Field Guide To Beetles Of California

With perhaps 8,000 different species, beetles are easily the largest group of animals in California and can be found virtually everywhere in the state. They grapple over flower heads, lurk in pantries, paddle through pristine mountain streams, amble over dunes, and buzz about porch lights on warm evenings. But until now, there was no single resource for identifying the most commonly encountered beetles in California’s mountains, valleys, and deserts. This valuable field guide, a companion volume to Introduction to California Beetles published in 2004, identifies more than 500 of the state’s more conspicuous and colorful species, with the majority presented in stunning color photographs. Written and designed for amateur naturalists, students, and field biologists, it is chock-full of what every beetle watcher wants to know, including suggestions for finding beetles, starting a beetle collection, and keeping beetles in captivity. The informative, accessibly written species accounts include information on beetle identification, natural history, and distribution. * Features 300 color photographs, 110 drawings, and 2 maps * Covers 569 species in 56 families * Lists California’s sensitive, threatened, and endangered species * Provides resources and web sites for further study of California beetles

Beautifully illustrated and approachable, this is the only California-specific, statewide book devoted to all groups of insects. Completely revised for the first time in over 40 years, Field Guide to California Insects now includes over 600 insect species, each beautifully illustrated with color photographs. Engaging accounts focus on distinguishing features, remarkable aspects of biology, and geographical distribution in the state. An accessible and compact introduction to identifying, understanding, and appreciating these often unfamiliar and fascinating creatures, this guide covers insects that readers are likely to encounter in homes and natural areas, cities and suburbs, rural lands and wilderness. It also addresses exotic and invasive species and their impact on native plants and animals. Field Guide to California Insects remains the definitive portable reference and a captivating read for beginners as well as avid naturalists.

More than 2600 species of tiger beetles are found all over the world. In North America there are 116 species of tiger beetle, divided into 153 geographically distinct races. Detailed studies of their natural history, population dynamics, communities, patterns of worldwide species richness, and taxonomy of particular subgroups have produced much information. Tiger beetles are among the most widely investigated groups of insects, especially in terms of their ecology and geographic distribution. The first edition of A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada, published in 2005, has served as a field and natural-history guide to all known species of tiger beetles found in North America above the Mexican border. The 2nd edition is a pleasant and comprehensible handbook of the identification, distribution, natural history, and habitat details of the 116 species of tiger beetles in North America. The updated handbook provides new information including observations of seasonality, range extensions and biology, a newly developed list of common names, and twenty-five artistically pleasing identification color plates. The second edition of A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada provides essential information to recognize and easily identify tiger beetles for established naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

"This crisply written guide belongs on the shelf of all who have an interest in the natural history of the Golden State."--Dr. Rosser W. Garrison, coauthor of Dragonfly Genera of the New World

A comprehensive guide to the insects of North America contains information--including life histories, behaviors, and habitats--on every major group of insects found north of Mexico.

The most comprehensive full-color guide to the beetles of eastern North America Beetles of Eastern North America is a landmark book—the most comprehensive full-color guide to the remarkably diverse and beautiful beetles of the United States and Canada east of the Mississippi River. It is the first color-illustrated guide to cover 1,406 species in all 115 families that occur in the region—and the first new in-depth guide to the region in more than forty years. Lavishly illustrated with over 1,500 stunning color images by some of the best insect photographers in North America, the book features an engaging and authoritative text by noted beetle expert Arthur Evans. Extensive introductory sections provide essential information on beetle anatomy, reproduction, development, natural history, behavior, and conservation. Also included are tips on where and when to find beetles; how to photograph, collect, and rear beetles; and how to contribute to research. Each family and species account presents concise and easy-to-understand information on identification, natural history, collecting, and geographic range. Organized by family, the book also includes an illustrated key to the most common beetle families, with 31 drawings that aid identification, and features current information on distribution, biology, and taxonomy not found in other guides. An unmatched guide to the rich variety of eastern North American beetles, this is an essential book for amateur naturalists, nature photographers, insect enthusiasts, students, and professional entomologists and other biologists. Provides the only comprehensive, authoritative, and accessible full-color treatment of the region's beetles Covers 1,406 species in all 115 families east of the Mississippi River Features more than 1,500 stunning color images from top photographers Presents concise information on identification, natural history, collecting, and geographic range for each species and family Includes an illustrated key to the most common beetle families

Text and pictures combine to present 579 insect families.

What is that creature that just landed on my arm? What will that funny-looking caterpillar turn into? What do lady-bugs eat? This book will help you to answer such questions (and many more) about your local insects. - From inside cover.