Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity: With a Photographic Guide to Insects of Eastern North America

by Stephen A. Marshall

Meticulously researched and illustrated with color photographs, Insects is a landmark reference book that is ideal for any naturalist or entomologist. To enhance exact identification of insects, the photographs in this encyclopedic reference were taken in the field -- and are not pinned specimens. Insects enables readers to identify most insects quickly and accurately. The more than 50 pages of picture keys lead to the appropriate chapter and specific photos to confirm identification. The keys are surprisingly comprehensive and easy for non-specialists to use. Insects features: Almost 80 percent of all named animal species are insects and closely related arthropods. This book is required reading for anyone interested in entomology.

Genres: Reference, Science, Biology, Natural History, Nature, Nonfiction

736 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[Eric Lawton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like insects, I would be surprised if you don't love this book.
My favourite insect book.
Start/finish dates are fictitious as I can't really remember when I bought it and I use it more for reference but may well have read all the text albeit in random order. Thousands of gorgeous photographs and excellent narratives of natural history of so many insect taxa (and other arthropods, though less detail).
It is always out on my desk; I've never seen the need to put back on the shelf.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best resource anyone looking to identify North American insects could possibly invest in. I ADORE this book. It has helped me identify insects to the species level numerous times for many important things (ex. alerting a scientific reserve about gypsy moths, figuring out what was eating our experimental plants and subsequently doing a project on the herbivory, etc.)

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're interested in biodiversity and the grand scale of how different and beautiful life can be, this is a great way to begin looking at the insect world.
Detailed pictures and descriptions and a taxonomic key.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not only far more comprehensive than field guides for insects in this area, but also contains delightful text describing characteristics of the families, many genera and species of insects.

[Hapzydeco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is a powerful is a “must-have” identification tool for anyone eager to identify or learn about insects in North America. For the enthusiast this book will be one of the most frequently used in their personal library.

[RUSA CODES · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was selected as an Outstanding Reference Source for 2007. For the complete list, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rus...

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing.

[Kat Hodgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best insect guides I have used. Excellent key in the back, and many wonderful photos. A must have for anyone serious about insects.

[Chloe Millar/Angelica Hamilton]

incredible imaging

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book, filled to the brim with information for the insect enthusiast. I'm an amateur naturalist in Southern Ontario and have found the identification (even just by photos, not with the keys) pages extremely helpful to narrow down to family or subfamily if not to genus or species. The book is a course in Entomology, and has solidified in my brain the Orders of Insects, and in many cases notable Families and Subfamilies as well. Great to find out what sort of creatures live all around us.