Customer Reviews

Tracks and Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates: A Guide to North American Species

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent beginning to a collection of tracking and animal sign books for naturalists and nature lovers in North America. It has a little of everything about invertebrates of all kinds in it, enough to satisfy the curiosity of most beginners like me and, I suspect, even a few of the experts. It certainly will add a great deal of knowledge to any library on nature and the critters we might encounter outdoors. And it especially focuses on the ones you'll most likely see rather than those rare invertebrates you might only see once in your lifetime. And the habitat coverage is vast, I don't think there is anything lacking, even the seashore! I love this book and am going to purchase a copy for my children's Nature Club. It's user friendly enough that even my elementary-age club members will be able to use it. Combined with some of the other excellent books on tracking the vertebrate species, like the ones by Elbroch and Rezendes, there won't be much you can't identify on your outdoor treks.

This book even includes a bit of the natural history of each of the creatures whose signs it identifies; and with color photos throughout! Just what you need to get you started toward learning more about these creatures. Take advantage of the "Look Inside!" option and view the table of contents, index and other sample pages for yourself. I was quickly able to indentify the coccoon of the polyphemus moth I found under one of my oaks some time ago...something I couldn't find much information on nor photos of in any of my other resources. Can't say enough about this wonderful reference. Added to a reasonably complete library of field guides or books on insects and other American invertebrates, this will give you that additional boost you've been looking for. It will quickly become one of your most-used and favorite references.

When you spot an insect or other creature, there are any number of guidebooks that will help you identify it. But where do you turn when you see only the signs that an unknown something has been there? At last, here is the book for you! Whether it is a mass of eggs, a silk structure, an odd hole in the ground or in a tree, a tiny shed skin, a damaged plant or even a pile of droppings, you will probably be able to find the cause.
The book is set up in easy-to-use sections such as Eggs & Egg Cases, Webs & Other Silk Constructions, Burrows & Mounds, Tracks & Trails and a lot more, including many signs found in aquatic habitats. For those fond of forensic police shows, this book will even help you solve the mystery of what killed the dead invertebrate you found.
Pupae, outside of those of common butterflies and moths, are often ignored in many guidebooks. Although they are part of insect life cycles rather than "signs," many pupae are pictured, including those of less-known insect groups.
The book is beautifully-illustrated with clear color photographs, and notes on the lives of the covered organisms are included.
This book should be a must for every field biologist, science teacher, extension agent, scout leader and camp counselor and should be on the shelf of every library. It is also a wonderful source of information and enjoyment for anyone with a love for nature and a sense of curiosity and wonder.

This is my new favorite reference book. I'd been looking for a reference book on insect eggs - this book provides that and so much more! Find a strange gall and want to know what caused it? This book's got it. Want to know who is stuffing peices of grass in the wood of your deck? This book's got it. Love to learn nifty facts about spiders that use spit to cover their eggs? You guessed it - this book's got it.

As a naturalist I use it to discover which insect mines that ragwort leaf along the trail. As an environmental educator, I use the photos to motivate children to look for the little signs all around us. As a trainer, I point to this book as a resource for staff.

Great book! Get one and give it a permanent home in your backpack.

An impressive accomplishment by the authors. Unique subject matter. Identifies and explains myriad invertebrate signs, constructions, traces encountered in the micro landscape that are so often overlooked or ignored. Extremely informative. Filled with intriguing detail and excellent photo color illustrations. Very readable.

Totally complete with lots of picture data to really get a feel of seeing and comparing. Very complete

Who knew there was a huge gap in my field guide collection? Every page has gorgeous photos (well, except the gross chapter) and information on things you've seen and wondered about for years. I bought my signed copy for $40 and it is worth every penny!

I love this book. As I flip through the photos I keep saying to myself, "I've seen that before, so that's what that is". It's a must for naturalists. I can't wait till spring arrives and I can use it in the field. I don't thing there is anything quite like it out there.

This book explains the things one tends to overlook...like the marks on the bark of the trees or what makes those galls on the stems of plants. Although this is not a field guide, I plan to take it with me on nature walks because it is filled with a wealth of information. I never quite looked at things in this manner before.

If you work with trees and plants as I do, this is a great guide for solving life's little mysteries.

I have not read this book. I bought it as a gift for a nature lover. This reference work is beautifully presented and in clear, understandable format. It is of interest, even for non-bug trackers,. I recommend it.