Mariposa Road: The First Butterfly Big Year

"Mariposa Road is a mighty slice of North America, seen through the eyes of one of its most eloquent naturalists. This is extreme butterflying at its best."--Martin Warren, Chief Executive, Butterfly Conservation, Wareham, Dorset, U.K. “Lepidopterists will appreciate Bob’s sightings, chases, and captures, and natural history remarks on species both familiar and unknown. A reader with only a general interest in natural history can vicariously join Bob on his “rays,” enjoying the adventures, learn much about regional biotas, and either elect to look up specific butterflies in a field guide or choose not to. There is much for anyone among a wide readership to consume and ponder.”—Michael M. Collins, author of Moth Catcher “Mariposa Road is at one and the same time both a serious endeavor in consciousness-raising in conservation biology, and a set of deeply personal reflections based on a lifetime of commitment to the conservation of invertebrates and butterflies in particular.”—Francie Chew, Tufts University “In Mariposa Road we’re invited along as Bob Pyle crisscrosses the country on a yearlong hunt for butterflies.  He writes of the land and the creatures in it with such extraordinary vividness and grace—describes his adventures and unexpected challenges with such good humor—that we are borne aloft, we can see it all and love it, as he does.  You’ll never have so much fun armchair traveling!”—Molly Gloss, author of The Hearts of Horses “What Roger Tory Peterson was for birds, Bob Pyle is for butterflies—their most impassioned advocate and ceaseless popularizer. From the dusty heat of Texas and the tropical lushness of Hawaii to the legendary outhouse of the Midnight Sun in the Alaskan Arctic, Pyle is a traveling companion who never grows dull.”—Scott Weidensaul, author of Of a Feather and Return to Wild America “Toss out any notion you might have had about butterfly watchers and meet Bob Pyle: scientist and daredevil, philosopher and magician, pioneer and rebel, and the finest of companions for a vagabond journey. Follow him down the rip-roaring Mariposa Road and you’ll never look at a butterfly, or the world, in the same way again.”—Kenn Kaufman, author of Kingbird Highway -- Kenn Kaufman “Lepidopterists will appreciate Bob’s sightings, chases, and captures, and natural history remarks on species both familiar and unknown. A reader with only a general interest in natural history can vicariously join Bob on his “rays,” enjoying the adventures, learn much about regional biotas, and either elect to look up specific butterflies in a field guide or choose not to. There is much for anyone among a wide readership to consume and ponder.”—Michael M. Collins, author of Moth Catcher -- Michael M. Collins “Mariposa Road is at one and the same time both a serious endeavor in consciousness-raising in conservation biology, and a set of deeply personal reflections based on a lifetime of commitment to the conservation of invertebrates and butterflies in particular.”—Francie Chew, Tufts University -- Francie Chew “In Mariposa Road we’re invited along as Bob Pyle crisscrosses the country on a yearlong hunt for butterflies.  He writes of the land and the creatures in it with such extraordinary vividness and grace—describes his adventures and unexpected challenges with such good humor—that we are borne aloft, we can see it all and love it, as he does.  You’ll never have so much fun armchair traveling!”—Molly Gloss, author of The Hearts of Horses -- Molly Gloss “What Roger Tory Peterson was for birds, Bob Pyle is for butterflies—their most impassioned advocate and ceaseless popularizer. From the dusty heat of Texas and the tropical lushness of Hawaii to the legendary outhouse of the Midnight Sun in the Alaskan Arctic, Pyle is a traveling companion who never grows dull.”—Scott Weidensaul, author of Of a Feather and Return to Wild America -- Scott Weidensaul “A charming book, emanating from the traveling naturalist tradition of Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher’s Wild America, and Edwin Way Teale’s four volumes on seasonal change of nature in America”—Thomas E. Lovejoy, University Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University and Biodiversity Chair, The Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, Washington, D.C. -- Thomas Lovejoy “Armchair travelers who love a good yarn will find Pyle’s exuberance catching.”—Seattle Times * Seattle Times * “Robert Michael Pyle’s expansive knowledge of the natural history of North America shines through.”—Orion * Orion * “For the seemingly ever-growing number of Americans who are just beginning to watch, photograph, and keep life-lists of butterflies, this book will be a revelation of how deep this passion can run.”—Wall Street Journal online * Wall Street Journal online * "Mariposa Road is a mighty slice of North America, seen through the eyes of one of its most eloquent naturalists. During this Butterfly Big Year, Bob Pyle introduces us to the wonder of 478 species and with each encounter we get a unique insight into the places and people that make up modern America. For those of us in Britain, with a mere 57 species to tick, it is a real treat. This is extreme butterflying at its best, I wish I could have been with him."--Martin Warren, Chief Executive, Butterfly Conservation, Wareham, Dorset, U.K. -- Martin Warren