Damselflies of Alberta: Flying Neon Toothpicks in the Grass (Alberta Insects) [Paperback]

John Acorn (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0888644191 | ISBN-13: 978-0888644190 | Publication Date: September 20, 2000 | Edition: 1st

With iridescent blues and greens, damselflies are some of the most beautiful flying insects as well as the most primitive. As members of the insect order Odonata they are related to dragonflies but are classified in a separate suborder. These aquatic insects are a delight to the eye and a fascinating creature of study. In Damselflies of Alberta, naturalist John Acorn describes the twenty-two species native to the province. Exhaustively researched, yet written in an accessible style, the author's enthusiasm for these flying neon toothpicks is compelling. More than a field guide, this is a passionate investigation into one of nature's winged marvels of the wetlands.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

With iridescent blues and greens, damselflies are some of the most beautiful flying insects. Naturalist John Acorn describes the twenty-two species of damselflies native to Alberta. Exhaustively researched, richly illustrated and written in an accessible style, the author’s enthusiasm for these flying neon toothpicks is compelling. More than a field guide, this is a passionate investigation into one of nature’s marvels of the wetlands. “[John Acorn] is an absolutely brilliant advocate for insects and he has the scientific and literary chops to create a highly popular and very durable series.” May Berenbaum, Head, Dept. of Entomology University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign “John Acorn is unquestionably one of our finest nature communicators today: rigorous in his outlook, remarkably broad in his knowledge and interests, and of course witty, humane, and deeply considerate of both insects and those who watch, study, and enjoy them.” Robert Michael Pyle, author National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies “John has the rare knack of making the science of insects interesting and accessible to a wide array of people, from professional biologists, to school children.” Michael Majerus, Reader in Evolution University of Cambridge John Acorn, a lifelong Albertan, lives in Edmonton with his wife Dena and their two boys, Jesse and Benjamin. When John isn't chasing damselflies or other insects, and writing books about them, he can be found lecturing at the University of Alberta, serving as spokesperson for the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, or addressing a variety of scientific and naturalist groups across North America. Damselflies of Alberta is John's thirteenth book and his second title in the Alberta Insects Series with the University of Alberta Press. The University of Alberta Press Book design by Alan Brownoff Printed in Canada $29.95 in Canada

About the Author

John Acorn, a lifelong Albertan, lives in Edmonton with his wife Dena and their two boys, Jesse and Benjamin. When John isn’t chasing dinosaur bones or ladybugs, and writing books about them, he can be found lecturing at the University of Alberta, serving as spokesperson for the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, or addressing a variety of scientific and naturalist groups across North America. In 2008, he received NSERC's Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: University of Alberta Press; 1st edition (September 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888644191
• ISBN-13: 978-0888644190
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,551,616 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars A Big Disappointment!, February 24, 2010

By 

Jerry K. Hatfield "Starshooter" (Lubbock, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Damselflies of Alberta: Flying Neon Toothpicks in the Grass (Alberta Insects) (Paperback)

From the only review written, I was under the impression that this was a great field guide. It does have its qualities and the author is most creative with his poetic pieces on each species spotlighted, however, the book is not nearly what I had expected from a near 40 dollars (more with 3.99 for shipping and handling). What made me even more disappointed was the price on back cover of this paperback book is listed as 29.99!!!! So why the near 10 more in cost?!?!?!?!? This book, in my opinion, is hardly worth the $29.99 list price and definitely NOT $37.44!!!!! I will undoubtedly return it and shame on Amazon.com for marking up a book's price to sell it! If you are interested in damselflies, I would recommend Dennis Paulson's fine guide of Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West as a much better guide that not only covers the damselflies of Alberta but the dragonflies as well....and for a lot less cost (a little over 20 dollars for the paperback).

5.0 out of 5 stars Read Damselflies of Alberta Now, July 1, 2006

By 

William L. Abler - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Damselflies of Alberta: Flying Neon Toothpicks in the Grass (Alberta Insects) (Paperback)

Damselflies of Alberta.
John Acorn has created a masterpiece that transcends its subject. A title like "Damselflies of Alberta" would ordinarily place a book into the category of "local interest", but Acorn has exploited this limitation to cover his subject completely. He is on a first-name basis not just with damselflies, but with the scientists who have studied them; and by showing that a substantial number of substantial minds have devoted a substantial part of their intellectual lives to damselflies, Acorn teaches us what is important. Not who is President of General Motors, or how much money the movie stars make - but nature. Just nature.
The photographs are unbelievable in their clarity and beauty, and in their instructive value. The paintings illustrating both sexes of every species of damselflies in Alberta would be a lesson for any author of a field guide.
Acorn describes the fantastic mating process of the damselflies, and describes a species where the male hauls the female out of the water, pulling her free of the surface tension after she has laid her (and, now, his) eggs on plant stems beneath the surface. He describes the primitive flight anatomy of the damselflies. There are limericks about many species. Everything about the book shows the intrinsic worth of life and living things.
Every page lifts this beautiful book beyond the limits of damselflies and Alberta, making it really a universal example of what might be done with every genus, and every locality on Earth. All are fascinating to anyone inclined to take the time to look, and all are important in a way that transcends "biological indicators" or possible medicines. They are the stuff of life. Read this book, and read Acorns "Tiger Beetles of Alberta". In their pristine humanity, they are an example for the whole world.
-William L. Abler