Field Guide > Field Guide Books

Field guides are portable and essential for identification.  Many of the guides listed below also contain basic biological information about many types of insects and their relatives. Be warned that, because there are thousands of insect species, no single guide will contain pictures of every insect and there are some insects that you may not be able to find in any guide.  These guides contain pictures of the most commonly encountered insects, however.  They are all currently in print, and can be found in local bookstores and on-line.

Beginner Level (Ages 7-12)

PETERSON FIRST GUIDES: INSECTS (by Leahy). As the title suggests, these are the first field guides a beginning naturalist might use. A simplified version of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the Insects First Guide is a concise field guide to 200 common insects of North America. They make it easy to get started in the use of field guides and easy to graduate to the regular Peterson Field Guides.	INSECTS: A GOLDEN GUIDE (by Zim, Cottam, and Irving). This handy guide to the most common, important and showy North American insects will help the novice begin a fascinating study. It includes a key to insect groups (adult and immature forms), how insects grow and develop and what they eat, and how to find and observe them. Full color pictures, nontechnical language, and up-to-date range maps make this a gem of a guide for beginners at any age.
PETERSON FIRST GUIDES: BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS (by Opler). As the title suggests, these are the first field guides a beginning naturalist might use. A simplified version of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the Butterflies and Moths First Guide is a concise field guide to the most common butterflies and moths of North America. They make it easy to get started in the use of field guides and easy to graduate to the regular Peterson Field Guides.	BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS: A GOLDEN GUIDE (by Mitchell and Zim).  Butterflies and Moths is an inexpensive (less than $8) guide to many butterflies and moths.  It contains no photographs, but the drawings are detailed and just as useful for identification as photos, if not more so.  The book also contains drawings of caterpillars and pupae for many species.
PETERSON FIELD GUIDE FOR YOUNG NATURALIST: BUTTERFLIES (by Latimer). This beginner series features the original art of Roger Tory Peterson. These guides incorporate both color photographs and line drawings with key field marks along with complete descriptions of each species’ habitat, food preferences, behaviors and songs. Designed to give young naturalists immediate success on their first natural history trip. Ages 7-12.	PETERSON FIELD GUIDE FOR YOUNG NATURALIST: CATERPILLARS (by Latimer). This beginner series features the original art of Roger Tory Peterson. These guides incorporate both color photographs and line drawings with key field marks along with complete descriptions of each species’ habitat, food preferences, behaviors and songs. Designed to give young naturalists immediate success on their first natural history trip. Ages 7-12.
PETERSON FIRST GUIDES: CATERPILLARS (by Opler). As the title suggests, these are the first field guides a beginning naturalist might use. A simplified version of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the Caterpillars First Guide is a concise field guide to 120 common caterpillars of North America. They make it easy to get started in the use of field guides and easy to graduate to the regular Peterson Field Guides.	SPIDERS AND THEIR KIN: A GOLDEN GUIDE (by Levi, Levi, and Zim).  There are very few books on spiders, and this is one of the best despite being an inexpensive (less than $8) kid's book.  In addition to detailed drawings of most common types of spiders, this guide also covers many of the other non-insect arthropods found in the United States, including centipedes, millipedes, daddy-long-legs, mites, sowbugs, and a few other creatures.
BUGS & SLUGS (POCKET NATURALIST). Lightweight, laminated, waterproof format makes this guide perfect for the field. Designed for beginners, information is presented logically based on what the viewer is most likely to observe. Compact 4” x 8” size opens out to 8” x 22”. Color pictures and information are located on both sides of the card. Perfect introductory guide for all ages and abilities.	BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS OF NORTH AMERICA (POCKET NATURALIST). Lightweight, laminated, waterproof format makes this guide perfect for the field. Designed for beginners, the information is presented logically based on what the viewer is most likely to observe. Compact 4” x 8” size opens out to 8” x 22”. Color pictures and information are located on both sides of the card. Perfect introductory guide for all ages and abilities.

Intermediate-Advanced Level (Ages 12 & up)

PETERSON FIELD GUIDE: INSECTS (by Borror and White).  Every entomologist in North America owns at least one copy of this essential guide.  It does not contain pictures of many individual insect species, but it has the keys and distinguishing characters that are needed to identify insects to the correct order and family.	SIMON & SCHUSTER'S GUIDE TO INSECTS (by Arnett and Jacques).  This popular guide has pictures of many common insect species, plus basic biological information.  Many of these insects live in Kentucky, but this guide also contains many pictures of insects that live only in the western United States.
PHOTOGRAPHIC ATLAS OF ENTOMOLOGY AND GUIDE TO INSECT INDENTIFICATION (by Castner). This atlas features over 600 color photos that illustrate the structural characteristics and anatomical features of the major insect families and arthropod groups. In addition to the photos that cover approximately 190 different arthropod taxa, the guide also contains explanations and illustrations of external anatomy and insect development. Dichotomous keys to the family level for major orders and a glossary of specialized terms make this thorough reference a necessity for any entomologist.	KAUFMAN FIELD GUIDE TO THE INSECTS OF NORTH AMERICA (by Eaton and Kaufman). A wealth of information on the amazing observable behaviors of insects and their fascinating life histories. Guide takes a broad ecological approach, making the book accessible and understandable to everyone. Lavishly illustrated, with more than 2,000 digitally enhanced photographs representing every major group of insects.
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY FIELD GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS AND SPIDERS (by Milne and Milne). This guide is similar to the Simon & Schuster guide except that it also covers many common spider species.  This guide contains detailed biological information about each insect and spider.	A GUIDE TO COMMON FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES (by Voshell). For aquatic studies, this is one of the best guides available, with pictures of most of the invertebrates (including insects, crayfish, mussels, and worms) found in freshwater ponds, lakes, and streams.
PETERSON FIELD GUIDE: EASTERN BUTTERFLIES (by White). This is a highly detailed guide to the many butterfly species that live in the eastern United States.	PETERSON FIELD GUIDE: BEETLES (by White). There are more beetles on earth than any other kind of animal and this guide helps you sort them out.  Although this guide is overkill for most situations, it may be of interest if you are presenting a unit on beetles (a worthy subject!).