National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders & Related Species of North America (Paperback)

~ (Author), Craig Tufts (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

National Wildlife Federation’s new all-photographic field guide to North American insects, spiders, and related species, is the most up-to-date of its kind, and lets both amateur and expert naturalists identify more than 940 species quickly and accurately. More than 2,000 close-up color photographs by leading nature photographers reveal the field marks that distinguish each creature, and the clear and concise text that accompanies each image describes the range, habitat, life cycle, and behavior. Budding entomologists will be inspired to explore further with the detailed information on starting a collection, planting an arthropod garden, keeping insects and spiders in captivity, and learning the techniques of macro photography. The unique waterproof cover makes it ideal for use outdoors.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (May 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402741537
• ISBN-13: 978-1402741531
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,293 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #16 in

  Books > Outdoors & Nature > Fauna > Insects & Spiders

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent Guide Depending on what you are looking for., July 12, 2007

By	Steven L. Mcdonough - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After reading this guide through three times I rate it as a decent insect guide, but not my first reccomendation. I have been studying and collecting insects for 18 years now, and usually collect a speciman to identify even if I just to release it after a good observation. This guide does a decent job with photographs and does provide good data on the species covered. Since I live in Indiana I prefer guides that focus on the Eastern United States. This guide covers sporadicly over the whole continental US and I think that causes any guide on insects to severly truncate included species. This book did provide many specific species names to insects I was never able to identify past genus.

Each species has a color photo with range, size and some special marks listed. Included some chapters on other arthropods which was quite nice. Arranged by insect order so it makes refinding a species easier. The dragonfly section I also found very helpful, but don't have a dragonfly book yet.

I still rank Peterson's Guide as superior. It has a much more in-depth data as to what really seperates one order from another.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best buy for bug guide, October 6, 2007

By	Robert E. Wrigley - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A frequent question is why another popular guide on arthropods. There is no doubt that there are a number of excellent examples on the market, but there are so many fascinating species to explore, and when a new guide like Arthur Evans' appears, it is just too good to resist. In fact, I purchased four copies (at Amazon's great price of $13.57 each, and of course shipping was free), just to give as gifts to budding and experienced entomologist friends. I have several books on insects by Arthur Evans, and have learned to acquire anything this scientist publishes. He has mastered the art of natural-history interpretation for lay people.

About 940 species of arthropods are described (names, classification, measurements, field marks, habitat, and many other life-history facts), backed by 1600 high-quality color photographs. The introductory and supplementary chapters, and order synopses are the best I have seen, and I cannot think of any topic that has been left out.

I took this guide on a recent 15-state, arthropod-collecting trip (from Manitoba to Texas, Mississippi to Minnesota) and many of the hundreds of species we captured were readily identified at some level by using this field guide. The author, photographers, National Wildlife Federation, Chanticleer Press, and Sterling Publishers have produced a wonderful guide which will fuel the enthusiasm of a generation of naturalists fascinated by insects and other small creatures of land and water. I only wish there were guides like this one when I was a child. Dr. Robert Wrigley

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite field guide, May 3, 2008

By	Peter F. Gawne "Peter" (Boston) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is my favorite field guide (I also have Peterson's and Audobon's). The pictures are good and the range/size/habitat information is listed on the same page. I very much apprecciate not having to flip to alternate pages to get the information that I am looking for. If you are looking for a book that is not in the field I would recommend Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity by Stephen Marshall, but to travel this is my favorite.