The language of butterflies: how thieves, hoarders, scientists, and other obsessives unlocked the secrets of the world's favorite insect

Butterflies are beloved across the globe, adorning fields and forests, gardens and zoos. Their feats are staggering: flying in groups of tens of thousands, monarchs migrate huge distances every year. They are smarter than we think; some species have learned to fool ants into taking care of them. Their beauty had led many to obsession - lepidopterists (butterfly seekers) have died in search of particular species, frenzied and driven mad in the pursuit of color. What draws us to these creatures so intensely? Why do they live so briefly? How do they get their color? Award-winning science writer Wendy Williams investigates butterflies across the globe, researching their habitats and interviewing those dedicated to studying them. She examines the ancient partnership between butterflies and humans, and the ways we depend on them today - from a bellwether on climate change to a source of live-saving medical technology. For lovers of Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees and Richard Powers's The Overstory, this melodious book reveals the inner lives of these special creatures and shows why they continue to fascinate us. Touching, eye-opening, and profound, The Language of Butterflies is a celebration of the beauty and joy the butterfly brings to our world.