To cap off our library lover’s week I would like to encourage to check out the insect books your local library may have. If you go to the science section you should look for the 595 library number range. There you’ll find books on spiders, myriapods (millipedes/centipedes), insects and other arthropods. Depending on what you want to learn about, there are lots of neat options out there for reading. I’ll try to group them by topic for my recommendations.
Identification help
If you find yourself collecting bugs during the summer and wondering what you are looking at there some guides out there that are easier to use than traditional field guides.
One of the best ones is Garden Insects of North America, which has a new edition from Whitney Cranshaw and David Shetlar. This insects in the book are grouped by type of damage they may cause to garden and landscape plants. Damage is usually what people first notice, followed by the culprit so this is extremely helpful . The photographs are also top notch and show people exactly what they should be seeing, rather than a black and white picture or a line drawing. You can check this out at your library but I bet you’ll end up buying it for your own bookshelf.
With the rise in pollinator conservation many people are becoming curious about what bees may live around them. With over 4,000 species of wild, native bees in the US you may end up being surprised by the biodiversity that exists in just your backyard. If you want to accurately ID what you are living with, this book will be a big asset in deducing your bees. Has lots of good photos and ranges for each pollinating bee. You can pair it with a new pack of pollinator friendly flowers!
General Entomology Interest
If you would just like to read some interesting stories about bugs, Locust would be a good option for you. It tells the story of the Rocky mountain locust which plagued much of the United States in the past. Locusts are grasshoppers that have undergone a extra molt where they change color and become aggressive feeders. Locusts can devastate crops and ruin lives. The Rocky Mountain locust was our plague, until suddenly it wasn’t. You’ll learn all about the biology, effects, and weird disappearance of this American insect from Jeffrey Lockwood in this great book.
Happy reading!
