Comprehensive yet compact, authoritative yet easy to understand, this is the perfect guide for anyone who wants to know more about the fascinating and diverse insects of North America.

Many insects are difficult even for the experts to identify, but here readers will find a wealth of information on the amazing observable behaviors of insects and their fascinating life histories. Naturalists Kenn Kaufman and Eric R. Eaton use a broad ecological approach rather than overly technical terms, making the book accessible and easy to use. Their lively and engaging text emphasizes the insects that are most likely to draw attention and also includes helpful details on a wide array of lesser-known but recognizable groups. The guide is lavishly illustrated, with more than 2,350 digitally enhanced photographs representing every major group of insects found in North America north of Mexico.

A fun and fact-filled A-Z treasury for the insect lover in all of us

Insectpedia introduces you to the wonders of the insect world while inviting you to make discoveries of your own. Featuring dozens of entries on topics ranging from murder hornets and the insect apocalypse to pioneering entomologists such as Margaret James Strickland Collins and Douglas Tallamy, this beautifully illustrated, pocket-friendly encyclopedia dispels many common myths about insects while offering new perspectives on the vital relationships we share with these incredible creatures.

This entertaining collection celebrates the long and storied history of entomology, highlights our dependence on insects for food and ecosystem services, and explains the meaning behind various entomological terms. With Eric Eaton as your guide, you will circle the globe in search of African Toktokkies and Australian beer bottle beetles, and witness the peculiar spectacle of cricket fighting in Asia. Profiles of influential figures in entomology provide insights into the curious minds that animate this extraordinarily broad field of scientific inquiry, while the book's portable size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your own entomological adventures may lead you.

With captivating illustrations by Amy Jean Porter, Insectpedia is an engaging blend of insect facts and folklore that will inspire anyone who delights in the marvels of nature.

• Features a cloth cover with an elaborate foil-stamped design

The ultimate visual journey into the beautiful and complex world of wasps

Wasps are far more diverse than the familiar yellowjackets and hornets that harass picnickers and build nests under the eaves of our homes. These amazing, mostly solitary creatures thrive in nearly every habitat on Earth, and their influence on our lives is overwhelmingly beneficial. Wasps are agents of pest control in agriculture and gardens. They are subjects of study in medicine, engineering, and other important fields. Wasps pollinate flowers, engage in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, and create architectural masterpieces in the form of their nests. This richly illustrated book introduces you to some of the most spectacular members of the wasp realm, colorful in both appearance and lifestyle. From minute fairyflies to gargantuan tarantula hawks, wasps exploit almost every niche on the planet. So successful are they at survival that other organisms emulate their appearance and behavior. The sting is the least reason to respect wasps and, as you will see, no reason to loathe them, either. Written by a leading authority on these remarkable insects, Wasps reveals a world of staggering variety and endless fascination.

• Packed with more than 150 incredible color photos
• Includes a wealth of eye-popping infographics
• Provides comprehensive treatments of most wasp families
• Describes wasp species from all corners of the world
• Covers wasp evolution, ecology, physiology, diversity, and behavior
• Highlights the positive relationships wasps share with humans and the environment

Discover the pleasures of watching insects with this fun, informative, and marvelously illustrated how-to guide

Insects are the most abundant wildlife on the planet--but also the least observed. This incisive field companion highlights the basic tools for watching insects with all of our senses, covers some best habitats and circumstances for seeing the most diversity, and shares tips for attracting desirable insects to your yard and garden. With wonderful illustrations by Samantha Gallagher, Bugwatching explains why this rewarding activity is for everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender identity, level of affluence, ability, or disability. When you become a bugwatcher, you join a community of supportive and energetic people. The potential for personal and scientific discovery is virtually limitless.

• Enables you to better appreciate and understand insects and improve your success rate in finding, watching, and identifying them
• Includes a comprehensive treatment of insect behaviors that is invaluable for beginners
• Discusses social bugwatching and participation in community science projects
• Covers advanced topics such as rearing insects and using keys to identify them
• Explains how watching insects can fill gaps in our knowledge about their economic impacts and the growing decline in insect diversity and abundance
• Promotes safety, accessibility, and inclusion as vital aspects of watching insects
• An essential guide for seasoned bugwatchers and newcomers to the community