Arthur V. Evans, Foreword by Craig Tufts, NWF Chief Naturalist
Another quality guide to insects and spiders is now available to give to curious children, or add to a naturalist’s shelf. Like the NWF Field Guide to Birds of North America, this series uses captioned pictures to illustrate the more than 940 insects, spiders and related species (centipedes, scorpions and pillbugs). The photographs include text to direct you to distinguishing characteristics. I like that the introduction is a general overview of the natural history of insects, and that this guide ends with essays on enjoying insects by watching, collecting, photographing, gardening for or keeping them in aquaria. Most of the pages cover four, while some cover two or three species. Many of the butterfly pages include insets with photos of the caterpillars or pupae. Although it doesn’t have the nice color tabs to help you find a group of insects quickly, it does have a visual key as part of the table of contents, supported by a Quick Index and the regular index. The waterproof cover with the front flap is also handy.
From the publisher: “National Wildlife Federation’s new all-photographic field guide to North American insects, spiders, and related species is the most up-to-date of its kind, and lets both amateur and expert naturalists identify more than 940 species quickly and accurately. More than 2,000 close-up color photographs by leading nature photographers reveal the field marks that distinguish each creature, and the clear and concise text that accompanies each image describes the range, habitat, life cycle, and behavior. Budding entomologists will be inspired to explore further with the detailed information on starting a collection, planting an arthropod garden, keeping insects and spiders in captivity, and learning the techniques of macro photography. The unique waterproof cover makes it ideal for use outdoors.”
Paper with flaps, 496 pages, 4 3/4 x 7 ¾ inches, 1,600 full-color photographs,May 2007
