Dragonflies of the World (Hardcover)

by Jill Silsby (Author), Michael J. Parr (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
In this handsomely illustrated volume, entomologist Jill Silsby and a team of colleagues introduce readers to the little-explored world of dragonflies and their damselfly cousins, the order Odonata.

The odonates, Silsby writes, are among the oldest of the earth's living creatures, ancient even by the age of the dinosaurs. That they have survived while so many other species of the time did not hinges on several adaptations, including the development of large compound eyes, wings that move independently of one another, and a highly streamlined body shape, all of which have made odonates "superb hunting machines." Strictly carnivorous, dragonflies are also wide-ranging--some species have been known to travel across oceans--and are found in most parts of the world; one family, the Synlestidae, or sylphs, are distributed throughout southern Africa, Australia, China, and the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, but, strangely, nowhere in between. (For all its ubiquity, though, the dragonfly figures little in the world's art, literature, and mythology.) But all 6,000 species of dragonflies depend on one habitat in particular that is becoming ever more rare: clean, usually slow-moving bodies of water. The volume closes with a consideration of conservation measures that are needed if the odonates are to survive beyond the present age, including the establishment of protected areas worldwide.

A pleasure to read and constantly informative, this compendium makes a welcome addition to any nature buff's collection. --Gregory McNamee

From Booklist
Dragonflies are magnificent insects--large, predatory bugs that anyone can recognize. Their somewhat fearsome appearance and inquisitive nature makes them obvious to even the most oblivious to nature. Dragonflies and their smaller relatives, damselflies, are also among the most ancient of living animals, having arisen some 300 million years ago. Silsby addresses both interested amateurs and experienced zoologists. Introductory chapters reveal the evolution of dragonflies, their life cycle, structure, and behavior. The bulk of the book is a look at the damselflies and dragonflies of the world. The approximately 6,000 species are divided into 29 families, and each family is discussed separately, with general facts about ecology, behavior, and appearance. Superb color photographs illustrate the text; in fact, this is the first book to illustrate at least one species from every family and subfamily of these insects. A glossary of the somewhat exotic terms used to describe dragonflies, along with a list of dragonfly societies, completes a book that, despite its steep price, belongs in every library. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian; 1 edition (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560989599
• ISBN-13: 978-1560989592
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #909,530 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Open Window on Remarkable Insects, September 10, 2003

By	David B Richman (Mesilla Park, NM USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Dragonflies have always been among my favorite insects and I was somewhat aware of their variety and beauty, especially in North America. However, Jill Silsby has produced a book that amazed me with the complexity of dragonflies and the closely related damselflies worldwide. These amazing creatures are now starting to get the appreciation they deserve and this book amply demonstrates why they should be appreciated for their ephemeral beauty, their astonishing variety, their remarkable life histories and their interesting behavior. From spider-catching Forest Giants (damselflies) to the primitive Petaltails (dragonflies) they are all here in this book. I wish that such an introduction had been available to me when I was beginning in entomology!

The excellent photographs should also be mentioned. These are just wonderful and I cannot express my full admiration for the selection! Every insect and arachnid order should have a similarly well-illustrated tome written about it in the same format.

If you have even a remote interest in these fantastic insects, get this book!

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything about dragonflies, November 23, 2001

By	Rick Brooker (Milton, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Being an amateur and looking for good books on dragonflies is hard. This book gives plenty of facts and pictures. A great alternative if you are not ready to spend $... on some of the the more well known books.