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The Last Butterflies: A Scientist's Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature
A remarkable look at the rarest butterflies, how global changes threaten their existence, and how we can bring them back from near-extinction
Most of us have heard of such popular butterflies as the Monarch or Painted Lady. But what about the Fender’s Blue? Or the St. Francis’ Satyr? Because of their extreme rarity, these butterflies are not well-known, yet they are remarkable species with important lessons to teach us. The Last Butterflies spotlights the rarest of these creatures―some numbering no more than what can be held in one hand. Drawing from his own first-hand experiences, Nick Haddad explores the challenges of tracking these vanishing butterflies, why they are disappearing, and why they are worth saving. He also provides startling insights into the effects of human activity and environmental change on the planet’s biodiversity.
Weaving a vivid and personal narrative with ideas from ecology and conservation, Haddad illustrates the race against time to reverse the decline of six butterfly species. Many scientists mistakenly assume we fully understand butterflies’ natural histories. Yet, as with the Large Blue in England, we too often know too little and the conservation consequences are dire. Haddad argues that a hands-off approach is not effective and that in many instances, like for the Fender’s Blue and Bay Checkerspot, active and aggressive management is necessary. With deliberate conservation, rare butterflies can coexist with people, inhabit urban fringes, and, in the case of the St. Francis’ Satyr, even reside on bomb ranges and military land. Haddad shows that through the efforts to protect and restore butterflies, we might learn how to successfully confront conservation issues for all animals and plants.
A moving account of extinction, recovery, and hope, The Last Butterflies demonstrates the great value of these beautiful insects to science, conservation, and people.
Most of us have heard of such popular butterflies as the Monarch or Painted Lady. But what about the Fender’s Blue? Or the St. Francis’ Satyr? Because of their extreme rarity, these butterflies are not well-known, yet they are remarkable species with important lessons to teach us. The Last Butterflies spotlights the rarest of these creatures―some numbering no more than what can be held in one hand. Drawing from his own first-hand experiences, Nick Haddad explores the challenges of tracking these vanishing butterflies, why they are disappearing, and why they are worth saving. He also provides startling insights into the effects of human activity and environmental change on the planet’s biodiversity.
Weaving a vivid and personal narrative with ideas from ecology and conservation, Haddad illustrates the race against time to reverse the decline of six butterfly species. Many scientists mistakenly assume we fully understand butterflies’ natural histories. Yet, as with the Large Blue in England, we too often know too little and the conservation consequences are dire. Haddad argues that a hands-off approach is not effective and that in many instances, like for the Fender’s Blue and Bay Checkerspot, active and aggressive management is necessary. With deliberate conservation, rare butterflies can coexist with people, inhabit urban fringes, and, in the case of the St. Francis’ Satyr, even reside on bomb ranges and military land. Haddad shows that through the efforts to protect and restore butterflies, we might learn how to successfully confront conservation issues for all animals and plants.
A moving account of extinction, recovery, and hope, The Last Butterflies demonstrates the great value of these beautiful insects to science, conservation, and people.
280 pages, Paperback
Published April 13, 2021
21 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 16, 2019
Here's the text to a radio review I did (first on Michigan Radio on Aug. 8) of this wonderfully informative book (I am not a scientist, although I like to think I try to pay attention):
The Last Butterflies:
A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature
By Nick Haddad
Princeton University Press
Reviewed by Keith Taylor
There is something special about butterflies. They have charisma. It seems that everyone who pays even the least bit of attention is drawn at one time or another to the flittering of butterflies across a field or through a back yard, even if they can only name with difficulty a Monarch or a Swallowtail. Like hundreds of thousands of other kids, I joined the Monarch Watch fifty or sixty years ago and attached tiny tags to the edges of butterfly wings so scientists could trace the migration patterns of these most majestic of butterflies. It was my first taste of what has come to be known as “citizen science.”
Clearly Nick Haddad, the author of this wonderfully informative new book, The Last Butterflies: A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature, was one of those most deeply attracted to these delicate insects. They have shaped his life. Now he’s a Professor of Biology at Michigan State University and Senior Territorial Ecologist at MSU’s W.K.Kellogg Biological Station on Gull Lake, northeast of Kalamazoo. Much of his recent work has focused on the rarest surviving butterflies, the ones that – as he writes – “fly dangerously close to extinction.” When comparing the tiny creatures he studies to other animals listed as Endangered, he says that “the collective weight of all individuals of the five rarest butterflies that I discuss in this book would weigh only three pounds five ounces – as much as one panda’s paw.”
Haddad has the rare ability to make difficult science accessible to those of us who are not trained in the nuances of ecological quantification. And he does so without talking down to us! I’ve checked some of his references to leading scientific journals and realize he has done the work to translate that language into one we can all understand.
And he has done that because of his overwhelming sense of urgency. He writes, “Global habitat loss and climate change have relegated each species to minuscule land parcels, areas as small as a single golf course or even a football field. I have found rare butterflies in unexpected places, their populations restricted to artillery ranges or beaches or backyards.” Habitat loss to human uses is, of course, the big problem, but Haddad’s research in natural population dynamics has taught him that the issue is more complicated than that. Every habitat – whether marsh or dry field – has it’s own kind of natural disturbances, each of which might be absolutely necessary to the creatures who live there.
Near the end he admits that “the rarest [butterflies] produce no measurable value to human economies or to ecological systems.” Still they remain important, for something even more than their exquisite beauty, although that is not insignificant. These butterflies “reveal the diversity of threats to nature.” Perhaps they have become the canaries in our collective, global coal mine. At the end he finds his own conclusion, and by then he has convinced his readers, or this one anyway. “Saving the rarest butterflies in the world requires one guiding principle: humans should not be the cause of their extinction.”
https://www.michiganradio.org/post/st...
The Last Butterflies:
A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature
By Nick Haddad
Princeton University Press
Reviewed by Keith Taylor
There is something special about butterflies. They have charisma. It seems that everyone who pays even the least bit of attention is drawn at one time or another to the flittering of butterflies across a field or through a back yard, even if they can only name with difficulty a Monarch or a Swallowtail. Like hundreds of thousands of other kids, I joined the Monarch Watch fifty or sixty years ago and attached tiny tags to the edges of butterfly wings so scientists could trace the migration patterns of these most majestic of butterflies. It was my first taste of what has come to be known as “citizen science.”
Clearly Nick Haddad, the author of this wonderfully informative new book, The Last Butterflies: A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature, was one of those most deeply attracted to these delicate insects. They have shaped his life. Now he’s a Professor of Biology at Michigan State University and Senior Territorial Ecologist at MSU’s W.K.Kellogg Biological Station on Gull Lake, northeast of Kalamazoo. Much of his recent work has focused on the rarest surviving butterflies, the ones that – as he writes – “fly dangerously close to extinction.” When comparing the tiny creatures he studies to other animals listed as Endangered, he says that “the collective weight of all individuals of the five rarest butterflies that I discuss in this book would weigh only three pounds five ounces – as much as one panda’s paw.”
Haddad has the rare ability to make difficult science accessible to those of us who are not trained in the nuances of ecological quantification. And he does so without talking down to us! I’ve checked some of his references to leading scientific journals and realize he has done the work to translate that language into one we can all understand.
And he has done that because of his overwhelming sense of urgency. He writes, “Global habitat loss and climate change have relegated each species to minuscule land parcels, areas as small as a single golf course or even a football field. I have found rare butterflies in unexpected places, their populations restricted to artillery ranges or beaches or backyards.” Habitat loss to human uses is, of course, the big problem, but Haddad’s research in natural population dynamics has taught him that the issue is more complicated than that. Every habitat – whether marsh or dry field – has it’s own kind of natural disturbances, each of which might be absolutely necessary to the creatures who live there.
Near the end he admits that “the rarest [butterflies] produce no measurable value to human economies or to ecological systems.” Still they remain important, for something even more than their exquisite beauty, although that is not insignificant. These butterflies “reveal the diversity of threats to nature.” Perhaps they have become the canaries in our collective, global coal mine. At the end he finds his own conclusion, and by then he has convinced his readers, or this one anyway. “Saving the rarest butterflies in the world requires one guiding principle: humans should not be the cause of their extinction.”
https://www.michiganradio.org/post/st...
April 6, 2022
Ahh, I loved this. It was so delightfully boring, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. I would feel so tranquil, so at peace and filled with inner quiet, every time I opened it. I learned a ton of new information, which I always enjoy, but also the author was able to teach me and lull me at the same time. It isn't funny, it isn't charming, it isn't riveting, but hot dog if it didn't completely win me over. I could be way off, but I get the impression that this guy is like the conservationist version of an engineer, and he delivered his information in as straightforward of a way as possible. And that may not sound winningly interesting, especially with our current trend of trying to write nonfiction that is as much like fiction as possible, but I loved it! And now I know so much more about butterflies. It is a miracle any of them survive, and I have a vastly larger appreciation for the science that goes into their conservation. It also made me want to help, which not all of these de-extinction series books have done, so I think he must have struck a fine balance between explaining the terrible predicament that butterflies are in and leaving room for hope that they may be saved.
November 20, 2019
This book has convinced me that one of the most impactful choices you can make in regards to environmental improvement is to learn how to identify and remove the invasive species that grow where you live.
April 21, 2021
I am so glad books like this exist. Not really meant for non-science readers, but very interesting all the same. It completely boggles my mind how much we still don’t know about the natural history of most of the creatures on earth. It is also exciting, as there are so many discoveries ahead. He poses an interesting question about butterflies being the “canaries in the coal mine” for many other species that are in need of conservation before they too are gone.
August 21, 2023
Excellent book. Well written and engaging. Rare butterflies are a fascinating topic and this book really covered the plight of these lovely little creatures well.
June 22, 2025
Great book
Writing style: very calm, very personable. Reads like a memoir of the author’s experiences with butterflies.
Topics: ten chapters, 6 dedicated to rare butterflies. 1 dedicated to British Large Blue (extinct) and 1 dedicated to Monarchs.
British Large Blue was fascinating because he talks about the century of research that went into the butterfly. The short version is that that young caterpillar feeds on Wild Thyme. As it grows older, it moves into an ant’s nest under the Thyme plant where it feeds on ant larvae. This specific ant species thrives when the plants are at 2.1 inches tall - which are naturally maintained if rabbits come and graze on the plants. The ecosystem complexity and fragility is amazing.
The book also talks about habitat - how some butterflies need some level of natural disturbance eg fire or flooding to thrive. And stopping this disturbance might not be the best option.
Fascinating book. Only note is that this is primarily based in North America.
Writing style: very calm, very personable. Reads like a memoir of the author’s experiences with butterflies.
Topics: ten chapters, 6 dedicated to rare butterflies. 1 dedicated to British Large Blue (extinct) and 1 dedicated to Monarchs.
British Large Blue was fascinating because he talks about the century of research that went into the butterfly. The short version is that that young caterpillar feeds on Wild Thyme. As it grows older, it moves into an ant’s nest under the Thyme plant where it feeds on ant larvae. This specific ant species thrives when the plants are at 2.1 inches tall - which are naturally maintained if rabbits come and graze on the plants. The ecosystem complexity and fragility is amazing.
The book also talks about habitat - how some butterflies need some level of natural disturbance eg fire or flooding to thrive. And stopping this disturbance might not be the best option.
Fascinating book. Only note is that this is primarily based in North America.
September 17, 2025
A fascinating collection of ecological case studies of many different rare butterflies across the United States. In each case, biologist Nick Haddad becomes involved using the best science to help understand the causes of species’ declines and through research comes up with a plan to stabilize them.
I would have liked to have more than the last chapter’s brief overview on why saving rare butterflies is important. I think it is important so show how the process of saving these rare butterflies has ancillary benefits for other insects, animals, plants, ecosystems and humans! It is the humans, after all, that will have to help make the difference in any conservation efforts!
I would have liked to have more than the last chapter’s brief overview on why saving rare butterflies is important. I think it is important so show how the process of saving these rare butterflies has ancillary benefits for other insects, animals, plants, ecosystems and humans! It is the humans, after all, that will have to help make the difference in any conservation efforts!
February 4, 2021
A book about butterflies cannot be a bad book. This was no exception to that rule. Excellent from start to finish. Interestingly, I finished this book today and my wife spent some time today ordering flower seeds...including milkweed for our backyard. Can't wait to see our butterfly bush spring to life so we can watch these wonderful creatures again this summer. Slowly but surely, with each book I read about insects in general or butterflies in particular I become more and more one of those stark raving mad environmental conservationists...this is a good thing.
August 25, 2023
A super interesting read for anyone with a desire to learn more about the importance of biodiversity, or with a fondness for butterflies and the conservation of their fading ecosystems. The author explains the complexity and many layers to successful butterfly conservation, while also presenting the challenges and pitfalls faced in this quest. A perfect mix of both science and data, as well as the author’s own emotions, thoughts, and personal experiences over his years working first hand with threatened species of butterflies.
August 5, 2019
This was a wonderful little book about the threats and resilience of the rarest butterflies. Some of the conclusions reached are counterintuitive and while hope remains that many of these subspecies may be able to increase their population numbers, some, which live in coastal areas only, are threatened by sea level rise. A cautionary tale about how human interference -- the Anthropocene -- has driven many these butterfly populations to near, total extinction.
January 1, 2020
Professor Haddad eloquently blends research, science, personal experiences, and humor to discuss what makes a particular species of butterfly rare, discusses factors that led to the species becoming rare, and the efforts used to conserve the specific species. He also discusses how the monarch butterfly's population has dropped to the point it may need to be listed as a threatened and endangered species. The book is very accessible to anyone and easy understand.
November 3, 2022
Haddad provides a comprehensive description of the threats to butterflies and, by extension, animal species in general and of the multitude of actions scientists, environmentalists, and land managers are taking in effort to stave off looming extinctions. The book is accessible to a lay reader because Haddad is personally involved in many of these efforts and includes numerous anecdotes about his adventures and misadventures.
February 17, 2024
I found this book to be quite dull, however as I read it in bed it was quite useful in sending me to sleep. I think it was the plain, unemotional writing when I prefer the lyrical writing style of other Butterfly conservationists and nature writers.
3* because there’s lovely photos and some interesting butterfly information.
3* because there’s lovely photos and some interesting butterfly information.
February 20, 2020
Excellent, excellent book. Recommended to me many months ago, I finally got around to listening to it. Anyone interested in the natural world and butterflies in particular should add this to their to-read list.
January 8, 2020
4-decent
March 6, 2020
Good read on an urgent subject--the conservation of biodiversity of life on Earth.
April 18, 2020
Insightful look at ecology through the declining butterfly populations.
May 8, 2020
perfect for anyone with naturalist tendencies! Organized by butterfly; each with a compelling story.
December 9, 2021
An enjoyable read. Good information on the natural history of there butterflies, and interesting to see the author’s evolution in thinking with regard to conservation.
December 30, 2022
I liked the initial premise but the book got bogged down in details with each species and I lost interest.
July 9, 2023
Great book. Nick is a fantastic speaker, and his research is fascinating.
August 13, 2023
A lovely book about conservation, and an inspiring reminder of why biodiversity matters. A bit slow and more information than narrative, but it never lost my attention.
September 19, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish! Great book for anyone who is interested in learning more about the studies of butterflies and methods implemented for studies.
October 11, 2024
I do wish some species had been from other countries. I did find the book to be very interesting as I find the butterfly to be an amazing insect.
July 7, 2025
It was both fascinating and repetitive.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews