Spending time in a butterfly and caterpillar garden naturally sparks curiosity. You begin to notice behaviours, caterpillars on plants, markings, or butterflies which you want to understand better. Books offer a gentle way of deepening your understanding.
This selection includes butterfly and caterpillar books that I have dipped into, or read or researched carefully. Together they range from practical field guides, beautifully illustrated reference works, to thoughtful natural history books. All are well suited books to reading in or near your garden, or retuning to after a walk. All will help you learn more about the wildlife your garden supports.
Butterfly and Caterpillar Books.
1. Collins Butterfly Guide: The Most Complete Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe
Authors: Tom Tolman & Richard Lexington.
Date: 2009.
Publisher: Collins.
Dip into this beautifully illustrated guide to see most of the butterflies, you’re likely to see in Britain and across Europe. Whether in your garden or traveling further afield. The book provides a clear introduction to butterfly anatomy and life cycles, followed by concise but authoritative species accounts.
Each entry includes information on range, distribution, variation, flight time, habitat, and life history. It also touches on behaviour and, conservation and even notes the original describer of each species, some dating back to the 18th century.
Photography / Illustrations:
- Over 2,000 elegant colour illustrations
Strengths:
- Exceptional coverage of British and European species
- Clear, authoritative species information
- Beautiful illustrations that reward careful study
Limitations
- This does not include images of caterpillars.
This is my favourite butterfly book.
👉 Buy on Amazon
2. Butterflies of Britain and Western Europe and Their Caterpillars – An Identification Guide.
Author: Jean-Pierre Moussus.
Date: 2026.
Publisher: Princeton University Press.
This forthcoming guide is the first of its kind to cover both adult butterflies and most of their caterpillars and egg stages across Britain and Western Europe. At over 600 pages, it includes more than 1,500 photographs, 300 distribution maps, and identification keys for adults, larvae, and eggs — making it a comprehensive photographic and practical resource for garden observers and wildlife enthusiasts.
Photography:
- 1,500 colour photographs across life stages
Strengths:
- Unique life-cycle coverage (eggs, caterpillars, adults
- Designed for both garden observers and field use.
Limitations:
- More of a reference book
- Large and heavy
I’ve not yet seen this book in person. Details are based on publisher information and early reviews.
👉 Buy on Amazon
3. Britain’s Butterflies: A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Ireland.
Authors: David Tomlinson & Rob Still.
Publisher: British Wildlife Publishing.
Publication date: 2021.
This practical field guide is ideal for identifying butterflies usually spotted in the UK countryside and in gardens. Clear photographs and concise descriptions make it a delight to use outdoors or at home.
Photography:
- High quality colour images of butterflies
Strengths:
- Easy to use
- Portable
- Ideal for beginners and regular garden use
Limitations:
- Focuses on adult butterflies rather than caterpillars.
👉 Buy on Amazon
4. Field Guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland.
Author/s: Phil Sterling & Barry Henwood (Illustrator: Richard Lewington).
Publisher: Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides.
Publication date: 2020.
An essential guide for identifying caterpillars found on garden plants. It focuses on habitats, food plants, and identification. Making it particularly useful for understanding what your garden is supporting.
Illustrations: Detailed and accurate illustrations
Strengths:
- Excellent for caterpillar identification
- Strong food-plant information
Limitations:
- Best used alongside a butterfly guide for adults.
👉 Buy on Amazon
5. Butterflies of Britain and Ireland.
Authors: Jeremy Thomas.
Publisher: Bloomsbury / British Wildlife Publishing.
Publication date: 2019.
A comprehensive guide focusing on identification, habitats, life cycles, and conservation status of butterflies in the UK. Ideal for readers who want clarity and depth.
Photography:
- Detailed plates and diagrams.
Strengths:
- Strong ecological and conservation context
- Authoritative reference
Limitations:
- Larger and more detailed than a field guide.
👉 Buy on Amazon.
6. A Photographic Guide to Insects of Southern Europe & the Mediterranean.
Author/s: Paul. D. Brock.
Publisher: Pisces Publications.
Publication date: 2017.
A rich photographic guide contains stunning close-up images of caterpillars, butterflies, and other insects. It’s perfect for studying markings and insect structure from photographs taken in the garden.
Photography:
- Excellent macro photography
Strengths:
- Ideal for photographers
- Encourages close, careful observation
Limitations:
- Broad insect focus.
- Mediterranean emphasis; not full UK coverage.
While this guide does not cover all UK butterfly species, it is valuable for its exceptional photography and for comparing insects seen in the garden with reliable reference images.
👉 Buy on Amazon.
7. The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain & Ireland.
Editors: John R. Heath, A. Maitland Emmet, & John Langmaid.
Publisher: Harley Books / Brill.
Publication dates: Multi-volume series (1970s-present)
A scientific reference series written and edited by leading Lepidopterists. Best suited to libraries or serious enthusiasts rather than garden use.
Illustrations: Scientific plates and detailed descriptions.
- Scientific plates and detailed descriptions.
Strengths:
- Unmatched depth and authority.
Limitations:
- Specialist and expensive.
- Not a casual guide.
👉 Buy on Amazon
8. A Comprehensive Guide to Insects of Britain & Ireland.
Author: Paul. D. Brock.
Publisher: Pisces Publications.
Publication date: 2019.
A wide ranging insect guide that contains butterflies in various views (female, male, and underside). It suggests locations where species may be found, such as Hickling Broad, Norfolk, a fenland habitat. Ideal for Swallowtails.
Photography:
- 2,900 excellent photographs of species and 2,100 maps
Strengths:
- Excellent location guidance
- Broad comparative references
Limitations:
- It has 544 pages and rather heavy
👉 Buy on Amazon.
9. New Naturalist: Butterflies.
Author: E. B. Ford
Publisher: Collins (New Naturalist Library)
Publication date: 1945 (reprints available)
A classic British natural history book that explores butterfly ecology and behaviour in depth.
Photography/Illustration:
- It has illustrations rather than modern photographs.
Strengths:
- Thoughtful, reflective reading
- Historical perspective
Limitations
- Not designed for quick identification
- Less detailed than larger field guides
- Limited focus on caterpillars
Strengths:
👉 Buy on Amazon.
10. Pocket Guides.
Butterflies: Collins Gem.
Author: Michael Chinery
Publication date: 2004.
Lightweight pocket guide covering about 240 butterflies and moths.
Photography:
- Excellent colour pictures.
Strengths:
- Easy to carry in your pocket, whilst in your garden and out on nature walks
- Quick identification.
👉 Buy on Amazon.
Britain’s Butterflies (WILDGuides): A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. (Fully revised and updated edition).
Author: David Newland.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Wildlife/ WildGuides.
Publication Date: 2020.
Includes eggs, caterpillars and adult butterflies, in a compact format.
Photography:
- Clear colored photographs of all stages of the butterfly life cycle.
Limitations
- Focuses on butterflies rather than moths
Strengths:
- Easy to carry.
- Ideal in the garden and out walking
- Straightforward layout for quick reference
👉 Buy on Amazon.
Which butterfly and caterpillar book should I start with?
- For caterpillars: Field Guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland.
- For portability: Collins Gem: Butterflies.
- For reflective reading: New Naturalist: Butterflies.
Are any books too old?
- Collins Butterfly Guide (2009) – still authoritative and widely used.
- New Naturalist: Butterflies (1945) – classic, reflective, not dated in purpose.
- Collins Gem (2004) – fine for common species and portability.
Conclusion
Butterfly and caterpillar books may be considered as a companion to time in the garden, because they enrich what you see when you are in your garden. A field guide may help you identify and name what you observe. A natural history book may deepen your understanding of why, what you observed matters.
Whether you are identifying a caterpillar, learning more about a butterfly’s life cycle, or simply enjoying quiet reading among your plants, these butterfly and caterpillar books offer another way to connect. Gradually, they become a special part of your observations — helping your garden become a sanctuary for nature – and for you.
Book links are mentioned for readers who would like to explore further. I recommend books that I find informative or useful.
I have not seen the following books in person. However, reviews suggests the Jean-Pierre Moussus, guide, will be informative. I have included the New Naturalist: Butterfly book, for readers who might enjoy a nature book. The Collins Gem and Britain’s Butterflies are both convenient and informative, and designed to be carried easily in the pocket.
Butterflies and Caterpillars in the Nature Garden – The Series
This article is part of a series exploring how gardens can support butterflies at every stage of their life cycle, through observation, tolerance and the right plants. Butterfly and caterpillar books are ideal for helping you learn more about the wildlife in your garden. The books in this article sits naturally within a wildlife garden, where butterflies and caterpillars are part of a connected ecosystem shaped by observation, patience, and time.
If you’d like to help butterflies thrive in your garden, read my series of articles on:
- Butterflies at Risk: What Inspired My Writing on Butterflies
- Butterfly Friendly Plants for a Thriving Wildlife Garden
- 10 Plant Foods for Caterpillars & How to Spot Leaf Damage
- Designing a Plan for a Butterfly and Caterpillar Garden
- 5 Ways to Enjoy your New Butterfly and Caterpillar Garden
- 10 UK Butterfly & Caterpillar Books to Read In or Near Your Garden