Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Dragonflies and Damselflies-Princetion Fied Guide
Well put togather, love the photo's then the info right after them, it really helps not have to look at photo section then look in the other section for the info.

Love looking at and doing photo's of nature and this helps to see what I took photo of

Visually Stunning, Intellectually fascinating
Paulson's guide to dragonflies and damselflies (collectively known as odonates) of western North America is stunning to behold; one could spend a lot of time happily drifting through the beautiful photographs. Additionally, the text is incredibly informative. However, for a summary of this book's contents, I can not do better than the review by "Soleglad"-- I hope I got the reviewer's tag right -- of this book.

However, I"d like to emphasize that this book is not just for the "serious" amateur or professional. I am not a serious dragonfly person. I enjoy looking at them, love photographing them when the opportunity presents itself, but I don't spend much time identifying them "in the field," and I do not go to specific places to seek them out.

Nonetheless, I found this book fascinating. The introduction includes a myriad of interesting facts about these insects, and this helps you appreciate these beautiful animals all the more. The "field guide" portion of the book contains a large number of mostly superb photographs. The text in this portion of the book can be, initially, a bit hard to understand for us "lay-people," but if you wish to identify a dragonfly or damselfly, some technical description is necessary (and there is an excellent glossary with drawings to explain terms).

My Point: This is NOT a guide solely for "experts," but for anyone who wants to identify dragonflies/damselflies, in their yard or on vacation (in western North America). It is also visually pleasing and contains far more general natural history background than most field guides. There is no guide currently out that is anywhere close in quality.

My sole "negative" point is that it is nearly impossible for a photographic guide to put as many species per page as guide using drawings. This does sometimes make finding a collection of similar species (between which you are trying to make an identification) more difficult. But this guide is as good as a photo guide is going to get on this front as well.

Steven Mlodinow

Excellent reference guide to the Dragonflies
Finally, a reference and field guide to expand on my knowledge of these facinating animals.The info on behavior is worth the whole price.As is stressed by the author, dragonflies (includes damsels) are extremely variable in species presentation.This guide appears to be as close as one can get to basic identification.I've already found answers to a number questions about our local representatives.

Where's the key?
If I was an entomologist specializing in Odonata, I would be full of praise for this volume. This book has great photographs and plenty of information. However, the book assumes a level of expertise that most amateurs and even professional scientists probably do not possess - that users are able identify Odonata down to the genus level before the book reveals it's usefulness. The lack of a key makes this volume more of a reference manual than a useful field guide. I would have to create a key before I can use this volume in the field.

The author spent a great deal of time and effort developing common names so that amateurs would be more comfortable with the Order - I find it odd that he did not include a method for interested non-experts to tease the genera apart.

Paulson Dragonfly/Damselfly Field Guide Excellent
This new guide to "western" (west of a line from the southeast corner of Minnesota to western Louisiana) North American dragonflies and damselflies is incredibly complete with beautiful photographs, several detail drawings, range maps, and considerable text. ... Read more

Product Description
Visit any pond on a summer day and the air will be alive with dragonflies and damselflies--shimmering aerobatic daredevils that dart above the water and even into nearby fields and woodlands. Organized for easy use in the field, this abundantly illustrated guide, with more than 400 color photographs, is the first to cover Georgia's dragonflies and damselflies (odonates). It details more than 150 species--species that are also the ones most likely to be seen throughout the U.S. Southeast north of Florida.

The guide first explains dragonfly and damselfly body parts, taxonomy, life cycles, and habitats; discusses conservation issues; and offers tips on observing and photographing odonates. Later chapters, organized according to the ten odonate families, such as spreadwings, darners, spiketails, and emeralds, provide general family information followed by accounts of individual species. The beautifully illustrated species accounts describe general appearance and key identification features, distribution, habitats, life history and behavior, and conservation. Supplementary materials include suggestions for the best places to watch odonates in Georgia, a comparative listing of species' level of endangerment, and the date range during which each species can be seen.

Odonates are easy to find and observe, and because they display an astounding variety of colors, sizes, and behaviors, they are popular with birders, butterfly watchers, and other nature enthusiasts. This guide will be welcomed by everyone who wants to learn about odonates and their habitats and what can be done to help protect them.

Included in species accounts:

- beautiful, detailed photos that show odonates from angles important to determining species, sex, or age

- common and scientific names o important features for field identification, with tips on distinguishing between similar-looking species

- typical behavior of the species, including breeding and feeding habits

- occasional commentary on taxonomy or other notable features

- colorful quick guide, with a range map, incidence information, sizing graphics, and flight period information

Additional features:

- listing of twenty ideal sites around the state for odonate watching

- notes on infrequently sighted species

- ratings for each odonate's conservation status, from most critically imperiled to most stable species o chronological listing of flight dates

- listing of additional resources: books, organizations, Web sites, and equipment suppliers

- glossary and index
... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Fine Salute to Dragonflies
I actually joined the official Dragonfly Society of America after spending a great afternoon identifying not dragonflies but damsleflies in my garden thanks to "Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast." Illustrations and descriptions are extremely well photographed and well written and this book, along with a pair of good binoculars, will guarantee many a great summer afternoon.

Great book for Identification
This is one of the best field guides that I have ever used.The pictures are clear and sharp.There is information in easy format that tells you when and where the insect is found. The comparison to similar species is also a big help. If you are interested in dragonflies and damselflies in the southeast, you should buy this book.

Awesome
I love this book, I take into the field with me everyday. The pictures are awesome and it is bursting with useful ID info. If you are interested in observing dragonflies, this is the book for you. It changed my life.

Incredible Guide!
This guide is indispensable for anybody interesting in Odonata in the SouthEast. I happen to live in Georgia, so this guide covers every species I'm likely to see, but I have used it for vacations anywhere in the East.
The photos are spectacular and the text explains how to separate from similar species. Not only is it a great identification guide, but it tells you the behaviors, habitats, and just about everything you need to know about Odonates. The introduction is also great for those just getting started with dragonflies.

Good guide
Great guide on odanates. Great photos of both male and female odes laid out well. Photos at times give dorsal and lateral views. Bulky for the field though, but stick it in a backpack and it works. Bought this for a trip to the south, but its not just for the south, I'm in New York and it has plenty of species seen here. Worth the money, very informative. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first guide to dragonflies and damselflies of the south-central United States. The book covers 263 species, representing more than half of the North American fauna. The area of coverage significantly overlaps with other regions of the country making this book a useful aid in identifying the dragonflies and damselflies in any part of the United States, Canada, or northeastern Mexico.

More photographs of damselflies in North America appear here than in any other previously published work. All 85 damselfly and 178 dragonfly species found in the region are distinguished by photographs, numerous line drawings, keys, and detailed descriptions to help with identifications. Features include:

• Discussions of habitats, zoogeography, and seasonality
• Details on dragonfly and damselfly life history and conservation
• An introduction on studying and photographing dragonflies and damselflies
• An entire section devoted to the external anatomy of dragonflies and damselflies
• Species accounts organized by family into sections on size, regional and general distribution, flight season, identification, similar species, habitat and biology and ecology
• Range maps for each species, as well as an extensive bibliography and a list of resources for further study

Customer Reviews (6)

Very Useful
I am just getting into photographing dragonflies seriously and I live in Texas so this is a very useful tool for identification purposes. John Abbott is very thorough in describing every anatomical aspect of a dragon and damselfly.For a novice, it can be a bit overwhelming but it has opened up a whole new and interesting world of the odonates.Again, it is very useful for my region in the United States.

Excellent
I bought several books before this one and I basically wasted my money!Finally I am able to identify the odes that I have photographed in the field.This is a must have for anyone interested in dragonflies and damselflies!

Dragonfly guide review
I have several guides for birds, butterflies, snakes, reptiles and amphibians.I just started learn about dragonflies this year and this is one of the best guides I have seen.In fact, it was highly recommended by an individual who has a Masters Degree in dragonfly study.I recommend it for individuals just starting out with dragonflies as the photos are great but it also provides enough information (range maps) to let you narrow down and identify the more difficult species.

The Texas Odonata Bible
This field guide is the one to own. It covers not only all the dragonflies of Texas and the Southcentral US, but all the damselflies as well. The photographs are superb and this make for easy identification of species in the field. However, because of these pluses, the result is a rather sizable guide that is just a bit too heavy to really qualify as a handy field guide. If you can deal with its size and weight, it more than makes up for this handicap in thes helpful information it provides. The only drawback and the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, is because it is a tad less user friendly for the novice or non-professional (i.e. The species identification keys are a bit confusing). Nevertheless, it is destined to become the standard to measure all other guides.

A Complete Guide to South-Central Odonates
As an admirer of dragonflies and damselflies I was quite delighted to find this book by John C. Abbott.It is a mix of the very technical and (at least in part because of the 64 plates of magnificent color photos) the very useful for the non-specialist.The range maps are invaluable as a way of adding clues for the identification of similar species.The line drawings of anatomical parts are important in separating closely related species and the glossary of terms, the check list, and the large bibliography round out a very useful or even indispensable volume for the dragonfly watcher.In short, this book is a serious guide to an area with the highest odonate diversity in the United States."Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States" simply is a must for anyone interested in the odonate fauna of the five states involved.Its production, along with at least three earlier regional and national books on the subject, is a testimonial to the growing popularity of these beautiful and fascinating insects. ... Read more

Product Description
Dragonflies and Damselflies documents the latest advances in odonate biology and relates these to a broader ecological and evolutionary research agenda. Despite being one of the smallest insect orders, dragonflies offer a number of advantages for both laboratory and field studies. In fact, they have been crucial to the advancement of our understanding of insect ecology and evolution. This book provides a critical summary of the major advances in these fields. Contributions from many of the leading researchers in dragonfly biology offer new perspectives and paradigms as well as additional, unpublished, data. The editor has carefully assembled a mix of theoretical and applied chapters (including those addressing conservation and monitoring) and achieves a balance of emerging and established research topics, providing suggestions for future study in each case.

This accessible text is not about dragonflies per se but an essential source of knowledge that describes how different sets of evolutionary and ecological principles/ideas have been tested on a particular taxon. It will therefore be suitable for graduate students and researchers in entomology, evolutionary biology, population and behavioural ecology, and conservation biology. It will of course be of particular interest and use to those working on insects and an indispensable reference text for odonate biologists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a pricey go-to reference
This 20-chapter, edited volume synthesizes much of the research that has been conducted on dragonflies and damselflies.Divided into two sections (one on ecological studies, the other on evolutionary/life-history studies), this book has chapters written by prominent researchers in the field of odonatology.It provides concise reviews of topics such as odonates as indicators, conservation, life-history tradeoffs, and sexual selection.

The book's target audience is for other odonatologists, and it would be extremely valuable for students just getting started in that field.However, its steep price (rather remarkably so, given the lack of color photographs and slim size) may make it prohibitively expensive for students on a budget.I anticipate that my copy will be borrowed frequently! ... Read more

Product Description
Apocket-size, brilliantly colorful, simple-to-use guide to dragonflies, containingdozens of full-color photographs that enable readers of all ages to identify the most common species; range maps; tips on attracting dragonflies, information on habitat needs, life cycle, food preferences; and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

One of the best
This is very well written and useful for both the novice and the experienced naturalist. For the money it is one of the best bargains in insect identification books.

A superb start for beginners
As the owner and user of a number of field guides, there are a few of things I look for in a book when starting a new type of critter identification:
1.Does the book provide a system for general classification into particular subgroups (which makes further identification much easier)?This book does, and has a nice quick reference guide on the inside front and back covers.
2. Are the pictures or illustrations big enough to see?These are.
3. Is the book small enough to pack in the field without a porter? This one is.
4. Is the breadth of information covered so large as to be overwhelming for the beginner?I agree with other reviewers that this book has a limited number of species.However, with over 450 species in the United States alone, I would much rather start off with a more circumscribed group of more common species, get some handle on these and the general subtypes, and then branch out to a book with a wider number and more detailed information.
For me, Dragonflies thru Binoculars (which I also own) has very small pictures, and lacks the emphasis on features of different subgroups. I have found its use to be limited by these factors.
This Stokes Guide lives up to its title, and for me has been a great introduction to this very fast group of insects.

Great book for identification of USA dragonflies
I bought this little book while on my 3rd trip to Muscatatuk,Indiana and found it to be a great book to carry about for identification purposes.No it won't give you every detail that some other books do, but for anyone starting out on adragonfly discovery trail they will find it very useful with excellent photographs.It also has a good section on damselflies which some books do not cover.

I already own books by James R Curry (Dragonflies of Indiana) and Sidney W Dunkle's Dragonflies Through Binoculars (which also covers dragonflies in other parts of USA), as well as the Field Guide books covering Europe and UK.

Diane Wakelin
UK

For Beginners
A nice little book, well formatted, but it certainly is for beginners. There are lots of dragonflies not mentioned in the book.

A good beginner's guide
This is a wonderful introduction to dragonflies for children or anyone looking to learn more about these remarkable insects. It briefly explains life cycles, characteristics, and habits, and gives clear, concise information about some of the major dragonfly families. It's small enough to take with you, (4 1/2" X 7"), the photographs are beautiful, and the color-coding of families is an excellent tool for identification.

If you're looking for a more detailed field guide that lists nearly all of the 300 dragonfly species in North America, try "Dragonflies Through Binoculars" by Sidney Dunkle. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Simply too simple
A plastic coated 16" x 18" single page fold out style phamplet that was far too simple for me. Nice photos but not much information provided. I recently bought Dragonflies of the North Woods by Kurt Mead and was very impressed with that guide, so it depends on what you need or want. ... Read more

Product Description
Delicate aerial predators love to dine on mosquitoes.

Dragonflies and damselflies are small but striking aquatic creatures found in the desert climates of the Southwest. These carnivorous insects are among the world's fastest, oldest, and most beautiful creatures. A newcomer to the Natural History Series, Dragonflies & Damselflies of the Border Southwest provides naturalists with an attractively illustrated overview of the history, symbolism, life stages, metamorphosis, habitats, and behavior of dragonflies and damselflies, along with spectacular photographic images for easy identification. 85 color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Basic overview of 1/3 the species; small photos
Basics: 2008, softcover, 80 pages, 89 color photos of 73 species, no range maps

As part of a Wild West nature series, this book is an introduction to 73 (about 1/3) of the 200+ plus dragonflies and damselflies found in the southwest US.Like its sibling books, this is a photo guide meant to present a sampling of the species to anyone with a casual or beginning interest in this colorful insect family.

Each of the species is shown with one small photograph.Just over a dozen of the species have two photos.These photos are good quality with sharp focus and strong color; however, the small size of the photos takes away not only some of their luster, but makes it difficult to see some of the features or markings on the subject.Damselflies can be small in real life, and some of these photos show them barely more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch longer than actual size, if even that.Some of the naturally larger dragonfly species are shown in a reduced photo that makes them smaller on the page than the damselflies.

One to three paragraphs on each insect focus on the habitats in which it can be found.A general outline of the species' distribution in the region and on the continent is also included.The physical descriptions, while not in depth, are generally accurate.No range maps are supplied.

This book is definitely not an identification guide and, it does not claim to be so.Instead, this book, like others in the series, is geared towards those people looking for a more general overview and who may want to see a less overwhelming number of samples of a fascinating insect group.

If only field identification is important to you and you already own one or two dragonfly field guides, I'd stick with the ones you already have over this book.But, if you want to know more about the dragonfly rather than just how to identify it, you will probably appreciate this book.

I've listed several related books below...
1) Common Dragonflies of the Southwest by Biggs
2) Dragonflies of California and Common Dragonflies of the Southwest by Biggs
3) Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and the South-Central United States: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico by Abbott
4) Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of Texas, Volume I by Abbott
5) Dragonflies and Damselflies of California by Manolis
6) Dragonflies through Binoculars by Dunkle
7) A handbook of the dragonflies of North America, by Needham
8) Damselflies of North America by Westfall ... Read more

Product Description
The Exclamation Damsel, Bison Snaketail, Powdered Dancer, Black Meadowhawk, and Sedge Sprite are just a few of the dragonflies and damselflies identified in this complete guide to California's abundant Odonates.

o Species accounts discuss identification in the field and in the hand, behavior, habitat associations, geographic distribution, and flight season

o Includes 40 vivid full-color plates and supplemental black-and-white drawings

o Provides a general overview of dragonfly anatomy, behavior, life history, and a complete set of range maps ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Well Written, But...
Tim Manolis has written a great book about dragons and damsels, and you can feel his passion for the subjects if you really read the book rather than use it as a field guide. However, as Tim himself has said, distinguishing between various damsels and dragons can be very difficult. In fact, he often states that you have to catch the darn things to actually see the difference from one to another.

My hobby is nature photography, and it's difficult to put photos up on my Web site without some titles or classification. When it came to dragonflies and damselflies, I first turned to Tim's book, then to Tim. The book contains some very good illustrations and, while I understand and appreciate the cost, I wish that photographs had been used, at least for the most common California bugs. These are small insects with minor variations between males, but major differences and variations among females.

Tim was gracious enough to answer my first three questions about classifications and, not wanting to bug him so to speak, I turned to [...]. Though Tim has the Pacific or California Forktail in the book, I could not match the three photos that I took with any illustrations in the book. That is not the author's fault. Again, I don't know how one can know so much about these insects (and this author doesn't "specialize" just in insects).

I'll give it four stars because of the quality of writing and the number of illustrations. I'll take off one star because it's almost overwhelming, while the other reviews and even the book gives the impression that this will be easier than it is. Actually, I'll take off half a star because the covers of the book are made in such a way that when open, they cut into the inside of your thumbs. Minor, but not on a long hot day sitting by a pond with the book. Don't let any of this deter you from buying the book. If you really want to know about damsels and dragons in California, this is the best.

Not Just For California!
This is a really neat and very reasonably priced book on dragonflies and damselflies.I liked it from the first time I saw it. The color illustrations are great and with the short descriptions are very helpful for identifying the families, genera and species.The size of the book is also just right for transport into the field.

I checked the book against our list for New Mexico and found that close to 1/2 of our dragonflies and damselflies are described!The handbook should thus be useful in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon and northwestern Mexico, as well as the target- California.

For the price and quality the dragonfly and damselfly enthusiast in the Southwest could not find a better field reference!

A "MUST HAVE" for every naturalist and budding entomologist
Anyone in California (or visiting California) who has ever shown any interest in dragonflies and/or damselflies should own this wonderful new book!It not only contains traditional keys to the insect families of both adults and larvae, but also a well-written narrative about the behavior and life cycle of these ancient and most interesting creatures.If you are one who prefers to "picture key" your way to an identification, that is possible, as well, thanks to Tim Manolis's beautiful color illustrations.If you are looking at this book, don't hesitate...buy it...you won't be sorry!

A MUST HAVE
Tim has done for Odes what Roger Tory Peterson did for birds!!! This is a must have for the Odesters in California..... ... Read more

Product Description
The first comprehensive field guide to all 111 species of dragonflies and damselflies found in the six-state Rocky Mountain region (ID, MT, WY, CO, UT, NM). From the foothills to the highest mountain meadows, this guide covers every species you're likely to encounter. Included inside are detailed range maps, field mark arrows and phenograms that tell you when each species is on the wing. ... Read more

Product Description
Pocket-size paperback with all the information needed to help you determine what species of Southwestern dragonfly or damselfly you are seeing.

Includes ALL the Southern California dragonflies and all the common Arizona dragonflies, Nevada dragonflies, Utah dragonflies, New Mexico dragonflies, Colorado dragonflies & those dragonflies that are common in Northern California.

129 species of Dragonflies and Damselflies.

~350 full-color photographs

Photos of all males, most females. (ALL new photos)

Addtional black & white line drawings illustrate damselfly appendages.

Includes descriptions of males, females, habitat, flight periods and distribution.

Checklist of ALL 189 SW species included.

Companion website shows more photos, descriptions, & links to geographic distribution maps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Dandy Guide for Us in the West and Southwest
I've never quite understood how to use these guides in the field. I mean, there you are looking at a dragonfly, and you get out the book and the dragonfly has flown. You remember it was kinda red, but maybe more orange, and ... did it have spots on the wings or were those on the abdomen?

Still, I have Kathy's book on California's common dragonflies (and NOTE that both include common damselflies as well), and it's handier than "Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West" by Dennis Paulson which is kind of a bible for dragon catchers, but Dennis' book is 536 pages and weighs over a pound.

The photography in "Common Dragonflies of the Southwest" has improved tremendously over the past 6-8 years as has the print itself. However, since I've become more expert (not an expert, just more expert which is to say that it isn't all luck)in taking photos of dragonflies, I have a few that are better than those in the book.

Now, I wouldn't know they're better because my education started with this and the California books by Kathy Biggs. And the book does say on the front cover, "A Beginner's Pocket Book."

I've spoken with Kathy, and I've met one of the photographers, Chris Heaivilin. Both have been magnanimous in their help and in educating me. In fact, a little constructive criticism from both taught me how to use the guides, and I'll pass that on for the rest who are "into" these most interesting and beautiful jewels of the insect world: first, learn about the behavior of these insects, especially if you want to photograph as well as identify them. A Flame Skimmer will return to the same perch over and over again. On the other hand, Darners are probably called that because they darn near never land - except as the days cools and they rest for the night. Some will hover for two or three seconds, and those are the only ones I've been able to capture with a point-and-shoot camera (see nature photo Web site "Dragons and Damsels" gallery). Others hover for a split second and then take off to find a mate. They don't have much time once they emerge from water.

I've only managed three new species this summer, and one has been impossible to capture photographically as the rest (the Black Saddlebags). But it took this guide for me to identify what I had "on film" and then I was able to look up quickly where to find them. I staked out a favorite spot for three months, but to no avail. But then there's next year, and I'll be sure to have Kathy's book in my pocket. It'll give me something to read while I stalk my Black Saddlebags.

Oh, btw, you'll need her other book, "Common Dragonflies of California" if you live in the northern part of the state. Some dragons prefer one part of California to another, and this state is 904 miles from top to bottom. Conservative dragonflies ... well, never mind.

-EW-

Perfect is all!!!!!!!
I was slow at reviewing my purchase-the opposite of the sellers actions.I am very happy with the purchase and with the book, fast shipping, as described and the author signed the book. Thank you Kathy Biggs.
Daniel Espey

A nice little guidebook to local dragonflies
This neat little guidebook contains a lot of basic information about those critters one sees flying around the lakes and ponds of California.It is well illustrated with photographs and gives valuable dragonfly information, such as life spans and named body parts.I plant to have it with me next summer when I go to the lake and watch the dragonflies zooming around, sometimes attached to each other, standing in the air, flying backwards, and performing other aerial gymnastics.It will be nice to know what species I am watching.

dragonflies
This book gives an introduction to dragonfly and butterfly identification in the southwest. nice photos, leaves you wanting more.There is no rival.

Who Would Have Guessed?
With the exception of Butterflies, and Bees I've never really looked at flying insects before unless it was to swat them or shoo them away.This book changed that.This book has shown me again that the miracles of nature are right in front of us if we only stop, open our eyes and look.The photographs of our Ms. Biggs'subjects are very well done and I was surprised and delighted to discover the variety of colorful markings that dragonflies have.The information was concise and I thought well illustrated for a beginner observer such as myself.But the best part of this book came later, when a dragonfly landed on a branch in front of me and I stopped, looked, and marvelled-and to think I never saw them before! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland
A very impressive copy. A good pocket size handbook.
The descriptions are fairly short and to the point. The coloured illustrations are beautifully done and are life size.
With lots of details of regional guides, with coloured photographsand good information on flight seasons.
All in all, a little gem to have! ... Read more

Product Description
Startling but harmless, dragonflies and damselflies are acrobats of the air. This book recounts the life cycles of these fascinating insects. Experiments and activities provide a chance to learn more. (20030201) ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces dragonflies and damselflies, closely related winged insects which undergo a three-stage process of development called incomplete metamorphosis. ... Read more