Damselflies of Texas: A Field Guide

On any warm summer day, you can easily observe damselflies around a vegetated pond or the rocks along the banks of a stream. Like the more familiar dragonfly, damselflies are among the most remarkably distinctive insects in their appearance and biology, and they have become one of the most popular creatures sought by avocational naturalists.

Damselflies of Texas is the first field guide dedicated specifically to the species found in Texas. It covers 77 of the 138 species of damselflies known in North America, making it a very useful guide for the entire United States. Each species account includes:

• illustrations of as many forms (male, female, juvenile, mature, and color morphs) as possible
• common and scientific names, with pronunciation
• distribution map
• key features
• identifying characteristics
• discussion of similar species
• status in Texas
• habitat, seasonality, and general comments

In addition to photographing damselflies in the wild, the author and illustrator have developed a new process for illustrating each species by scanning preserved specimens and digitally painting them. The resulting illustrations show detail that is not visible in photographs. The book also contains chapters on damselfly anatomy, life history, conservation, names, and photography, as well as a list of species that may eventually be discovered in Texas, state and global conservation rankings, seasonality of all species in chronological order, and additional resources and publications on the identification of damselflies.

Author: John C. Abbott
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 05/01/2011
Pages: 292
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 7.40h x 4.81w x 0.91d
ISBN: 9780292714496

About the Author
JOHN C. ABBOTT is Curator of Entomology for the Texas Natural Science Center at the University of Texas at Austin. His research focuses on aquatic insects, particularly the systematics and biogeography of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). He has authored many papers on aquatic insects with several specifically on dragonflies and damselflies and has written a book on the Dragonflies and Damselflies of the South Central United States. Dr. Abbott also sits on the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) Odonata Specialists Group and is the Editor-in-Chief for the Dragonfly Society of the Americas.


This title is only available via back order