Butterfly watching is taking the country by storm! Naturalists for years have marveled at the beauty, grace and value of these wonders of nature and the increasing numbers of people now going into the field to look for butterflies demonstrates their charisma. The development of close­focusing binoculars has allowed modern butterfly enthusiasts a luxury not afforded their predecessors — the ability to closely observe subjects in their natural habitat. As field guides, binoculars and cameras improve, the hobby continues to grow. These developments have helped to bring butterflying to a status nearly on par with birding, despite the latter’s active growth since the 1930s. Habitat is a prime concern of wildlife watchers and conservationists, and butterfly enthusiasts are no exception. Texas, with its many ecological regions and diverse geological and biological features, offers habitat for a great variety of butterflies. Of the 732 species recorded in North America (north of Mexico), approximately 442 have been recorded in Texas, the most diverse butterfly state in the nation. This diversity makes butterfly watching in Texas both rewarding and challenging.