TIGER BEETLES OF ALBERTA: Killers on the Clay, Stalkers on the Sand by John Acorn (2001-01-01) Paperback – 1894

John Acorn's "Tiger Beetles of Alberta" is a model of the kind of book that serves the needs of amateur naturalists and professional biologists wanting to identify the plants and animals they encounter. Since most of the literature is either arcane or (more often) unavailable, books like Acorn's fulfill a real need. The text will not only allow the reader to identify the beetle species, but it also provides information about the beetle's ecology, behavior, and related topics. Range maps also help the reader identify the species. The photographs and drawings are spectacular. Yet two "quirky" features distinguish this book: first, the haiku Acorn has composed for each species; second, the anecdotes he provides about tiger beetle people. The book is not only informative; it is entertaining. Additional features include a discussion of tiger beetle conservation. maintaining tiger beetles in captivity, observing tiger beetles, and a useful bibliography.

If it wasn't for John, I may never have learned to take entomology both as seriously and as lightly as I take it now! This is the field guide you've been waiting for, combining great photos and drawings with distribution data and colourful anecdotes. Quite possibly the ultimate tiger beetle book! P.S., that's me with the tattoos!

John Acorn's "Tiger Beetles of Alberta: Killers on the Clay, Stalkers on the Sand" is one of those rare books that incorporate accurate information and enthusiasm, plus fantastically beautiful illustrations. This is a book that ANY tiger beetler should own- even if they don't live in Alberta. Seventeen of the nineteen species that Acorn describes are also found in New Mexico and I suspect that this book will serve well for our north central tier of states. While collecting is mentioned, Acorn goes further- toward an appreciation of the living tiger beetle and its behavior.John Acorn is in a class by himself. I was first introduced to his TV program "The Nature Nut" at a meeting of the American Arachnological Society in Tucson, Arizona. The episode "Scorpions: They're Real Cool" was the hit of our informal slide and film show. It made me search out and buy as many of his arthropod shows as I could find. Between his expertise and his dry humor he is one of the few people that I've encountered who can totally enthrall audiences from kindergarten to retirement. I later met him in person at a meeting in Rio Rico, Arizona, and found him to be as open and interesting to talk to as I thought he would be.I could find only minor errors in his tiger beetle book (mostly nit-picking errors of omission in tiger beetle ranges for a few- like C. longilabris and C. pupurea in the New Mexico part of their ranges) and the amount of information he packs into this slim volume is astounding.I recommend this book highly if you have any interest in tiger beetles, or just like beautiful things!