From Publishers Weekly
Orthoptera, or grasshoppers and their relatives, are more frequently heard than seen. But once one starts looking, the most "obvious (abundant, large, colorful, noisy)" of insect groups, as the authors describe them, becomes readily apparent. The problem is, as the authors point out in the preface, many orthoptera are either "cryptically colored" (showing their stripes only in flight, or blending in with surrounding flora) or "cryptic in behavior (noctural)"; only the more dedicated amateur naturalists-for whom the book is designed-will seek them out. For those who do, this book is a perfect companion. Scott is a biologist and scientific illustrator; Capinera and Walker are professors of entomology and nematology at the University of Florida and have spent long hours in the fields differentiating the pygmy spurthroated grasshopper from the round-winged spurthroated grasshopper. After introductions to the parts of the orthoptera body, and to its life cycle, ecological impact, sound production capabilities and viability as a pet, the authors evaluate the orthoptera species by species. Each entry includes the "distribution" of a species (where it's found, shown on individual shaded maps), major means of identification, the ecology (what kinds of places a species likes) and the species that can be called cousins. In addition, Capinera's and Walker's department maintains a Web site (buzz.ifas.ufl.edu) where readers can match the "songs" they hear in the field with recordings, using the book's terrific color "pictorial key" to the various noisemakers as a visual guide. But the highlight is certainly the 50 pages of Scott's color illustrations-this is apparently the first book to feature the full spectrum of North American orthoptera in color. For those who want to know what's plaguing them when locusts descend, this is the book.
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Book Description
In much of North America, crickets and katydids provide the soundtrack to summer nights, and grasshoppers frequent the fields and roadsides of midsummer days. Although insects from this group have long been the bane of those who make their living from the land, grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets are themselves crucial food sources for many species of birds, reptiles and amphibians, and other creatures.
Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States introduces readers to the biology, behavior, and ecological significance of one of the most obvious (abundant, large, and colorful) and important (ecologically and economically significant) insect groups in North America, the order Orthoptera. A simple, illustrated identification guide assists the reader in distinguishing among the various groups and narrows down the options to expedite identification. The book treats more than a third of the species found in the United States and Canada in brief, easy-to-understand sections that provide information on distribution, identification, ecology, and similar species. Distribution maps accompany each profile, and 206 species are pictured in color. Black-and-white drawings highlight distinguishing characteristics of some of the more difficult-to-identify species. Sonograms provide a graphic representation of the insects’ distinctive sounds, which may be heard on Thomas J. Walker’s website.
This is the first treatment of North American grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets to portray the insects in full color, and it will be the first time many amateur naturalists and students have the opportunity to see the amazing and colorful world of Orthoptera, because many are cryptically colored (their bright colors evident only in flight) or cryptic in behavior (nocturnal in their habits). John L. Capinera, Ralph D. Scott, and Thomas J. Walker designed their book for amateur naturalists who wish to know the local fauna, for students who seek to identify insects as part of entomology and natural history courses, and for professional biologists who need to identify invertebrates. This invaluable field guide will be a useful supplement for laboratory and field activities and a reference for classrooms at every level.
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