk at the bottom of damp bogs in Scotland. A few survive for months while other ephemeral creatures only fly for three days. Several are virtually extinct. This bewitching book charts Patrick Barkham's quest to find each of them - from the Adonis Blue to the Dingy Skipper - in one unforgettable summer.

Wry, attentive, full of infectious delight and curiosity, written with a beautifully light touch, The Butterfly Isles is set to become a classic of British nature writing.