Dragonflies And Damselflies of Georgia And the Southeast (A Wormsloe Foundation Nature Book) (A Wormsloe Foundation Nature Book) (A Wormsloe Foundation Nature Book) (Paperback)

by Giff Beaton (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Beaton's new book, published by the University of Georgia Press, fills a vital niche-- the need for an easy-to-use guide for damselflies and dragonflies occurring in the state." --The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, August 12, 2007, Charles Seabrook

"Covering more than 150 species of Odonates found in Georgia, this beautifully illustrated guide will probably spend most of its life in your pack rather than on your bookshelf." --Cathy Rees, Southeastern Naturalist

Product Description
Visit any pond on a summer day and the air will be alive with dragonflies and damselflies--shimmering aerobatic daredevils that dart above the water and even into nearby fields and woodlands. Organized for easy use in the field, this abundantly illustrated guide, with more than 400 color photographs, is the first to cover Georgia's dragonflies and damselflies (odonates). It details more than 150 species--species that are also the ones most likely to be seen throughout the U.S. Southeast north of Florida.

The guide first explains dragonfly and damselfly body parts, taxonomy, life cycles, and habitats; discusses conservation issues; and offers tips on observing and photographing odonates. Later chapters, organized according to the ten odonate families, such as spreadwings, darners, spiketails, and emeralds, provide general family information followed by accounts of individual species. The beautifully illustrated species accounts describe general appearance and key identification features, distribution, habitats, life history and behavior, and conservation. Supplementary materials include suggestions for the best places to watch odonates in Georgia, a comparative listing of species' level of endangerment, and the date range during which each species can be seen.

Odonates are easy to find and observe, and because they display an astounding variety of colors, sizes, and behaviors, they are popular with birders, butterfly watchers, and other nature enthusiasts. This guide will be welcomed by everyone who wants to learn about odonates and their habitats and what can be done to help protect them.

Included in species accounts:

- beautiful, detailed photos that show odonates from angles important to determining species, sex, or age

- common and scientific names o important features for field identification, with tips on distinguishing between similar-looking species

- typical behavior of the species, including breeding and feeding habits

- occasional commentary on taxonomy or other notable features

- colorful quick guide, with a range map, incidence information, sizing graphics, and flight period information

Additional features:

- listing of twenty ideal sites around the state for odonate watching

- notes on infrequently sighted species

- ratings for each odonate's conservation status, from most critically imperiled to most stable species o chronological listing of flight dates

- listing of additional resources: books, organizations, Web sites, and equipment suppliers

- glossary and index


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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: University of Georgia Press (March 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0820327956
• ISBN-13: 978-0820327952
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #216,999 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful resource, April 7, 2007

By	Lois 'Croakie' (South Carolina) - See all my reviews

Finally a southeastern regional field guide to the odonata. This is a wonderful field guide covering the dragonflies and damselflies of Georgia but useful for anyone in the southeast. Large pictures showing color and sexual variations, range maps, flight time charts as well as text descriptions for identifications are all easy to access and read for all species. This is truly an asset to those interested in dragonflies and damselflies.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dragonflies And Damselflies of Georgia And the Southeast, May 12, 2007

By	Boris Kondratieff - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An excellent pictorial treatment of the dragonflies and damselflies of the southeastern U.S. The photographs of each species is excellent. Every Odonata enthusiast needs this book in their library.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from Florida, May 29, 2007

By	Russell E. Kruetzman (Tampa, Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Even though I am located in central Florida, I found the book to be extremely helpful. We have many of the same odonates here in Florida. Only a few of our species are not covered in the book and these are primarily South Florida species. The pictures are large and vivid which is very important in IDing dragonflies. Information is also included on flight seasons, range, similar species, habitat and behavior all of which are helpful in locating and identifying these little critters. Also, this is the only recent book covering the southeast that includes damselflies, a real plus.