''The Dangerous World of Butterflies: The Startling Subculture of Criminals, Collectors, and Conservationists'' is a 2009 book by Doctor of Philosophy

Peter Laufer Peter David Laufer is an independent American journalist, broadcaster and documentary filmmaker working in traditional and new media. He is the James Wallace Chair in Journalism at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. ...

. It is the first book in his untitled animal trilogy, preceding ''

Forbidden Creatures ''Forbidden Creatures: Inside the World of Animal Smuggling and Exotic Pets'' is a 2010 book by Doctor of Philosophy Peter Laufer Peter David Laufer is an independent American journalist, broadcaster and documentary filmmaker working in tra ...

'' in 2010 and '' No Animals Were Harmed'' in 2011. The book explores the presence of the butterfly in the fields of organized crime, ecological devastation, species depletion, natural history museum integrity, and chaos theory.

Overview

''The Dangerous World of Butterflies'' has Laufer talking to butterfly experts, both professional and amateur, discussing the art, conservation, breeding, development, wing colors, and the meaning of its fascination for humans of the butterfly. He explores the various mysteries of lepidopterology, such as the process of metamorphosis. In addition, he discovers controversy in commercial butterfly breeding and discovers vast criminal operations involving the mass poaching and smuggling of butterflies.

Critical reception

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

had a mixed review of the book, saying that it was "charming but slightly scattershot" and "flawed but pleasing". '' The Seattle Times'' compared ''The Dangerous World of Butterflies'' to '' The Orchid Thief'', praising both and calling them "entertaining" and "enlightening". '' Publishers Weekly'' said that ''The Dangerous World of Butterflies'' delivered an "absorbing science lesson" in what the reviewer called "casual prose".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dangerous World of Butterflies 2009 non-fiction books Books by Peter Laufer