Common Dragonflies of the Southwest

Rating:
Summary: A Handy Guide for the Field
Review: Kathy Biggs' "Common Dragonflies of the Southwest" has filled a need for an easily transported guide to Southwestern dragonflies and damselflies. This is a book to use in the field as it is really "pocket-sized." However it still has excellent photographs and enough detail to be useful.

The Southwest has a surprisingly large fauna of odonates and as the hobby of dragonfly watching is catching on it is an increasingly popular area for such activities. While this guide does not cover all odonates in the Southwest, it does give the owner resources to identify the rest through a complete list, references and internet links. This is a nice feature as some of the species not covered can be unusually common in special locations. The Seaside Dragonlet, for example, is quite abundant at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, New Mexico.

It is great to see my favorite insects (possibly only excepting tiger beetles) become popular as subjects of study. From an aesthetic standpoint dragonflies are much better studied alive and photographed than collected because (even using modern techniques) the often brilliant colors tend to fade in death. While actual specimens are often necessary for documentation and taxonomic study, appreciation for the living insect can have value in behavioral studies and really good photographs of living examples can back up documentation of distributions. Appreciation of scarce wetlands in the Southwest and elsewhere is another benefit.

A necessity for anyone interested in the dragonfly and damselfly fauna of the Southwest, this book will inspire you to get out into the field and really see these amazing creatures.


Rating:
Summary: Pocket Guide to Common Southwest Dragonflies and Damselflies
Review: This delightful field guide, measuring only 4.5" x 5.25", small enough to be carried everywhere, includes 129 common dragonflies and damselflies of the six states of the southwest--California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Colorado, my home state. Of the 350 superb colored photographs, almost half show dragons AND damsels much larger than life, showing their bright colors and intricate patterns in amazing detail. All 129 males are pictured and most of the females. And this small book is packed with an incredible amount of information: descriptions of males and females, their habitats, flight periods and often their habits. Each family has its own page, making identification easier. There's a glossary and references and an invaluable list of websites for further information, including one prepared just for this book. An extended checklist of all 189 species tells you at a glance which species live in which states. Although the author titles it for beginners, this book is useful for almost everyone with an interest in dragonflies--and it's hard not to be fascinated by these beautiful creatures. Dragonflying is becoming increasingly popular as birders and butterfliers take up dragonflying as well, and this book is a winner for those dragonfliers of the southwest!

Rating:
Summary: Pocket Guide to Common Southwest Dragonflies and Damselflies
Review: This delightful field guide, measuring only 4.5" x 5.25", small enough to be carried everywhere, includes 129 common dragonflies and damselflies of the six states of the southwest--California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Colorado, my home state. Of the 350 superb colored photographs, almost half show dragons AND damsels much larger than life, showing their bright colors and intricate patterns in amazing detail. All 129 males are pictured and most of the females. And this small book is packed with an incredible amount of information: descriptions of males and females, their habitats, flight periods and often their habits. Each family has its own page, making identification easier. There's a glossary and references and an invaluable list of websites for further information, including one prepared just for this book. An extended checklist of all 189 species tells you at a glance which species live in which states. Although the author titles it for beginners, this book is useful for almost everyone with an interest in dragonflies--and it's hard not to be fascinated by these beautiful creatures. Dragonflying is becoming increasingly popular as birders and butterfliers take up dragonflying as well, and this book is a winner for those dragonfliers of the southwest!