Search Patterns

Colophon

The image on the cover of Search Patterns is a Charaxes brutus, or white-barred charaxes, a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. Native to Africa, the white-barred charaxes is a favorite of collectors due to the intricate, colorful patterns on the undersides of its wings. The butterfly is black with a broad white band on both sides of its wings, as its name implies.

Aided by a large wingspan of 8–10 centimeters, Charaxes brutus is one of the fastest butterflies in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. Its speed, coupled with the fact that it prefers densely wooded areas and flies high in the tree canopy, has traditionally made it a difficult species to catch.

In Africa, harvesting wild butterflies is a lucrative field; profits from a rare specimen can support an entire family. Using screen traps with baits of dung and fermented fruit, harvesters can lure this elusive butterfly to them and entrap it. While mounted specimens are commercially available, butterfly conservancies afford people the opportunity to view this impressive species live.

The cover image is from the Dover Pictorial Archive. The cover font is Adobe ITC Garamond. The text and heading font is Myriad Pro.