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Beetles of Western North America

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From the author of the acclaimed Beetles of Eastern North America, a triumphant follow-up guide to western beetles, lavishly illustrated with more than 1,500 stunning color photographs

Beetles of Western North America is a landmark book—the only comprehensive color photographic guide to the remarkably diverse and beautiful beetles of the United States and Canada west of the Continental Divide. A triumphant follow-up to Arthur Evans’s highly regarded Beetles of Eastern North America, this engaging and accessible book covers 1,428 species from all 131 families that occur in the West. The book is lavishly illustrated with more than 1,500 stunning images by some of the best insect photographers in North America.

An extensive introduction provides essential information on beetle anatomy, natural history, behavior, and conservation, as well as tips on where and when to find beetles; how to photograph, collect, and rear them; and how to contribute to research. Beetles of Western North America is organized by family, and each family and species account presents concise and easy-to-understand information on identification, natural history, collecting, and geographic range. The book includes current information on distribution, biology, and taxonomy not found in other guides, and features an illustrated identification key to the most common beetle families.

An unmatched guide to the rich variety of western North American beetle fauna, this is a must-have book for amateur naturalists, nature photographers, insect enthusiasts, students, professional entomologists, and other biologists.

  • The only comprehensive color photographic guide to the region’s beetles
  • Covers 1,428 species from all 131 families west of the Continental Divide, and offers tips for identifying more than 450 additional species
  • Features more than 1,500 stunning color photographs
  • Presents concise information on identification, natural history, collecting, and geographic range for each species and family
  • Includes an illustrated identification key to the most common beetle families

ISBN-13: 9780691164281

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Publication Date: 09-28-2021

Pages: 624

Product Dimensions: 7.90(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.40(d)

Arthur V. Evans is an entomologist, author, lecturer, photographer, and radio broadcaster. His books include Beetles of Eastern North America (Princeton), Field Guide to Beetles of California, and National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Table of Contents

Preface 7

Acknowledgments 8

Updates to Beetles of Eastern North America 10

Geographic Coverage and Classification 11

How to Use This Book 12

Illustrated Key to Common Beetle Families 12

Family Treatments 12

Species Accounts 13

Identification 13

Introduction to Beetles 15

Beetle Morphology 15

Behavior and Natural History 24

Beetles as Biological Controls 40

Beetles as Indicators of Past Environments 42

Threatened and Endangered Beetles 43

When and Where to Find Beetles 43

Observing and Photographing Beetles 48

Beetle Conservation 49

Collecting and Preserving Beetles 50

Making a Beetle Collection 58

Beetles on the Web 62

Keeping and Rearing Beetles in Captivity 63

Taking an Active Role in Beetle Research 66

Illustrated Key and Guide to the Common Beetle Families of Western North America 67

Beetles of Western North America 73

Cupedidae (Reticulated Beetles) 74

Micromalthidae (Telephone-pole Beetles) 75

Hydroscaphidae (Skiff Beetles) 76

Sphaeriusidae (Minute Bog Beetles) 77

Gyrinidae (Whirligig Beetles) 78

Haliplidae (Crawling Water Beetles) 79

Dytiscidae (Predaceous Diving Beetles) 81

Amphizoidae (Trout-stream Beetles) 86

Trachypachidae (False Ground Beetles) 87

Carabidae (Ground, Tiger, and Wrinkled Bark Beetles) 88

Eucinetidae (Plate-thigh Beetles) 112

Clambidae (Minute Beetles) 113

Scirtidae (Marsh Beetles) 114

Nosodendridae (Wounded Tree Beetles) 115

Derodontidae (Tooth-neck Fungus Beetles) 116

Helophoridae (Helophorid Water Beetle) 118

Epimetopidae (Hooded Shore Beetles) 119

Georissidae (Minute Mud-loving Beetles) 120

Hydrochidae (Hydrochid Water Beetles) 121

Hydrophilidae (Water Scavenger Beetles) 122

Sphaeritidae (False Clown Beetles) 126

Histeridae (Hister Beetles) 127

Hydraenidae (Minute Moss Beetles) 132

Ptiliidae (Featherwing Beetles) 134

Agyrtidae (Primitive Carrion Beetles) 135

Leiodidae (Round Fungus Beetles) 137

Silphidae (Burying and Carrion Beetles) 140

Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles) 143

Pleocomidae (Rain Beetles) 153

Geotrupidae (Earth-boring Scarab Beetles) 156

Trogidae (Hide Beetles) 159

Glaresidae (Enigmatic Scarab Beetles) 162

Diphyllostomatidae (False Stag Beetles) 163

Lucanidae (Stag Beetles) 164

Ochodaeidae (Sand-loving Scarab Beetles) 167

Hybosoridae (Scavenger and Pill Scarab Beetles) 169

Glaphyridae (Bumble Bee Scarab Beetles) 170

Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles) 172

Dascillidae (Soft-bodied Plant Beetles) 206

Rhipiceridae (Cicada Parasite or Cedar Beetles) 207

Schizopodidae (False Jewel Beetles) 208

Buprestidae (Metallic Wood-boring or Jewel Beetles) 210

Byrrhidae (Pill or Moss Beetles) 233

Elmidae (Riffle Beetles) 235

Dryopidae (Long-toed Water Beetles) 239

Lutrochidae (Travertine Beetles) 240

Limnichidae (Minute Marsh-loving Beetles) 241

Heteroceridae (Variegated Mud-loving Beetles) 242

Psephenidae (Water Penny Beetles) 244

Ptilodactylidae (Ptilodactylid Beetles) 245

Eulichadidae (Forest Stream Beetles) 246

Artematopodidae (Artematopodid Beetles) 247

Omethidae (False Soldier, False Firefly, and Long-lipped Beetles) 249

Cerophytidae (Rare Click Beetles) 250

Brachypsectridae (Texas Beetles) 251

Throscidae (Throscid Beetles) 252

Eucnemidae (False Click Beetles) 254

Lycidae (Net-winged Beetles) 258

Lampyridae (Fireflies, Lightningbugs, and Glowworms) 262

Cantharidae (Soldier Beetles) 265

Phengodidae (Glowworms) 271

Elateridae (Click Beetles) 273

Dermestidae (Skin Beetles) 290

Bostrichidae (Bostrichid Beetles) 295

Ptinidae (Death-watch and Spider Beetles) 299

Bothrideridae (Bothriderid Beetles) 306

Murmidiidae (Murmidiid Beetles) 307

Teredidae (Teredid Beetles) 308

Cerylonidae (Minute Bark Beetles) 309

Latridiidae (Minute Brown Scavenger Beetles) 311

Akalyptoischiidae (Akalyptoischiid Scavenger Beetles) 313

Anamorphidae (Anamorphid Fungus Beetles) 314

Corylophidae (Minute Hooded and Fungus Beetles) 314

Endomychidae (Handsome Fungus Beetles) 315

Mycetaeidae (Hairy Cellar Beetles) 318

Coccinellidae (Lady Beetles) 318

Mycetophagidae (Hairy Fungus Beetles) 326

Archeocrypticidae (Archeocrypticid Beetles) 328

Ciidae (Minute Tree-fungus Beetles) 329

Tetratomidae (Polypore Fungus Beetles) 330

Melandryidae (False Darkling Beetles) 333

Mordellidae (Tumbling Flower Beetles) 336

Ripiphoridae (Ripiphorid Beetles) 338

Zopheridae (Zopherid Beetles) 340

Tenebrionidae (Darkling Beetles) 347

Prostomidae (Jugular-horned Beetles) 372

Stenotrachelidae (False Longhorn Beetles) 372

Oedemeridae (False Blister Beetles) 374

Meloidae (Blister Beetles) 378

Mycteridae (Palm and Flower Beetles) 390

Boridae (Conifer Bark Beetles) 391

Pythidae (Dead Log Beetles) 392

Pyrochroidae (Fire-colored Beetles) 394

Ischaliidae (Ischaliid Beetles) 396

Salpingidae (Narrow-waisted Bark Beetles) 397

Anthicidae (Antlike Flower Beetles) 400

Aderidae (Antlike Leaf Beetles) 406

Scraptiidae (False Flower Beetles) 408

Byturidae (Fruitworm Beetles) 410

Biphyllidae (False Skin Beetles) 411

Peltidae (Shield Beetles) 412

Lophocateridae (Lophocaterid Beetles) 413

Trogossitidae (Bark-gnawing Beetles and Cadelles) 414

Thymalidae (Thymalid Beetles) 417

Mauroniscidae (Mauroniscid Flower Beetles) 418

Rhadalidae (Rhadalid Flower Beetles) 419

Melyridae (Soft-winged Flower Beetles) 420

Cleridae (Checkered Beetles) 425

Sphindidae (Cryptic Slime Mold Beetles) 434

Erotylidae (Pleasing Fungus and Lizard Beetles) 435

Monotomidae (Root-eating Beetles) 438

Smicripidae (Palmetto Beetles) 440

Kateretidae (Short-winged Flower Beetles) 441

Nitidulidae (Sap Beetles) 443

Cryptophagidae (Silken Fungus Beetles) 449

Silvanidae (Silvanid Flat Bark Beetles) 451

Cucujidae (Flat Bark Beetles) 453

Passandridae (Parasitic Flat Bark Beetles) 455

Phalacridae (Shining Flower and Shining Mold Beetles) 456

Laemophloeidae (Lined Flat Bark Beetles) 458

Cybocephalidae (Cybocephalid Beetles) 459

Cerambycidae (Longhorn Beetles) 460

Megalopodidae (Megalopodid Leaf Beetles) 498

Orsodacnidae (Orsodacnid Leaf Beetles) 499

Chrysomelidae (Leaf and Seed Beetles) 501

Cimberididae (Cimberidid Snout Beetles) 529

Nemonychidae (Pine Flower Snout Beetles) 531

Anthribidae (Fungus Weevils) 532

Attelabidae (Leaf-rolling and Thief Weevils, and Tooth-nose Snout Beetles) 534

Brentidae (Straight-snouted and Pear-shaped Weevils) 537

Curculionidae (Weevils and Snout, Bark, and Ambrosia Beetles) 538

Appendix: Classification of the Beetles Covered in This Book 564

Glossary 585

Selected References and Resources 590

Figure and Photo Credits 594

Index 606