Insects of the Southwest: How to identify helpful, harmful and venomous insects

Provides interesting and important facts and historical information on the many fascinating insects and arthropods that inhabit the Southwest—the region ranging from Southern California through Arizona to Central Texas, and north into Utah, Colorado and Nevada.

Introduces both adults and children to the wonders of observation—while never needing to go more than a few yards from home. Easy-to-read and understand.

Drawings and text help you learn about and identify these tiny creatures and know the difference between some of the fearsome-looking-but-harmless bugs and those that are venomous. Plus, household "pets and pests" and which bugs are which.

Learn about the Africanized "killer" bee spiders and the real pests they eat, the many varieties of cockroaches, crop pests and "flashy bugs" found in the desert and mountains.

Floyd Werner, Ph.D. and Carl Olson, M.S., entomologists at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, share their affection for the diversity and necessity of all creatures. They'll arm us with a fuller knowledge to help us appreciate and respect the role insects play as the recyclers in nature and even dispell some of the fears and misconceptions many of us have about the earth's most numerous inhabitants.