Search results for ""Author Dennis Paulson""

A lavishly illustrated introduction to the world's dragonflies and damselfliesDragonflies and damselflies are often called birdwatchers’ insects. Large, brightly colored, active in the daytime, and displaying complex and interesting behaviors, they have existed since the days of the dinosaurs, and they continue to flourish. Their ancestors were the biggest insects ever, and they still impress us with their size, the largest bigger than a small hummingbird. There are more than 6,000 odonate species known at present, and you need only visit any wetland on a warm summer day to be enthralled by their stunning colors and fascinating behavior. In this lavishly illustrated natural history, leading dragonfly expert Dennis Paulson offers a comprehensive, accessible, and appealing introduction to the world’s dragonflies and damselflies.The book highlights the impressive skills and abilities of dragonflies and damselflies—superb fliers that can glide, hover, cruise, and capture prey on the wing. It also describes their arsenal of tactics to avoid predators, and their amazing sex life, including dazzling courtship displays, aerial mating, sperm displacement, mate guarding, and male mimicry.Dragonflies and Damselflies includes profiles of more than fifty of the most interesting and beautiful species from around the world. Learn about the Great Cascade Damsel, which breeds only at waterfalls, the mesmerizing flight of Blue-winged Helicopters, and how the larva of the Common Sanddragon can burrow into sand as efficiently as a mole.Combining expert text and excellent color photographs, this is a must-have guide to these remarkable insects. A lavishly illustrated, comprehensive, and accessible natural history that reveals the beauty and diversity of one of the world’s oldest and most popular insect groups Offers a complete guide to the evolution, life cycles, biology, anatomy, behavior, and habitats of dragonflies and damselflies Introduces the 39 families of dragonflies and damselflies through exemplary species accounts Features tips on field observation and lab research, and information on threats and conservation

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Alaska has both vast wilderness tracts and a modern transportation system, making eco-travelling in the state easy as well as exciting. From the broad expanses of tundra in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the rich seabird colonies of the Bering Sea to the glacier-bedecked snowy mountains and magnificent forests of the Southeast, wildlife viewing opportunities abound. In this book is all the information you will need to find, identify, and learn about Alaska''s magnificent animal life. Identifying and location information on the most frequently seen animals. Full-colour illustrations of more than 320 of Alaska''s most common marine invertebrates, insects, amphibians, fishes, birds, and mammals. Up-to-date information on the ecology, behaviour, and conservation of the animals. Information on Alaska''s habitats and on the most common plants you will encounter. Brief descriptions of Alaska''s most frequently visited parks and reserves. Easy to carry, entertainingly written, beautif

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Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West is the first fully illustrated field guide to all 348 species of dragonflies and damselflies in western North America. Dragonflies and damselflies are large, stunningly beautiful insects, as readily observable as birds and butterflies. This unique guide makes identifying them easy--its compact size and user-friendly design make it the only guide you need in the field. Every species is generously illustrated with full-color photographs and a distribution map, and structural features are illustrated where they aid in-hand identification. Detailed species accounts include information on size, distribution, flight season, similar species, habitat, and natural history. Dennis Paulson's introduction provides an essential primer on the biology, natural history, and conservation of these important and fascinating insects, along with helpful tips on how to observe and photograph them. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West is the field guide naturalists, conservationists, and dragonfly enthusiasts have been waiting for. * Covers all 348 western species in detail * Features a wealth of color photographs * Provides a color distribution map for every species * Includes helpful identification tips * Serves as an essential introduction to dragonflies and their natural history

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This is the first fully illustrated guide to all 336 dragonfly and damselfly species of eastern North America--from the rivers of Manitoba to the Florida cypress swamps--and the companion volume to Dennis Paulson's acclaimed field guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of the West. Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East features hundreds of color photos that depict all the species found in the region, detailed line drawings to aid in-hand identification, and a color distribution map for every species--and the book's compact size and user-friendly design make it the only guide you need in the field. Species accounts describe key identification features, distribution, flight season, similar species, habitat, and natural history. Paulson's authoritative introduction offers a primer on dragonfly biology and identification, and also includes tips on how to study and photograph these stunningly beautiful insects. * Illustrates all 336 eastern species * Features hundreds of full-color photos * Includes detailed species accounts, line drawings to aid identification, and a color distribution map for every species * Offers helpful tips for the dragonfly enthusiast

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Washington is one of the premiere states for birds and birding. Its rugged coastline and expansive forests in the western portion, the towering Cascades, of the central region and the arid eastern valleys, combine to provide excellent and varied habitats for hundreds of types of birds year-round. Washington is home to three magnificent national parks providing some of the best natural wildlife viewing areas in North America. And there are over 100 parks throughout the state, including 19 marine parks and 11 historical parks. Over 350 beautiful color photographs, featuring 300 bird species in natural habitats; clear and concise identification, habitat, and birdsong text; tips on when and where to see species throughout the year; complete Washington bird checklist; detailed map and index, and more. Written by expert Washington birder Dennis Paulson and filled with gorgeous color images by Brian E. Small, the American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of Washington is the perfect companion for anyone wanting to learn more about the natural history and diversity of the state's birds and when and where to see them.

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