Butterfly Collection

Richard Harrington is a professional entomologist. Until recently he headed the world-famous Rothamsted Insect Survey in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, contributing to an ongoing national and international effort to assess the demography of moths and aphids to inform about their conservation or control. He has been a very keen butterfly enthusiast since he was 8, now `collecting' them as a hobby using a camera only. He hopes that others will appreciate his fascination with these delightful insects and, like him, will become concerned with their future. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, a member of Butterfly Conservation and a volunteer with the National Trust.

A joyous, lyrical and witty delight, wonderfully capturing the personality, magic and science of Britain's butterflies. - Patrick Barkham, Natural History writer for The Guardian and author of The Butterfly Isles; These captivating and original poems, varied in style and approach, explore the character of our butterflies through the wondrous portal of poetic science. Reading them will amuse and entertain, and strengthen your love and understanding of our butterflies. - Matthew Oates, author of In Pursuit of Butterflies and Beyond Spring; It will surprise no one who knows the author that most verses are infused with a happy wit, whilst some, including lines on 'The Gatekeeper', are surely serious poetry. I warmly recommend this collection: it is a book that can be dipped into, re-read and thoroughly enjoyed. - Prof. Jeremy Thomas OBE; Professional entomologist Richard Harrington provides a colourful insight into the world of UK butterflies in his book of original poems, The Butterfly Collection. Each species is treated to its own lyrical tribute, brought to life against a backdrop of striking images and accompanied by the author's own personal reflections and experiences. Light-hearted, educational and fun to read, this book would make a wonderful gift for budding lepidopterists and experts alike. - Katie Callaghan, Butterfly, Butterfly Conservation; The Butterfly Collection is an unusual fusion of the arts and sciences that have been blended with a large dose of the author's wit and obvious love of his subject, it is a celebration of the beauty and diversity of our butterflies that will be loved and cherished by all who read it. - Peter Smithers, Antenna, RES; This is a delightful poetry book, unusual and excellent. - John Tennent, Atropos; It's all tremendous fun and will entertain and delight butterfly lovers. - Peter Marren, British Wildlife; This is a very readable book and, surprisingly, packed with useful information. Not only is each sidebar informative, but the poem associated with each species is well-crafted and brings to life the essence of the butterfly - whether it is referring to its structure, behaviour, history or other aspect that is unique to the species. I have no doubt that many readers will come away enlightened as the nuances of each species are delicately interwoven within the overall structure of each poem. Just as importantly, each poem is an easy read and sprinkled with humour. This book may even encourage the reader to take more interest in our butterfly fauna. - Peter Eeles, UK Butterflies, Dispar