Jeffrey E. Belth

Jeffrey E. Belth, author of Butterflies of Indiana: A Field Guide, has been a life-long student of nature, and has been particularly interested in insects for as long as he can remember. He has also enjoyed watching birds since his teens. He grew up in the rural landscape of western Monroe County, Indiana, near Ellettsville. His favorite activity was wandering the nearby fields and forests, searching for insects, plants, and birds. He began drawing and painting birds in his teens, and eventually graduated from the Herron School of Art in Indianapolis. He worked as the exhibit builder at the McCormick's Creek State Park Nature Center, as the Assistant Coordinator of Special Exhibits at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, and since 1992 as Assistant to the Editor and Circulation Manager at Insurance Forum, Inc. Since the mid-1990s his primary artistic expression has been through photography, primarily of butterflies. His extensive field work and artistic background eventually led to the production of his book, Butterflies of Indiana: A Field Guide, which he wrote, designed, and illustrated with his photographs. It was published by the Indiana University Press in November, 2012. The book garnered many positive reviews and accolades, including the 2013 National Outdoor Book Award for best Nature Guidebook. In response to the book, he is often invited to give programs about butterfly identification and related topics. He lives near Bloomington, Indiana, with his wife Sandy and son Alan.