A sneak peak into the species included... Psyllids Latin name: Psyllidae sp. Family: Psyllidae Identification: 0.08 to 0.2 inch long, resemble miniature cicadas Distribution: Throughout North America Comments: Psyllids are tiny winged insects that jump or fly away when disturbed. Nymphs are flat and do not look like adults until their final molt. Adults and nymphs suck plant juices. Each species feeds on only one species of plant or several related species. Although the plants that most psocids feed on are of no economic importance, some species cause a great deal of damage because they feed on fruit trees or potatoes. Some species secrete a wax that covers their surface for protection. Scorpionflies Latin name: Panorpa sp. Family: Panorpidae Identification: 0.4 inch long, orange, black markings on wings, long proboscis Distribution: Eastern North America Comments: Scorpionflies are named for the male genitalia, which looks like the stinger on the end of the long abdomen of scorpions. Although it is reminiscent of a stinger, the structure is a copulatory organ. Scorpionflies are harmless. They feed on dead insects, sometimes stealing them from spiderwebs. Scorpionfly larvae resemble caterpillars, but can be distinguished by their eight pairs of prolegs (caterpillars have a maximum of five pairs). Males of many kinds of animals present females with a 'nuptial' gift to gain their favor. With some species of scorpionflies and certain other insects, the gift is a dead insect. If the female likes the gift, she consumes it while mating, but if the dead insect doesn’t look that tasty, she flies off. Consuming the nuptial gift induces egg production. Saddlebags Latin name: Tramea sp. Family: Libelluilidae Identification: Saddlebags 1.6 to 1.8 inches long, saddlebag gliders 2 to 2.3 inches long, clear wings with black markings on the base of hindwings Distribution: Throughout North America Comments: Saddlebags are gliding dragonflies with dark markings at the base of their clear wings. When they fly, these markings create the illusion that they are carrying bags, which is why they are called saddlebags. They fly for long periods of time over fields and forests, even to the tops of trees. They usually perch on the tips of twigs with their abdomen dropped down. They lay their eggs in small ponds that do not have fish (for obvious reasons). Mating pairs usually perch for a few minutes. They then fly over the water, where the male releases his mate so she can tap the water and lay a few eggs before she returns to him. Praying Mantis Latin name: Mantis religiosa Family: Mantidae Identification: 3 inches long, black marking inside front legs Distribution: Throughout eastern North America Comments: European mantises were accidentally introduced in 1899 in plants and have spread throughout the Northeast. Like other mantises, the European mantis is an ambush hunter. They locate their prey with their large eyes, which each have over 10,000 ommatidia and a small area called the fovea, which has greater resolution than the rest of the eye. They are able to turn their head to look directly at an object without moving the rest of their body. In fact, they are the only insects that can look over their shoulders. Mantises have many predators, especially birds, small mammals, and bats. Their greatest defense is their camouflaged coloration that blends in with the plants where they live and hunt. An ear-like organ on their thorax allows them to hear the echolocation sounds of bats. More species... Two-striped Planthopper Latin name: Acaanlonia bivittata Family: Acanaloniidae Identification: 0.15 to 0.3 inch long, resembles a green or red leaf, 2 cylindical brown stripes on top of forewings, brown head and thorax Distribution: Throughout the United States and southern Ontario, absent from the West Coast Comments: Two-striped planthoppers are convincingly camouflaged as leaves. Most look like green leaves, but some appear like orange/red leaves. Don’t be fooled by color. Slight changes in the structure of colored molecules can cause them to reflect entirely different colors. These planthoppers feed on a variety of plants, but are usually not very numerous and therefore are not considered major pests. Females produce a wax to cover and protect their eggs. Nymphs also produce a wax that coats and helps prevent desiccation. The wax also enables nymphs to float if they fall into a puddle and helps prevent them from sticking to spiderwebs. Tiger Beetle Latin name: Cicindela sp. Family: Carabidae Identification: 0.4 to 0.6 inch long, huge eyes and mandibles, long legs Distribution: Various species throughout North America, especially on beaches; some species threatened Comments: Almost all species of tiger beetles have a similar lifestyle. Many species are colorful and iridescent. They live in sunny open areas, particularly beaches and dirt roads, where they run and fly rapidly. The predacious adults hunt on hot summer days, while the larvae live in small, short, narrow, cylindrical-shaped burrows that they dig in the sand or dirt. Larvae wait for an insect to come near enough that they can grab and devour it. Here on Cape Cod, adults prowl the beaches on hot summer days, and they are not easy to catch. I bring my net to the beach, and when I see a tiger beetle, I approach cautiously. When I am about 8 or 10 feet away, the beetle flies up the beach and lands a couple dozen feet away facing me. Monarch Butterfly Latin name: Danaus plexippus Family: Nymphalidae Identification: 3.5- to 4-inch wingspan; wings have distinctive black, orange, and white pattern; black head and thorax with white spots; black legs Distribution: Throughout the United States and southern Canada Comments: Monarch butterflies are well known for their annual migration south from the northern United States and southern Canada to Florida and Mexico. During the fall the butterflies cover thousands of miles and return in the spring. Individuals do not live long enough to make the entire trip. Instead, they produce new generations that continue the journey. Eventually some butterflies reach their principal destination, the Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, where many thousands of monarchs gather in trees and bushes. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed, which is a poisonous plant. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars feed on the leaves of the plant before they pupate. Eastern Yellowjacket Latin name: Vespula maculifrons Family: Vespinae Identification: 0.4 to 0.65 inch long (smaller than similar species), black and yellow markings, black antennae Distribution: Atlantic coast, west to North Dakota and Texas Comments: Eastern yellow jackets are colonial wasps that build underground paper nests. Colonies consist of queens, workers, and males. [Queens] lay eggs in the new nest and forage for insects that they sting and bring back to feed their larvae. When the larvae develop into sterile female workers, they take over the jobs of enlarging the nest, caring for the larvae, and defending the nest … Yellow jackets feed on nectar and tree sap … However, adults are also fond of fruit and meat, which is why they like to visit picnics and barbecues. If they come to your picnic, it is best not to try to harm them ... Yellow jackets are usually so involved in searching for or eating their lunch that they will not notice you even if you get very close to them.
✔ Author(s): David M. Phillips PhD
✔ Title: Insects of North America: A Field Guide to Over 300 Insects (Falcon Guides)
✔ Rating : 4.7 out of 5 base on (45 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 1493039237
✔ ISBN-13: 9781493039234
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about Insects of North America by David M. Phillips PhD
Beata Shepard
The world-building in this book was simply phenomenal. I was transported to a different realm and felt like I was part of the characters' journey. The attention to detail made it all so immersive.
Josephine Alvarez
The rich historical context of the book added a layer of depth that I found fascinating. It was like stepping back in time and experiencing history firsthand.
Katherine Stevenson
The author's ability to evoke a wide range of emotions through their words is truly remarkable. I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the entire book.
