A Field Guide to the Ants of New England

by Aaron M. Ellison, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Elizabeth J. Farnsworth

This book is the first user-friendly regional guide devoted to ants—the “little things that run the world.” Lavishly illustrated with more than 500 line drawings, 300-plus photographs, and regional distribution maps as composite illustrations for every species, this guide will introduce amateur and professional naturalists and biologists, teachers and students, and environmental managers and pest-control professionals to more than 140 ant species found in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. The detailed drawings and species descriptions, together with the high-magnification photographs, will allow anyone to identify and learn about ants and their diversity, ecology, life histories, and beauty. In addition, the book includes sections on collecting ants, ant ecology and evolution, natural history, and patterns of geographic distribution and diversity to help readers gain a greater understanding and appreciation of ants.

Genres: Science

398 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Michael Huynh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because it seemed like an interesting book that talked about ants, something I love. This book was really interesting for me to read as an Ant lover. This book described many of the species of Ants that you would find in the New England Area, ranging from geniuses like Solenopsis (fire ants) to Tetramorium (pavement ants). It was very descriptive in terms of drawings and pictures and the research in it is very detailed and accurate. There were many pictures and many line art drawings which would help with the identification of ants. However, the only thing that I don't like about this book is that it is more of a field guide, as the name suggests, more of something that would help someone identify an ant species and to get a little bit of information, it doesn't provide too much information on each species, only a bit. It also isn't something that I would usually sit there and read if I wasn't an ant lover, it is more of just a dictionary for species rather than something interesting like a documentary-type book. However, this book is very useful and helpful as a reference for ant lovers and researchers across the New England area and surrounding areas, so I would suggest it to anyone that would be interested in that specific field. Otherwise, my specific suggestion read another book if there was not a purpose of identifying a species or doing bland research on a species of ants. Like I said, I would only recommend it to some people, definitely not all.

[Thien Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmm, agree with another reviewer that it is more of a shelf reference though sometimes for a reference book I wish it had a little bit more on species with more known. The format they use for the book would be a more user friendly way of organizing ant information online than the more scientifically focused websites that exist now.

In any case, very happy and thankful the book is even available.

[Polly Vous Francais · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the curious and the ant-lovers, this is a most thorough and well-written guide. My only complaint is that it isn't really a "field guide" because, with all the great photos and illustrations, it is frankly too heavy to take on a walk or hike. But great on the shelf as a reference.