| Size: | The size applies to the wingspan from wingtip to wingtip when the wings are open. Try to note the size of the butterfly you observe in the field and compare that with the measurements listed on the species pages. Sometimes after a year of drought you might encounter slightly smaller than normal butterflies. Note that the butterfly photos on this CD are not to scale. |
| Similar Species: | Some butterfly species are very similar to each other. Learn to link habitat associations with which species are found in your area, this can be very helpful in narrowing down your species ID. |
| Habitat: | Knowing which butterflies could be flying in the habitat your exploring will greatly increase you're identification skills. Remember strays are usually found out of habitat. |
| Range/Abundance: | Familiarize yourself with the range maps. Know which species occur in your area and which species you should not expect. Note that while strays can occur nearly anywhere, this is usually a rare occurrence. Note also that some species may no longer be found within the mapped range due to habitat loss/destruction. |
| Flight Period: | This is one of the most useful things to know when identifying butterflies, especially the single-brooded species. You can greatly reduce the choices of similar species based on the time of year. |
| Larval Host Plants: | The host plants listed here should cover all the known native host plants in the region. Still many host plants are not known. Some rarer species are best found by searching out the host plants. |
| Comments: | The comments here are mostly notes about unusual behaviors or personal experiences about the species. The notes on where and when the photos were taken are intended to give you a sense of where and when it is best to find the species. |