Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States - Hardcover

Capinera, John L.; Scott, Ralph; Walker, Thomas J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801442605 ISBN 13: 9780801442605

Publisher: Comstock Publishing Associates, 2004

Synopsis

In much of North America, crickets and katydids provide the soundtrack to summer nights, and grasshoppers frequent the fields and roadsides of midsummer days. Although insects from this group have long been the bane of those who make their living from the land, grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets are themselves crucial food sources for many species of birds, reptiles and amphibians, and other creatures.

Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States introduces readers to the biology, behavior, and ecological significance of one of the most obvious (abundant, large, and colorful) and important (ecologically and economically significant) insect groups in North America, the order Orthoptera. A simple, illustrated identification guide assists the reader in distinguishing among the various groups and narrows down the options to expedite identification. The book treats more than a third of the species found in the United States and Canada in brief, easy-to-understand sections that provide information on distribution, identification, ecology, and similar species. Distribution maps accompany each profile, and 206 species are pictured in color. Black-and-white drawings highlight distinguishing characteristics of some of the more difficult-to-identify species. Sonograms provide a graphic representation of the insects' distinctive sounds, which may be heard on Thomas J. Walker's website: Singing Insects of North America.

This is the first treatment of North American grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets to portray the insects in full color, and it will be the first time many amateur naturalists and students have the opportunity to see the amazing and colorful world of Orthoptera, because many are cryptically colored (their bright colors evident only in flight) or cryptic in behavior (nocturnal in their habits). John L. Capinera, Ralph D. Scott, and Thomas J. Walker designed their book for amateur naturalists who wish to know the local fauna, for students who seek to identify insects as part of entomology and natural history courses, and for professional biologists who need to identify invertebrates. This invaluable field guide will be a useful supplement for laboratory and field activities and a reference for classrooms at every level.

About this title

From the Back Cover

"Finally--a definitive guide to the identification of grasshoppers, crickets, and their allies from all corners of the country: with this book, a jar, and a sharp ear, alert naturalists can now track down and identify insect songsters."--Darryl T. Gwynne, University of Toronto at Mississauga, author of Katydids and Bush-Crickets: Reproductive Behavior and Evolution of the Tettigoniidae

"This book is a great addition to the literature on Orthoptera: broad enough to cover a wide range of insects, but not so broad as to leave out important details. The identification sections of the species accounts are eminently readable, adding to the value of the book and broadening its appeal."--Kevin O'Neill, Montana State University, author of Solitary Wasps: Behavior and Natural History

"This book is for anyone who has ever hiked or strolled through the open fields and forests of the U.S. in search of solitude and the sounds of nature. A walk in the sun through nearly any open field will put you in aural contact with high pitched `sizzling,' ticking, or buzzing sounds from the many kinds of grasshoppers that inhabit those fields. On those summer days too hot for a stroll, perhaps an evening walk is more congenial: you might hear the very loud buzzes, or soft ticks, of the katydids or the sonorous chirps and trills of the many kinds of crickets that fill the night air with their tonal `songs.' This book will provide readers with the means to deepen their understanding of the exact identity of each singer--it is both fun and challenging to test your ears against a world of sound that is comforting to hear and fascinating to understand. After all, those sounds are mostly produced by males which are singing to attract females for mating and if one is lucky, one can hear territorial and aggression songs produced by contesting males. For the dedicated birders who pride themselves in their ability to pick out birds by their songs alone, here is a new challenge. I can recommend this book for anyone interested in more than a surface understanding of the natural history of a remarkable group of insects--the acoustic insects. Moreover, it's about as authoritative a book as you'll ever find because the authors are unquestionably experts in their field."--Ron Hoy, Cornell University

About the Author

John L. Capinera is Professor and Chairman of the Entomology and Nematology Department at the University of Florida. His many publications include Grasshoppers of Florida and Handbook of Vegetable Pests. Ralph D. Scott, who resides in Billings, Montana, is a professional scientific illustrator and biologist. He most recently illustrated Heralds of Spring in Texas. Thomas J. Walker is Professor Emeritus in the Entomology and Nematology Department at the University of Florida.

Edition details

• Publisher: Comstock Publishing Associates
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0801442605
• ISBN 13: 9780801442605
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 280