Sunday, May 21, 2023

Book Review - Insects of North America - Princeton Field Guides


 

     One may state up front that this is a remarkable work, without fear of contradiction. It combines in one volume the 783 families of insects that are currently recognized in North America north of the Mexico/USA border, and that, it seems to me, is a remarkable achievement in and of itself. 
     John C. Abbott and Kendra Abbott come to the work with impressive credentials and their depth of knowledge, experience and communication skills are evident throughout.
     I derived a good deal of pleasure from the end flaps alone. At the front the various orders are depicted with a brief description indicating unique features to aid in identification, while at the rear the reader is treated to a wonderful pictorial depiction of insect morphology.
     The introductory section begins with an explanation of what constitutes an insect, followed by a section on nomenclature and classification. A pie chart diagrammatically illustrates the range of insect diversity. Unfortunately, insect populations are under threat from countless causes, graphically depicted as "Death by a thousand cuts." At every phase of their lives these organisms that are so critical to continued life on Earth are threatened  by all the well known anthropogenic actions that daily mitigate against the future of all species, including our own.
     For the insect scientist, professional and citizen alike, a comprehensive section deals with collecting and displaying arthropods, including the subtle art of photography. 
     Insects, of course, are a potentially rich source of food for humans, although we in the west have a long way to go before overcoming our aversion to eating them. There are clearly huge rewards in terms of winning the battle against climate change by switching to insect consumption, but I don't expect we are going to add crickets to our diet any time soon!
     The balance of the book is dedicated to all of the orders and families of insects, with phenomenal photographs and informative, concise text. Page after wonderfully-illustrated page is packed with the essential components of a very useful, user-friendly guide.


 
     Even if your primary interest is birds, mammals or plants, or indeed any other facet of nature, insects will play a part, whether as parasite, predator or food. They are found in every environment, and, collectively, are a keystone component of a healthy ecosystem. Insects are everywhere!
     You need this book to help you identify them more easily, and understand them in greater depth. And don't forget to ask your local library to add a copy to their shelves. Everyone should have access to it!

Insects of North America - Princeton Field Guides
John C. Abbott, Kendra K. Abbott
US$24.95. £20, ISBN: 9780691232850
600 pages, 4.5 x 7.25 inches (11.25 x 18.25 cm)
3700 + colour photos and illustrations
Publication date: 02 May, 2023 (US), 13 June, 2023 (UK)
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

36 comments:

  1. This seems like a wonderful book.
    Without insects there is no life for the birds.
    Greetings Irma

    ReplyDelete
  2. I suspect that there are more insects yet to be identified - the world over.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Must be an interesting book David!
    Insects are useful and as my son says "they rule the world".
    Have a nice week !
    Anna

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fascinating insights into the world of insects and their significance. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have immense respect for those who dedicate their lives to studying all aspects of nature, though I admit that I've never had much interest in insects beyond the more obvious ones. There was a time, not so long ago, when any drive in the country left your car spattered with dead flies; this no longer happens to the same extent. It can't be mere coincidence that swallows, swifts and martins appear to be getting fewer every year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no doubt that you are correct, John. I highlight this very point in a couple of my presentations.

      Delete
  6. Nice book review, David. I always read them and you find so many intresting books.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

    ReplyDelete
  7. ...I took one entomology class in college, it wasn't my cup of tea.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello David,
    Another great book review! Thanks for sharing! Take care, have a wonderful new week.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I spend a lot of time in the rescuing of beetles, 3 different types from our pool. Bob always say Kill it, I always say nothing and carefully sit it out of harms way. I scoop them out in a net, I don't care for the scrabbling in my hand feeling. Just the photos taken for this book would be amazing. the turkey gobbler that attacked me at age 8, me at 8, not the gobbler, lived with owners who offered me several times ants, crickets and grasshoppers, some salty some chocolate covered. they were in little cans. I refused and still wood.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love it when you show the illustrations. The book looks like an excellent reference and of course, your reviews are always good.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have a couple of shelves full of field guides to birds, butterflies, trees, wildflowers, etc., but none specific to insects. I think I need this book.

    ReplyDelete
  12. My brother's name is John, though he is John G. Anyway, insects are really fascinating, beautiful and varied in their shapes and colors and they are really the foundation of life. We decimate them at our peril.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hay que tener una mente privilegiada, para que se pueda reconocer, tal cantidad de insectos.
    Feliz domingo. Un abrazo

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sound good, David. Insects have an important role to play on this planet.

    ReplyDelete
  15. An excellent review, as always, David. Sometimes I despair at the thought of our planet's future. I'm not sure we can pull it out now. I know a lot of people eat insects, but I'd have to be starving to eat one deliberately. Who are the Neutral People?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Neutral Nation was a tribal confederation of Iroquoian peoples. Its heartland was in the floodplain of the Grand River in what is now Ontario.

      Delete
  16. This book definitely sounds handy. And that's a whole lot insects to squeeze into it. At first I wondered if this book was about 1,000 pages long. Smile. Happy new week. hugs-Erika

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love books about insects!.....very interesting!.......Abrazotes, Marcela

    ReplyDelete
  18. Another great review, David.

    Insects are important to our ecosystem.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Seems interesting that book. A whole world of the living with insects, so many and yet more for us to know about.

    ReplyDelete
  20. they seem to go exterminated. I don´t see much of them anymore :( :(

    ReplyDelete
  21. Nice book review...They are so thorough..No need to read the book..LOL..I'm not quite ready to eat bugs yet....even with chocolate...Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  22. Insects are fundamental to life on Earth.
    From your review it is certainly a very interesting book.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Este libro me encantaría tenerlo. Abrazos.

    ReplyDelete
  24. From you description, David, it looks like a must-have book for residents of North America with a wildlife interest, and if I were to visit North America again, I'd want to have this by my side. I shall now go and see if I can find a similar style of book on the subject of "Insects of UK"

    Best wishes to you both - - - Richard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems that I shall be getting the Princeton WILDGuides "Britain's Insects" as a birthday present from our son, David. I'm looking forward to it.

      Delete
    2. Great, Richard. Glad to hear it.

      Delete

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we are situated are the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral People. We also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws, and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

Followers