Best Insect & Spider Field Guides of 2025

Beekeeping for Beginners is the ultimate guide for anyone looking to start their own beehive and enjoy delicious homemade honey. The book combines traditional beekeeping practices with modern strategies to create a comprehensive guide that is both accessible and insightful. It covers everything from building and maintaining a beehive to harvesting honey and working with beeswax. The author provides insider tips and easy-to-follow instructions for beginners, making it an excellent resource for those who have never owned a beehive before. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in beekeeping and enriching their backyard with insect life and flowers.

The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders: North America is an excellent resource for nature enthusiasts who want to explore the diverse world of insects and spiders in North America. With over 700 full-color photographs and detailed descriptions of habitat, range, feeding habits, and more, this guide is a must-have for any outdoor excursion. The book also includes an illustrated key to the insect orders and detailed drawings of the parts of insects, spiders, and butterflies. The durable vinyl binding makes it perfect for use in the field. Overall, this guide is a comprehensive and valuable resource for anyone interested in the fascinating world of insects and spiders.

The "I Spy Backyard Bugs Book for Kids Ages 2-5" is an engaging picture book that introduces children to over 100 creepy crawlies. The book features 20 puzzles from A to Z, with pages arranged in alphabetical order to help kids recognize letters and associate them with a bug they know. The colorful images and glossy cover make it an excellent gift idea for toddlers, pre-Ks, and preschoolers. Overall, this book is an excellent tool for teaching the ABCs while keeping kids entertained for hours.

The Butterflies & Moths: The Clearest Recognition Guide Available is an excellent guide for identifying over 500 species of butterflies and moths. It features over 600 full-color photographs with precise descriptions of each species, including their distinguishing characteristics, geographical range, and at-a-glance facts. Written by David Carter, a moth and butterfly specialist, the book also provides an overview of the whole order of insects and their unique metamorphosis. Whether you're an amateur enthusiast or an established butterfly and moth lover, this book is a must-have. The book is published by DK in association with the Smithsonian Institution, making it an authoritative and reliable resource.

The National Wildlife Federation's Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife is an expanded second edition with 17 projects and step-by-step instructions to give back to nature. This book provides over 200 color photos of backyard wildlife habitats and the wide variety of creatures they attract, making it easy for everyone to learn wildlife-friendly practices for gardening, landscape design, supplemental feeders, birdbaths, nesting places, and more. David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation, presents simple plans for reintroducing native plants that birds, butterflies, and a whole host of critters can't resist. It is an excellent book for nature lovers of all ages.

Insects & Bugs for Kids: An Introduction to Entomology is a perfect guide for children who love to explore and learn about creepy crawlies. The book is authored by Jaret C. Daniels, a specialist in insect ecology and conservation, and includes an introduction to entomology and an insect identification section. The identification guide features full-color photographs and descriptions of key markings, making it easy for kids to identify the species they see in nature. The book also includes fun bonus activities for the whole family. Overall, this book is a great way to spark a child's interest in the natural world and encourage them to learn more about the fascinating world of insects.

The Peterson First Guide To Insects Of North America is a simplified version of the famous Peterson Field Guides. It is perfect for beginners who want to explore the world of insects. The book focuses on the animals, plants, and other natural things that readers are most likely to see. The author, Roger Tory Peterson, is one of the world's greatest naturalists, and his identification system is considered to be the greatest invention since binoculars. Overall, this book is an excellent starting point for anyone who wants to learn about insects and the natural world.

The Hawk's Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty is a mesmerizing account of the author's love affair with hawks. Sy Montgomery's passion for these magnificent creatures is apparent as she delves into their extraordinary abilities and instincts, revealing what they can teach us about nature, life, and love. The book features sixteen pages of gorgeous color photographs, bringing the beauty of hawks to life. This informative read is perfect for nature lovers and will inspire readers to look up into the sky and appreciate the wonders of the natural world. Overall, The Hawk's Way is a unique and captivating celebration of one of nature's most perfect and mysterious creatures.

The Butterflies of North America Coloring Book for Kids, Teens & Adults is an educational and fun coloring book that features 75 beautiful butterflies found in North America. The book is perfect for kids aged eight and above, teens, and adults of all coloring skill levels who love butterflies. The realistic illustrations make it easy to identify the butterflies and their shapes while providing hours of stress relief and creative expression. It's an ideal gift for anyone who loves butterflies and wants to learn more about them. Overall, this coloring book is an excellent addition to any collection of pet insects and spiders care books.

A Peterson Field Guide To Insects: America North of Mexico (Peterson Field Guides) is an essential tool for those interested in identifying insects. With detailed descriptions of insect orders, families, and individual species illustrated with 1,300 drawings and 142 color paintings, this guide is easy to use and accurate. The Peterson Identification System uses size lines to show the actual length of each insect, and a glossary explains the technical terms of insect anatomy. The book is authored by Donald J. Borror, a professor of entomology at Ohio State University, and coauthored by Dwight M. DeLong. The guide is a must-have for entomologists and nature enthusiasts alike.