Caterpillars of Eastern North America: A Guide to Identification and Natural History (Princeton Field Guides) [Paperback]

David L. Wagner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 25, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0691121443 | ISBN-13: 978-0691121444

This lavishly illustrated guide will enable you to identify the caterpillars of nearly 700 butterflies and moths found east of the Mississippi. The more than 1,200 color photographs and two dozen line drawings include numerous exceptionally striking images. The giant silk moths, tiger moths, and many other species covered include forest pests, common garden guests, economically important species, and of course, the Mescal Worm and Mexican Jumping Bean caterpillars. Full-page species accounts cover almost 400 species, with up to six images per species including an image of the adult plus succinct text with information on distribution, seasonal activity, foodplants, and life history. These accounts are generously complemented with additional images of earlier instars, closely related species, noteworthy behaviors, and other intriguing aspects of caterpillar biology.

Many caterpillars are illustrated here for the first time. Dozens of new foodplant records are presented and erroneous records are corrected. The book provides considerable information on the distribution, biology, and taxonomy of caterpillars beyond that available in other popular works on Eastern butterflies and moths. The introductory chapter covers caterpillar structure, life cycles, rearing, natural enemies, photography, and conservation. The section titled "Caterpillar Projects" will be of special interest to educators.

Given the dearth of accessible guides on the identification and natural history of caterpillars, Caterpillars of Eastern North America is a must for entomologists and museum curators, forest managers, conservation biologists and others who seek a compact, easy-to-use guide to the caterpillars of this vast region.

• A compact guide to nearly 700 caterpillars east of the Mississippi, from forest pests to garden guests and economically important species
• 1,200 color photos and 24 line drawings enable easy identification
• Full-page species accounts with image of adult insect for almost 400 species, plus succinct text on distribution and other vital information
• Many caterpillars illustrated here for the first time
• Current information on distribution, biology, and taxonomy not found in other popular works
• A section geared toward educators, "Caterpillar Projects"
• An indispensable resource for all who seek an easy-to-use guide to the caterpillars of this vast region

Editorial Reviews

Review

A lusciously photographed book generally regarded as the most comprehensive field guide ever to caterpillars, as opposed to their better-documented adult forms--moths and butterflies. . . . In the book, the fruit of a decade's research, Dr. Wagner . . . argues passionately that creeping things can be every bit as mesmerizing and transporting as those that flit and dart in the air. (Andy Newman New York Times )

This is a wonderful field guide for those interested in studying the fascinating world of caterpillars in the backyard, parks, woods and fields around us. (Robert E. Hoopes Wildlife Activist )

David Wagner has produced a user-friendly field guide that goes well beyond anything else available. (The Quarterly Review of Biology )

As a teacher of the university courses in insect biology and classification, I will use this book heavily; yet it is attractive and simply written enough to be much more widely appealing for children, teachers, and indeed anyone with interest in naturally history. David Wagner is to be congratulated for communicating his knowledge of the Lepidoptera so clearly and appealingly to the rest of us. (J.B. Whitfield Annals of the Entomological Society of America )

In general, the images of caterpillars and adults in this book are superb, the layout is attractive and easy to use, and the small-size format allows it to slip easily into a backpack for use in the field. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Lepidoptera, but it should also find a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in natural history, plant-insect interactions, or management of Lepidoptera pests (macros, anyway). It also will be very handy for anyone with inquisitive children (of any age) that pose that frequently asked question--What will it turn into? (John W. Brown Proceeds of the Entomological Society of Washington )

This is a fine, easy-to-use book that is sure to be in the hands of everyone interested in exploring their own gardens or nearby vacant lots, written to be understood by middle-school students as well as professionals. Very highly recommended! (Biology Digest )

Review

This book adds to our understanding of caterpillars by providing a means to identify common caterpillars via excellent photos of early stages that are associated with photos of adults, and through snippets of natural history text for each species. This alone will generate enthusiasm for caterpillars among professional biologists and general readers interested in lepidoptera. (Philip J. DeVries, Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, author of "The Butterflies of Costa Rica and Their Natural History, Volumes I and II" ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (July 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691121443
• ISBN-13: 978-0691121444
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 1.3 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Biology > Entomology
  • #36 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Insects & Spiders

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 73 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding value! September 20, 2005

By George Boettner

Format:Paperback

This is a fabulous work! No idea how Amazon, or the publisher, can make any money at this price...especially with over 1,200 color photos and over 500 pages long! Every photo is large and in perfect focus. Note that the bindings on the hardcover are much better than the paperback (I bought one of each) so I would suggest springing for the hardcover, as you will use this book a lot! Because Dr. Wagner has raised most of the species in this book, there is a ton of information on how to find a species, what to feed it, notes on strange behaviors...every page is a pleasure to read. I have worked in entomology for 20 years and I will always treasure this book. I tested this book on a 10 year old and she could ID caterpillars pretty well with it...but if you read this book from cover to cover it would be like getting a Ph D in caterpillars. Extremely easy read, and a pleasure to use. This book will do for caterpillars what Rodger Tory Peterson did for birds! Five stars plus!

57 of 57 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars At last a Guide that Includes Moth Caterpillars! February 9, 2006

By David B Richman

Format:Paperback

Moth caterpillars are more numerous (moth species outnumber butterfly species 10 to one), but books to help you identify these are rare to say the least, and most of those that do cover moths as well as butterflies are both very technical and expensive. "Caterpillars of Eastern North America: A Guide to Identification and Natural History" fills the need (for the eastern part of the continent at least) for a reasonably comprehensive guide to both moth and butterfly larvae, with the moths not shortchanged. It can be helpful to a degree in the west as well, but I hope a western guide will soon grace the book stores. We still have no Peterson guide to western moths to match the eastern one!

The color photos are beautiful and the text informative. A perfect book to help the naturalist or anybody who is curious about the "worms" in their garden. I recommend it highly.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Inchworms, oh my! February 3, 2006

By Lorena

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Not too long ago in human history, people thought that caterpillars and butterflies were two entirely different critters. This book illustrates beautifully how different the pupual stage of the butterfly is from the adult! So many of us can identify a Monarch caterpillar, but how about a swallowtail or a sulphur? And, yeah, you know what a Gypsy Moth caterpillar looks like, and maybe even a Wooly Bear, but what do they TURN INTO?

The pictures in this book will tell you! I'll say that this book isn't for the rank beginner, they'd probably do better with "Caterpillars in the Field and Garden : A Field Guide to the Butterfly Caterpillars of North America". And neither is it a definitive guide to all the caterpillars (that book has yet to be written). But it fits the niche right in-between. The pictures of the caterpillars are great; true to life and color, although the adult pictures are small, taken from pinned, collected adults, which makes for sometimes faded specimens and could never be used as a field guide as most of the moths never fan their wings.

Moths are the primary reason to buy this book. If you've ever found a caterpillar in your garden and just don't know what it is, it's just as likely (if not sometimes more so) to be a moth as a butterfly. The beginner books don't include many moths, despite the fact that moth caterpillars can be just as colorful, and large!

The author gives a summary on each page of the more common species, what they look like, whether instars are different from stage to stage, range maps, and most importantly: WHAT THEY EAT. I'm not talking about whether you have to worry about finding these guys on your tomatoes, or in your cereal cabinet. Caterpillar species specialize on a certain type of food plant or plants. Sometimes the ONLY way to tell two species apart is to see what the caterpillar eats.

The tips in this book will help you on your way to raise caterpillars at home, find eggs on plants, even identify some common diseases and parasites.

Aspiring lepidopterists will find this book useful to move from novices to informed backyard naturalists.