Status of Pollinators in North America

Status of Pollinators in North America

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2007-05-13

Total Pages: 327

ISBN-13: 0309102898

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Pollinators-insects, birds, bats, and other animals that carry pollen from the male to the female parts of flowers for plant reproduction-are an essential part of natural and agricultural ecosystems throughout North America. For example, most fruit, vegetable, and seed crops and some crops that provide fiber, drugs, and fuel depend on animals for pollination. This report provides evidence for the decline of some pollinator species in North America, including America's most important managed pollinator, the honey bee, as well as some butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds. For most managed and wild pollinator species, however, population trends have not been assessed because populations have not been monitored over time. In addition, for wild species with demonstrated declines, it is often difficult to determine the causes or consequences of their decline. This report outlines priorities for research and monitoring that are needed to improve information on the status of pollinators and establishes a framework for conservation and restoration of pollinator species and communities.


The Evolution of Insect Life Cycles

The Evolution of Insect Life Cycles

Author: Fritz Taylor

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1461386667

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This book was developed out of a symposium at the XVII International Congress of Entomology held in Hamburg, Germany, on August 21, 1984. This symposium was organized by Drs. William Bradshaw and Hugh Dingle, who subsequently asked us to edit the proceedings. The chapters represent, for the most part, papers that were read in Hamburg but have been expanded and updated. The goal of this volume is to provide a comprehensive view of current research on insect life cycles, including field and laboratory studies, broad comparisons among species or local populations, and intensive studies of single populations, as well as theoretical research. Of necessity, given the magnitude of research now being carried out on insects, some important research programs are not included, and therein lie the makings of future volumes. This volume is divided into three parts. The first part, Geographical Patterns in Insect Life Cycles, explores various applications of a comparative method that has been valuable in investigating the potential for variability in life history parameters and the relation of these parameters to important variables in the environment.


Insect Lives

Insect Lives

Author: Erich Hoyt

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 9780674009523

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Contains over seventy essays in which various authors from throughout history discuss insects.


Global Climate Change and Freshwater Ecosystems

Global Climate Change and Freshwater Ecosystems

Author: Penelope Firth

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 146122814X

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Global climate change is a certainty. The Earth's climate has never remained static for long and the prospect for human-accelerated climate change in the near future appears likely. Freshwater systems are intimately connected to climate in several ways: they may influence global atmospheric processes affecting climate; they may be sensitive early indicators of climate change because they integrate the atmospheric and terrestrial events occurring in their catchments; and, of course, they will be affected by climate change. An improved predictive understanding of environmental effects on pattern and process in freshwater ecosystems will be invaluable as a baseline upon which to build sound protection and management policies for fresh waters. This book represents an early step towards this improved understanding. The contributors accepted the challenge to assume global warming of 2-5oC in the next century. They then explored the implications of this scenario on various freshwater ecosystems and processes. To provide a broader perspective, Firth and Fisher included several chapters which do not deal expressly with freshwater ecosystems, but rather discuss climate change in terms of causes and mechanisms, implications for water resources, and the use of remote sensing as a tool for expanding studies from local to global scale.


Identification and Geographical Distribution of the Mosquitoes of North America, North of Mexico

Identification and Geographical Distribution of the Mosquitoes of North America, North of Mexico

Author: Richard F. Darsie

Publisher:

Published: 2016-09

Total Pages: 398

ISBN-13: 9780813062334

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"This is the identification manual for North American mosquitoes."--Choice "The essential resource for anyone concerned with mosquito control or biology."--American Reference Books Annual "A valuable resource. . . . This book is the collective product of two very competent scientists."--Journal of Medical Entomology "For the dedicated mosquito worshipper! This book is undoubtedly a must and with its beautifully illustrated keys sets a high standard to follow."--Parasitology Because of the occurrence of mosquito-borne diseases and the widespread distribution of mosquitoes as pests to humans, professionals must know how to identify them. With its wealth of information, this book is the only one of its kind available for specialists working on mosquito-borne diseases and in mosquito control units, and for introductory and advanced students who study entomology. This book updates the successful guide to North American mosquitoes published by the American Mosquito Control Association in 1981. It includes 12 new species that have since been added to the North American mosquito fauna, revised distribution maps of all species, and revised and completely illustrated identification keys for the adult females and fourth instar larvae of all 174 species and subspecies known to occur in North America, north of Mexico. Including 9 exotic species that have been introduced and today successfully thrive in North America, this book's usefulness to mosquito control programs cannot be overestimated.


Moths of Western North America

Moths of Western North America

Author: Jerry A. Powell

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 516

ISBN-13: 0520251970

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"Two of North America's most prolific and respected specialists on moths--particularly those of the West--have combined over a century of experience and scholarship to introduce western moths of all families authoritatively to both the amateur and the experienced professional entomologist. This biologically oriented and beautifully illustrated treatment of a quarter of all known western moth species fills a long-needed void, and does it superbly."--Charles V. Covell Jr., author of A Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America "This work sets a new high water mark for North American lepidopterology. Considering the authors' century of combined studies of western Lepidoptera, it is clear from the outset that no other team could have delivered a work so rich in taxonomic and life history information, much of it being original and appearing in the literature for the first time. I will read my copy more like a novel than a reference work, casting about the accounts and repeatedly flipping through the 2300 color images to better familiarize myself with our continent's rich and handsome diversity of moths. Moths of Western North America will serve as both gateway and catalyst for the study of moths for decades, and especially for microlepidopterans--for whom no like work exists in the New World."--David L. Wagner, author of Caterpillars of Eastern North America "Recent years have seen a surge of interest in moths, with growing appreciation of their amazing diversity and their great ecological importance. Information on western moths has been scattered and scarce, however, so this new volume is a tremendous step forward. Jerry Powell and Paul Opler bring a vast amount of knowledge and experience to the subject, and their Moths of Western North America is a landmark publication, instantly indispensable to anyone with a serious interest in Lepidoptera."--Kenn Kaufman, coauthor of Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America


Tracks & Sign of Insects & Other Invertebrates

Tracks & Sign of Insects & Other Invertebrates

Author: Charley Eiseman

Publisher: Stackpole Books

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 594

ISBN-13: 0811736245

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The first-ever reference to the sign left by insects and other North American invertebrates includes descriptions and almost 1,000 color photos of tracks, egg cases, nests, feeding signs, galls, webs, burrows, and signs of predation. Identification is made to the family level, sometimes to the genus or species. It's an invaluable guide for wildlife professionals, naturalists, students, and insect specialists.


Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America

Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America

Author: David L. Wagner

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2012-01-16

Total Pages: 576

ISBN-13: 9780691150420

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This lavishly illustrated field guide features more than 800 species of the most common, interesting, beautiful, and important owlet (noctuid) caterpillars found in eastern North America. More than 2,100 color photographs include numerous stunning images, and the guide's introductory sections offer a wealth of information on noctuid natural history, morphology, larval diets, natural enemies, and classification; suggestions for finding and rearing owlet caterpillars; and much more. The 375 full-page species accounts treat similar species, range, phenology, and larval foodplants. A remarks section addresses behavior, life history, taxonomy, and a variety of other general interest topics. For full species accounts, two adult images are provided, one of a spread museum specimen and the other of a live adult: this is the first guide to comprehensively provide images of live adult moths in representative resting postures. An extensive glossary and foodplant index are also included. More than 800 species of eastern owlets More than 2,100 color photographs illustrating many species for the first time First North American insect guide to offer hundreds of images of live moths in their natural resting postures Extensive information on owlet biology, natural enemies, classification, and finding and rearing owlet caterpillars Includes foodplant records for each species and foodplant index