By Kenn Kaufman & Eric Eaton
The Kaufman guides continue to hit the mark for the naturally curious!
The long awaited newest edition to the Kaufman arrived today. I hadn't heard any buzz about it, so it was a total surprise when I opened it up. My main surprise stems from a certain resistance to change! Having been introduced to nature through bird guides, and introduced many another person to birds and butterflies with the other Kaufman guides, I was expecting the exact same format! But then again, this book deals with insects in general. There are over 90,000 insect species in North America (not including Mexico and Hawaii!). That number includes almost 11,000 moths, 16,000 flies and over 24,000 beetles...most of which have not been given common names. We’re still finding more species of insects to add to the list! Not nearly as manageable as the birds and butterflies covered in the first two books of this series.
Back to the format. The first page I opened delighted me as it showed galls on the page called (no surprise here) Galls and Gall-Making Insects. So of course I thought, hmmm, which of these are here in Cedar Creek? Oops, no range maps! For the most part, the ranges, when appropriate, are included in the text.
Now I hear myself saying, "So what?" Once I got through the shock of a new and different format, I started enjoying the book and being impressed by the information included. This book does have the pictorial index that has set the Kaufman guides above and beyond the other guides. It does include a section 'non-insect invertebrates' with spiders, ticks, isopods, scorpions and 'primitive insects and minor insects.' I like that the intro also includes the characteristics that set each group apart.
Even better, and probably bordering on heretical with our birding friends, is Kaufman's advise in the intro to the pictorial key, When You See an Unfamiliar Insect: "5. Don't be discouraged if you have to leave some insects unidentified. No expert can name them all. Just try again with the next interesting insect."
This guide will open up a world of interesting. Here's how:
* More than 2,350 images representing every major group of insects of North America found north of Mexico
* One-page index on first page
* Great information on insect science, natural history, projects, conservation in introduction, and life histories with species accounts.
* Simple, non-technical language with the science to make it interesting and useful.
Kenn Kaufman also apologizes for reining in the enthusiasm of the author, an entomologist who has worked for the Cincinnati Zoo (which has one of the best extensive, exploratory insectariums) and the Smithsonian. Kaufman tells us the book would have had to be 10,000 pages to capture Eric Eaton's enthusiasm and knowledge.
From the publisher: “Many insects are difficult even for the experts to identify. In the new Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, readers will find a wealth of information on the amazing observable behaviors of insects and their fascinating life histories. Naturalists Kenn Kaufman and Eric Eaton use a broad ecological approach rather than overly technical terms, making the book accessible and understandable for everyone. The lively and engaging text emphasizes the insects that are most likely to catch our attention but includes information on all groups that can be recognized. The guide is lavishly illustrated, with more than 2,000 digitally enhanced photographs representing every major group of insects found in North America north of Mexico. Comprehensive yet compact, authoritative yet easy to understand, this is the perfect guide for anyone who wants to know more about the fascinating and diverse insects of North America.”
Paper; 384 pages, 4 3/4 x 7 ¾ inches; full-color enhanced photographs, maps. February 2007.
