There have been many field guides to spiders over the years and most are really good. Of the more than 49,000 species of spiders worldwide, some 4,000 are in North America. Spiders of North America explores more than 500 of the most common and interesting spiders found in this region of the world. This richly illustrated guide begins with an overview of spiders―what they are exactly, how they can be found, how they develop, and why they are important.
As is often the case, I become aware of new books through random Amazon searches. I am always looking for new books on tarantulas and “Venomous Words” by Jeff Oliver and Gordon Reilly appeared in the offerings and the concept intrigued me, macro-photography combined with dark poetry. What a great combination and the book’s cover certainly sucked me in, despite the high price tag.
Continue reading “BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “Venomous Words” by Jeff Oliver and Gordon Reilly”
It never ceases to amaze me the wonderful things you can find on Etsy. Being a tarantula enthusiast, it is one topic I find myself searching quite often. Recently I came across artist Laura Airey Le and her Etsy store GrayGhostCreations. The first thing that drew me to her store was her tarantula art prints; then I found her “The Old World Tarantula Coloring Book.”
I am noticing a pattern on Amazon. Tarantula books written by people who have little knowledge on tarantulas. I covered this type of thing before in 2018 with my review of the horrible book “Goliath Birdeater: Goliath Birdeaters As Pets” by Adam Burton. Now I have found another one. The title? “Pink Toe Tarantula: The Complete Guide On Everything You Need To Know About Pink Toe Tarantula” by Jackson James. The first indication of a problem is the title. First off, I think “everything you need to know” would take more than ten pages. Second, the last word should be plural. Third, just look at the cover.
It’s been awhile since a new book came out on tarantulas and “The Tarantula Gallery: Image Reference & Species Accounts” is one not to be missed! I had not seen anything on this book until I did a recent, random search on Amazon and it came up. When it comes to tarantula books I am a completist so ordered it right away.
This is the first in a series of tarantula books with 50 Tarantula Species Accounts/50 Tarantula Care Guides in each volume. “The Tarantula Gallery” is a beautiful compilation of photographs and basic husbandry information compiled by avid South African tarantula hobbyist and tarantula breeder, Danny de Bruyne. A quick-reference for what each species looks like, listing basic requirements and suggestions to provide them with a comfortable enclosure in captivity.
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When I became aware of this book, I became excited immediately. Birdwing butterflies have always been my favorite type of Lepidoptera, both for their amazing colors and their size. Though I am a fan of both D’Abrera’s book “Birdwing Butterflies of the World” and the series of books “A Monograph of the Birdwing Butterflies” by J. Haugum and A.M. Low, it seemed, sight-unseen, that this release would be the ultimate guide to these incredible insects.
Continue reading “BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “Outstanding Birdwing Butterflies” by Gilles Deslisle and Jean-Pierre Sclavo”
For me, seeing butterflies in my yard, or out on a hike is a thrill, especially if there is a lot of them. Growing up, butterfly populations were much higher than they are today, which just adds to the thrill when you see something you haven’t seen in awhile. It’s nice to know that they’re still there.
There have always been field guides to butterflies and moths, my favorite types of insects. My biggest complaint with them though is that they are never complete; they are always missing some important aspect for each species. For the most part, these guides concentrate on the adult butterfly or moth, rarely showing the other three stages of development (egg, larva and pupa). I am guessing that the main reason for this is cost and eventual size of the book. To show all four stages of each species, and then perhaps images of both the male and female, along with text, would create a book that is cost prohibitive.
Continue reading “BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “Caterpillars of Eastern North America” by David L. Wagner”
I first became aware of the book “The Last Butterflies: A Scientist’s Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature” thanks to a piece on NPR. Being a lover of Lepidoptera, I thought this would be an interesting book as it dealt with declining numbers in the butterfly world, a subject that has been on my mind a lot. I wasn’t sure what to expect as some of these books can be over-scientific, making it difficult to read. I am happy to report that this book is written so that everyone can enjoy it.
Continue reading “BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “The Last Butterflies” by Nick Haddad”
For as long as I can remember I have had an interest in butterflies. In fact, one of my fondest memories as a child during the 1970’s was raising monarch butterflies every summer with my mother’s help. She would drive me to places where milkweed was growing and would help me find the tiny eggs and caterpillars, which we would bring home, raise and then release the adults. We would raise hundreds each summer. What is truly sad is that today, finding eggs and caterpillars seem to be almost impossible as monarch populations are on the decline.
Dave the Bug Guy 