Beetles : A Field Guide to the Beetles of North America (Paperback)

~ (Author), Roger Tory Peterson (Editor), Peterson (Author) "General Organization. This guide is similar in plan to A Field Guide to the Insects by Borror and White..." (more)
Key Phrases: antennae sawtoothed, false darkling beetles, rare click beetles, Rocky Mts, Pacific Coast, North America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Over 600 drawings and 65 color paintings portray representative species of the 111 families of North American beetles. Includes information on collecting and preserving beetles.

About the Author

Roger Tory Peterson, one of the world"s greatest naturalists, received every major award for ornithology, natural science, and conservation, as well as numerous honorary degrees, medals, and citations, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Peterson Identification System has been called the greatest invention since binoculars, and the Peterson Field Guides® are credited with helping to set the stage for the environmental movement.

Richard E. White is a research entomologist at the United States National Museum in Washington and the author of articles and research papers chiefly in his special field of beetles. As an artist he is most experienced in portraying insects, but he also illustrates general biological subjects.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (April 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395910897
• ISBN-13: 978-0395910894
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #400,441 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good addition to my bookshelf, June 16, 2003

By	Scott Case (Longview, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Really, when considering whether or not this book is any good, you've got to consider what you want out of it. If you want a field guide that you can use to easily identify beetles that you find, this really isn't the best choice. If you want a book with lots of nice photos or illustrations, again, this isn't the one you're looking for.
If, on the other hand, you're looking for a book that will give you a slightly more in-depth information on beetles than you generally get in a general insect field guide, then this may be what you're looking for. That's my two cents, anyway.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars disappointing flaw in otherwise solid field guide, April 28, 2003

By	audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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There are approximately one million species of animals on our planet; about three quarters are insects; and approximately 40% of those are beetles. There are 30,000 kinds of beetle in North America. They are plentiful and varied -- a real joy to observe or collect. This Peterson field guide begins with two chapters on collecting and preserving beetles, and then delves into their identification. An anatomical flow chart on the endpages directs you to the various beetle families, and there you will find a physical description, similar families, and information about numbers, range, habits, collecting methods and examples. There are about 600 line drawings and 65 color plates.

This is a solid field guide, but the meager percentage of color pictures is problematic. Beetles are quite colorful and that should be the most salient identifying characteristic, but neither the black & white drawings nor the often color-free descriptions help in that regard -- a real weakness for a guide to these beautiful insects. I would rather pay more for an all-color guide.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for beetle enthusiasts, June 7, 2000

By	David Sherrod (Graham, WA USA) - See all my reviews

A great companion to the Peterson Field Guide to the Insects. Lots of great illustrations. Many picture examples from each family of beetles. Great descriptions of each beetle. A MUST have for collectors of Coleoptera. Good for layman, also.