This book is intended to serve as a basic primer for practitioners interested in working with butterflies. The various chapters provide a combination of specific case studies and broader overviews of key issues relating to research, habitat restoration, captive propagation, population monitoring, and stakeholder education and training. Butterflies are experiencing declines worldwide. Prompted by this trend, interest in at-risk butterfly conservation has grown tremendously in recent years, as has the number of dedicated recovery initiatives. Zoos, natural history museums, botanical gardens, and state and federal wildlife agencies are progressively focusing on insects, particularly charismatic groups such as butterflies and pollinators, to help advance local conservation efforts and foster increased public interest and community engagement. However, insufficient experience and familiarity with butterflies can often hinder conservation practitioners from adequately planning, implementing and evaluating essential program components. Determining the best ways to make meaningful contributions to new or ongoing at-risk butterfly recovery initiatives is critical and typically driven by available expertise and resources.
