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Peterson Field Guides #19
A Peterson Field Guide To Insects: America North of Mexico
Find what you're looking for with Peterson Field Guides —their field-tested visual identification system is designed to help you differentiate thousands of unique species accurately every time. Detailed descriptions of insect orders, families, and many individual species are illustrated with 1,300 drawings and 142 superb color paintings. Illustrations - which use the unique Peterson Identification System to distinguish one insect from another - include size lines to show the actual length of each insect. A helpful glossary explains the technical terms of insect anatomy.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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336 people want to read
About the author
Donald J. Borror
14 books7 followersDonald Joyce Borror was a professor of entomology and zoology at Ohio State University. He founded the Borror Laboratory of Bioacoustics at the university, which houses one of the largest collections of recorded animal sounds in the world - it has more than 30,000 recordings of over 1400 species of animals.
As an entomologist and naturalist, he is known best as an expert on the order Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies), and for his book An Introduction to the Study of Insects.
As an entomologist and naturalist, he is known best as an expert on the order Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies), and for his book An Introduction to the Study of Insects.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 7, 2021
I picked up this Insect identification field guide because I was disappointed that I wasn't finding anything related to general entomology in the local Library... not for beginners anyway. This wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but it was a start!
Typically when I think of "Peterson Field Guides" my mind first goes to the bird guides, sometimes these field guides are in want of pictures and visuals... but I thought "if they describe the important features of the insect, maybe they'll be more useful then a colorful book full of pictures?
This book was very educational. As I expected there were only 16 full color pages in the center of the guide giving color-picture representations of some of the insects being discussed in the guide. However, each page has at least a picture or illustration aiding in identification.
Before anyone gets impressed with me, I "skimmed" through certain sections of the guide. For example an entry will read like this:
"LADYBIRD BEETLES Family Coccinellidae See also Pt. 6
Identification: Shape often distinctive: broadly oval to nearly spherical, strongly convex dorsally, nearly flat ventrally. Tarsi apparently 3-3-3, actually 4-4-4 (3rd segment minute) Head partly or completely concealed by pronotum. Often brightly colored - Yellow, Orange, or reddish markings. Antenna short, club 3- 6-segmented. 0.8-10.0 mm.
This is a large group with many abundant and well-known species. Both adults and larvae of most species are predaceous on aphids, scale insects, mites, and other insects injurious in orchards. Adults frequently overwinter in groups, sometimes in tremendous numbers. Adults of the Two-spotted Ladybird Beetle (PL. 6) Adalia bipunctata (Linn.), often over-winter indoors, and may be seen at windows in fall or spring. Two species of Epilachna are plant feeders, both as larvae and adults, and are serious garden pests: the Mexican Bean Beetle, E. varivestis Mulsant, is yellowish, with 8 small dark spots on each elytron (front wing); the Squash Beetle, E. borealis (Fabricius), is yellowish, with 7 large dark spots on each elytron."
Unless you're specifically trying to identify an insect in front of you, I typically skip over the first part of the identification and read about it's habitat and behavior. However, in identification those finer details are absolutely necessary and important to include in each insects entry.
Honestly the most valuable thing I learned from the Peterson Field Guide to Insects was how to better spot the different "types" of insects. A knack I actually had before picking up the book... Most people can probably do it if you've ever had an interest in the tiny critters. For example, most people probably know that an Ant would be classified differently then a Beetle, A Beetle different from a Bee, a Bee different from a Wasp, and a Wasp different from a Grasshopper, etc.
...And just like that you're got your first clue for what you're looking for. Is it some kind of WASP you just saw? Flip to the wasp section and look through the descriptions there...
That's where unfortunately the guide stops helping me. There is such an incredible variety of insect life that even knowing that something is a wasp isn't quite enough. I found myself using google ("Big Black Wasp"), image searches ("Ah! This looks close to what I have in this Jar), and then I'd use the insect guide to cross reference the website and dig deeper after I figured out what type of wasp I saw. ("It was a type of Mud dauber Wasp")
Hopefully that's helpful for anyone interested in this field guide, better yet, I'd appreciate a suggestion if someone has a better idea how an armchair entomologist gets started without forking over hundreds of dollars for old second-hand-text-books.
Typically when I think of "Peterson Field Guides" my mind first goes to the bird guides, sometimes these field guides are in want of pictures and visuals... but I thought "if they describe the important features of the insect, maybe they'll be more useful then a colorful book full of pictures?
This book was very educational. As I expected there were only 16 full color pages in the center of the guide giving color-picture representations of some of the insects being discussed in the guide. However, each page has at least a picture or illustration aiding in identification.
Before anyone gets impressed with me, I "skimmed" through certain sections of the guide. For example an entry will read like this:
"LADYBIRD BEETLES Family Coccinellidae See also Pt. 6
Identification: Shape often distinctive: broadly oval to nearly spherical, strongly convex dorsally, nearly flat ventrally. Tarsi apparently 3-3-3, actually 4-4-4 (3rd segment minute) Head partly or completely concealed by pronotum. Often brightly colored - Yellow, Orange, or reddish markings. Antenna short, club 3- 6-segmented. 0.8-10.0 mm.
This is a large group with many abundant and well-known species. Both adults and larvae of most species are predaceous on aphids, scale insects, mites, and other insects injurious in orchards. Adults frequently overwinter in groups, sometimes in tremendous numbers. Adults of the Two-spotted Ladybird Beetle (PL. 6) Adalia bipunctata (Linn.), often over-winter indoors, and may be seen at windows in fall or spring. Two species of Epilachna are plant feeders, both as larvae and adults, and are serious garden pests: the Mexican Bean Beetle, E. varivestis Mulsant, is yellowish, with 8 small dark spots on each elytron (front wing); the Squash Beetle, E. borealis (Fabricius), is yellowish, with 7 large dark spots on each elytron."
Unless you're specifically trying to identify an insect in front of you, I typically skip over the first part of the identification and read about it's habitat and behavior. However, in identification those finer details are absolutely necessary and important to include in each insects entry.
Honestly the most valuable thing I learned from the Peterson Field Guide to Insects was how to better spot the different "types" of insects. A knack I actually had before picking up the book... Most people can probably do it if you've ever had an interest in the tiny critters. For example, most people probably know that an Ant would be classified differently then a Beetle, A Beetle different from a Bee, a Bee different from a Wasp, and a Wasp different from a Grasshopper, etc.
...And just like that you're got your first clue for what you're looking for. Is it some kind of WASP you just saw? Flip to the wasp section and look through the descriptions there...
That's where unfortunately the guide stops helping me. There is such an incredible variety of insect life that even knowing that something is a wasp isn't quite enough. I found myself using google ("Big Black Wasp"), image searches ("Ah! This looks close to what I have in this Jar), and then I'd use the insect guide to cross reference the website and dig deeper after I figured out what type of wasp I saw. ("It was a type of Mud dauber Wasp")
Hopefully that's helpful for anyone interested in this field guide, better yet, I'd appreciate a suggestion if someone has a better idea how an armchair entomologist gets started without forking over hundreds of dollars for old second-hand-text-books.
March 29, 2008
this is a cute little book with color photos of insects, and is a beginners guide to identifying basic orders and species of insects. this is a great book for learning in the field!
September 28, 2023
kafkaesque.
February 22, 2024
This is among the best field guides for insects in North America.
It is somewhat outdated in terms of taxonomy, but the illustrations are invaluable. The introductory chapter is a great starting point for anyone interested in entomology. This book is basically how I got initiated into entomology in my teens.
It is somewhat outdated in terms of taxonomy, but the illustrations are invaluable. The introductory chapter is a great starting point for anyone interested in entomology. This book is basically how I got initiated into entomology in my teens.
November 2, 2020
Detailed images for identification and brief descriptions of each bug.
July 12, 2016
Wow this was my third insect field guide, and I must say I didn't expect to find it useful at all because it uses illustrations rather than photographs and its age, but man I was wrong.
I use this book heavily juxtaposed to National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of NA.
I also own Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of NA and I will address all three books in this review which can be found on all of these books' pages:
Kaufman is good for its many pictures mostly consistent in being clear and dorsal view, often differentiation between male and female, and extra white space around the images to annotate if you so wish. It has vague, encompassing descriptions of nearly ever family and order, which is very, very good, but often not as detailed as I hope it to be.
Peterson is an illustrated guide (no pictures- it was first published 40+ years ago) which is perfect identifying and general information about the particular order or family. The illustrations are very pretty but are definitely perfunctory rather than ornate, so don't worry about that. Peterson is your dry-cut guide: no prose, you are given the identifying characteristics, size, origin, and perhaps habitats or habits. Helpful features: arrows on the illustration pointing to every mentioned defining characteristic, a ruler on the inside of the back cover, a couple dichotomous keys, and very pretty and clear diagrams of many things.
Wildlife Federation is my overall favourite :) It's very dense with information and pictures, a good balance. There's a big useful blurb in the introduction, summarizing each of the orders as well as general anatomical and behavioural characteristics of Insecta. There's also a good bit about arachnids and other arthropods. There's a healthy 1-2 page blurb about each order, but no blurb about the families! This has to be my biggest bone to pick with Federation, otherwise it would be close to perfect. I'd really like to have more general information about the habits etc of a family as a whole, but this guide does not do that even once. But yeah, otherwise this book is the most comprehensive I'm glad it has three dashes of Arachinda and a pinch each of Entognatha, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Branchiopoda, Malacostraca; because I don't need to know that much, but being able to vaguely identify it is still loads helpful :)
But yeah, each have their own faults and mistakes as well- consult the internet and double check your sources for controversial taxonomy! I've been confused more than once.
Yup I'm still a scrub, but I'm working on it!
I use this book heavily juxtaposed to National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of NA.
I also own Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of NA and I will address all three books in this review which can be found on all of these books' pages:
Kaufman is good for its many pictures mostly consistent in being clear and dorsal view, often differentiation between male and female, and extra white space around the images to annotate if you so wish. It has vague, encompassing descriptions of nearly ever family and order, which is very, very good, but often not as detailed as I hope it to be.
Peterson is an illustrated guide (no pictures- it was first published 40+ years ago) which is perfect identifying and general information about the particular order or family. The illustrations are very pretty but are definitely perfunctory rather than ornate, so don't worry about that. Peterson is your dry-cut guide: no prose, you are given the identifying characteristics, size, origin, and perhaps habitats or habits. Helpful features: arrows on the illustration pointing to every mentioned defining characteristic, a ruler on the inside of the back cover, a couple dichotomous keys, and very pretty and clear diagrams of many things.
Wildlife Federation is my overall favourite :) It's very dense with information and pictures, a good balance. There's a big useful blurb in the introduction, summarizing each of the orders as well as general anatomical and behavioural characteristics of Insecta. There's also a good bit about arachnids and other arthropods. There's a healthy 1-2 page blurb about each order, but no blurb about the families! This has to be my biggest bone to pick with Federation, otherwise it would be close to perfect. I'd really like to have more general information about the habits etc of a family as a whole, but this guide does not do that even once. But yeah, otherwise this book is the most comprehensive I'm glad it has three dashes of Arachinda and a pinch each of Entognatha, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Branchiopoda, Malacostraca; because I don't need to know that much, but being able to vaguely identify it is still loads helpful :)
But yeah, each have their own faults and mistakes as well- consult the internet and double check your sources for controversial taxonomy! I've been confused more than once.
Yup I'm still a scrub, but I'm working on it!
February 16, 2022
Originally published in 1970.
Peterson Field Guides are the best. I purchased this one used a few years back, maybe around 2015, but I'm not too happy with this it. This is a hardback library discard. I prefer paperbacks with these types of books. Oh, well!
There are a lot of colored photos and drawings, but strangely there are more black and white photos. I haven't really used it extensively to try and identify any insects with it....cause I forgot I had it. We've got plenty of bugs here in Southeast Texas to bring this little book on a test run. I guess I'll update this review later on. As far as looks goes, with quality photos, this one gets about an average 3-stars for now.
Peterson Field Guides are the best. I purchased this one used a few years back, maybe around 2015, but I'm not too happy with this it. This is a hardback library discard. I prefer paperbacks with these types of books. Oh, well!
There are a lot of colored photos and drawings, but strangely there are more black and white photos. I haven't really used it extensively to try and identify any insects with it....cause I forgot I had it. We've got plenty of bugs here in Southeast Texas to bring this little book on a test run. I guess I'll update this review later on. As far as looks goes, with quality photos, this one gets about an average 3-stars for now.
August 27, 2010
A decent field guide: useful enough for helping with basic identification while out collecting, with good chapters on how to collect and preserve specimens. Because it covers a large geographical range, it will not be as helpful in getting down to the family or genus level in identification, but it is a good starting point.
August 30, 2013
Not a bad book for beginners...everything is here to help you identify that strange insect you saw. But this edition dates pretty far back and there are so many more up-to-date field guides with beautiful photographs as opposed to these black and white drawings.
Read
December 12, 2013I found the book quite interesting for those who wish to learn a bit about Insects. Had many nice facts in it. And kept me on the subject for a long time. Not to mention how nice the imagery was that was in the book. Personally one of my top books on entomology.
January 18, 2016
The diagnostic field marks included in this Peterson Field Guide are very helpful in identifying some of the more common orders & families of North American insects. The color plates are especially stunning; I just wish the guide could have included more species.
April 16, 2008
I don't know how many of this book gets sold, but the effort and content is well worth the price. You never know which walking stick you might find on your back porch.
February 10, 2009
Good descriptions.
Lacks photos but excellent illustrations more than make up for it.
I read the library copy but worth buying.
Lacks photos but excellent illustrations more than make up for it.
I read the library copy but worth buying.
February 22, 2011
This guide has limited coverage of insect species, but it has very useful keys for identifying insects into the correct orders and families.
March 3, 2011
A must have for the beginner-intermediate field entomologist! This book has gotten me through many years of identification.
June 20, 2011
Probably better for the bug fanatic. Me? Not so much.
Read
November 3, 2014nothing
December 20, 2014
This book helped my accurately identify like, 3 kinds of insects so far. The colored pictures are pretty.
February 8, 2015
Excellent descriptions and information.
Read
October 24, 2018it was helpful and was very detailed
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews