mm
Winner of the 2011
National Outdoor Book Award !
the outdoor world's largest and most prestigious book award program
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With this book in hand, readers of any age will discover - just outside their own
doors, no matter where they live - a world they never knew existed.  Stunning
photography is combined with expert information to create an up-close and personal
tour of the hidden lives of spiders, beetles, butterflies, moths, crickets, dragonflies,
damselflies, grasshoppers, ladybugs and many other backyard residents.  You won't
believe your eyes!  Each creature is shown in its natural setting and many are shown
progressing through the stages of their life cycles.  This is a one-of-a-kind look at
some of life's most fascinating mysteries - surprising, captivating, and perfect for
nature lovers of all ages.

......
.........................................What are Native plants?

A native plant is one that has naturally existed in a certain habitat for a very long time without being introduced there by
humans.  It has survived the local soil and climate conditions and has natural hardiness.  Native plants provide food for wildlife
like butterflies, insects, birds and animals.  Generally, the plants in North America are considered to be native if they were
already there before colonization by the Europeans.  Native plants may be better adapted to the habitat in a specific area, and
need less water and care, if you include them in a garden with similar growing conditions.

*  Some native plants are beneficial (or even critical) in certain habitats, but may be invasive and undesirable in others.
*  Some native plants can become aggressive in small gardens due to self-seeding or underground runners, so choose wisely.

Be sure to do your research to learn which plants are best for your landscape or garden.  One way to get native wildflowers is
to contact a local wildflower rescue group.  They collect native plants (with permission) from sites that are scheduled to be
developed by construction companies.  You can also search the internet for native plant nurseries, native plant societies,
wildflower preservation groups or your local Cooperative Extension Service.  Here are some sites we found to be helpful:
www.for-wild.org    -   www.plants.usda.gov   -   www.plantnative.org   -   www.wildflower.org

Many people are concerned that some of the non-native plants introduced into this country will eventually crowd out our native
plants, especially the pretty wildflowers.  As education and awareness of this issue grows, it should become increasingly easier
to buy native plants for your own gardens.....preserving them for future generations to enjoy.

We use a mix of both native and "friendly" non-native plants in our butterfly gardens.  As we gain more knowledge and
experience we will strive to focus more on our local native varieties that would be good choices for our particular gardens.  
We used to think that any plant that voluntarily sprouted up in our yard was a native.  Now we know that's not always true.

Do you have a butterfly or bug question?
Would you like to exchange kid-friendly site links?
Interested in gardening for butterflies?
.Winner of two Teacher's Choice Awards !
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For every person who has ever watched the miracle of a butterfly
emerging from its chrysalis, this book is a treasure chest of
amazing butterfly transformations.  Readers are invited to
explore and experience the life cycle stages of many common
backyard butterflies in this unique collection of stunning
full-color, up-close photography all taken in a live garden setting.


........

All photographs on this site are copyright protected.
Contact us to request pricing for digital images or prints.
We have thousands of photographs not shown on this
website.  Feel free to contact us to see if we have the
nature photos that you require for your project.
All of our photographs are taken with Nikon equipment.

Click HERE to see our sample gallery                            
                                                                     1 Tim 5:18

Buy our books online or in stores
click on a link below
For wholesale pricing of our BUTTERFLY or BUGS
book contact our publisher:
www.storey.com

For wholesale pricing of our NATURE'S NOTES
book contact our other publisher:
www.WillowCreekPress.com
The Life Cycles of Butterflies front cover

What are the differences between a butterfly and a moth?

*  Usually butterflies are active during the day and moths fly at night, but there are exceptions.
*  Butterflies have thread-like antennae with small knobs at the end.
*  Moth antennae often look like little feathers, especially on the males.
*  Most butterflies have an exposed chrysalis, while many moths spin silk cocoons to hide theirs.
*  Moths often have very fuzzy, thick bodies and hairy legs.  Butterflies are more smooth.

Fun photos and
facts about
butterflies, eggs and
caterpillars
more insect life
cycle photos:

Click here
website updated May 2013
Welcome to our website!
We are the authors of these books:
"The Life Cycles of Butterflies"
"The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs"
"Nature's Notes"
We hope you find our site
to be fun and educational.
~ ~ ~ ~  Butterfly or Nature presentations  ~ ~ ~ ~

Meet the authors - book signing and sales, observe and
handle live insects (seasonal), questions and answers

Butterfly and Bug show and tell -  life cycle presentation,
educational display setups, insect specimens to observe

Nature photography - camera basics, how to photograph
insects in the wild, tips and tricks for great shots, our secrets!

Gardening for butterflies - attracting butterflies and              
hummingbirds to your yard, habitat conservation with native
plantings, how to hand-raise butterflies and moths

Insect life cycles - learn about ladybugs, lightning bugs,       
praying mantis, beetles, dragonflies, and more!

Making nature fun! - get your hands on nature, dirt won't
hurt, what's under that log, let's explore the creek, nature projects

We offer a wide range of presentations tailored to your particular
group, class, club, convention, or other event.

~   ~   ~   ~   Click here for more details   ~   ~   ~   ~
blue butterfly logo on page header provided by
www.Mind2u.com
Copyright 2004-2013 Burris & Richards
contact us:  admin@ButterflyNature.com
Sister and brother naturalists Judy Burris and Wayne Richards
from northern Kentucky are the authors and photographers of
several award-winning books.  Their newest title, Nature's Notes,
has won 3 national awards.  They also wrote The Secret Lives of
Backyard Bugs, winner of the National Outdoor Book Award
(NOBA) plus the Teacher's Choice Award for "Product of
Excellence for the Family".  Their first book The Life Cycles of
Butterflies won the Teacher’s Choice Award for “Children’s
Books” as well as “Product of Excellence for the Family”. Judy
and Wayne's articles and nature photography have been published
worldwide in calendars, blogs, books, newspapers and magazines.
Learning Today to Care About Tomorrow
Winner of the 2012
Teacher's Choice Award
..Winner of 3 national awards !
...
Introducing our new line of photo e-books on Amazon.com !
Even if you don't own a Kindle reader, you can purchase Kindle books
online and load them onto your smart phone or computer.
Click the TV to see our interviews
We can provide text &
photography for :

magazines
newspapers
websites and blogs
brochures
newsletters
ads
books
lesson plans
digital slide shows
display panels
park signs
and much more!
Recommended by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
Recommended by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)

Regardless of age, we all enjoy the fun of discovering new
insights to our natural world. Nature’s Notes delivers this joy
using “bite-sized learning” text and hundreds of dazzling close-up
photos to unlock scores of fascinating secrets. The fast-paced
format features mini-articles and sidebars with fun and affordable
projects as well as backyard explorations revealing all kinds of
hidden natural treasures.

Nature’s Notes has a unique spiral-binding and flexible jacket
making this eye-popping book both sturdy and “outdoor-
friendly”. Put it in your backpack and take it on your nature
hikes.  Learn about frogs, toads, turtles, birds, snakes,
salamanders, mushrooms, wild flowers, insects and much more!
Each butterfly is photographed as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and winged
adult.  This book makes a great gift and is a wonderful teaching tool for
students, teachers and parents.
Preferred Choice Award winner
First Place Winner in photography
2012 GOLD seal winner
Judy's Etsy shop
NEW BOOK !
"Wayne and Judy's presentation was such a
wonderful experience for our students and teachers.  
Their presentation was hands-on and engaging as
well as child-friendly.  Their enthusiasm for nature
and the outdoors is contagious, and I would highly
recommend them for visits to other schools."
Lisa Dieso, Associate Director
Northern Kentucky Montessori Center