Following an HIV diagnosis in 2000, thespian-turned-lepidopterist Liam O’Brien leaned into his passion for butterflies as a source of wonder. After decades of observing, counting, and (responsibly) capturing these scaled winged beauties, he became an ambassador for the species. In his debut book Butterflies of the Bay Area (and Slightly Beyond): An Illustrated Guide, O’Brien chronicles 135 varieties of butterfly with vim and vivid hand-painted illustrations to introduce readers to the breadth and beauty of butterfly biodiversity of this region.

With over 700 hand-drawn illustrations depicting both adult and caterpillar forms of each species, this book offers a stunning and romantic catalog of the region’s lepidoptera. Entries include habitats, host plants, life phases, and tips on where to find each species of butterfly. O’Brien also recounts the best butterfly walks of the Greater Bay Area, from Monterey to Marin, and offers tips for finding, photographing, and fighting for these storied bugs. Interwoven are insights from O’Brien’s own deepening fixation with butterflies and the plight of protecting them from endangerment.

Named a Local Hero by Bay Nature in 2014, O’Brien has led efforts to restore Variable Checkerspots to the Presidio, monitored the endangered Mission Blue butterfly in the Marin Headlands, and has run the San Francisco butterfly count for the last 25 years—in the region that boasts the largest density of counts in the nation. His meticulously illustrated survey of Bay Area butterflies springs from the conviction that naming the creature in front of you is the first move toward conservation.

“In this book, I’m aiming for something a little different from the classic field guide,” says O’Brien. “Here is a book that celebrates realistic paintings, pithy anecdotes, conservation, and the downright joy these bugs have given me. Given all of us.”