The practical entomologist

Newcomers to insects will find a starting point here, with the field's core ideas laid out from the ground up. The opening chapters define what makes an insect an insect, covering body structure and the stages of development from egg to adult. Rick Imes then moves through the insect orders one at a time, showing how each group differs from the others and the reasoning behind how species are grouped together.

The book is also a practical handbook for going out and collecting. It explains what to look for, where to search, and how to catch and keep living specimens. It also covers preparing and displaying a collection, photographing insects, and keeping a field notebook to record observations.

More than 200 full-color illustrations support the text, making it useful as a long-term reference for anyone who enjoys observing the natural world.