Bugs of Washington & Oregon

This is a neat little book. My five year old son likes it alot. I didn't realize when I bought it though that it only has twenty five bugs in it. I guess the author put in his 25 favorite bugs of Oregon & Washington. It's a well written and illustrated book and I was easily able to identify several bugs around my home. I guess I will have to purchase a more complete insect book to be able to identify ever insect I see. I like the other books by the Lone Pine and have used them alot where I live. (The woods of eastern Oregon).

In his introduction to Bugs of Washington and Oregon, John Acorn explains how difficult it was to select 250 bugs from the 25,000 that populate the region. His criteria for choosing was 1) big, 2) colorful, 3) really hard to miss or 4) extremely wierd. This is by no means a comprehensive guide, but an excellent handbook to get you started identifying miscellaneous bugs and Acorn's example species are well chosen. In the Introduction Acorn addresses various concerns, sensitive issues, and points of interest in entomology. His views are sensitive, yet balanced--a pleasure to read. It's one of the few introductions I've read that was worth the time. The illustrations by Ian Sheldon are clear and nicely executed and Acorn's descriptions contain intriguing factoids. This is a terrific gift for the naturalist in the family. **If you are looking to further your insect education, one of the best and most lovingly written bug books out there is For the Love of Insects and if you're looking for a beautiful picture book, try An Inordinate Fondness of Beetles.