WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER AN INSECT, YOU NEED ANSWERS TO SOME BASIC QUESTIONS:

• What is it? Why is it here in my house or office or yard?

• What does it eat? (Is it eating my clothes, my food, my favorite plants?)

• Will it sting or bite me? Does it carry disease?

In fact, only about 1 % of the insect species found in southern California should provoke this kind of alarmed vigilance in the human residents. The other 99% are harmless or actually extremely important to our well-being in that they are pollinators, food for other animals that we value, reducers of organic waste, or regulators of the populations of destructive organisms. These insects should be encouraged, and this book will help you to know them.

Insects of the Los Angeles Basin, a guide to beneficial as well as pesky forms, features:
• Descriptions of more than 400 species of common or conspicuous insects and another 70 species of spiders, scorpions, mites, ticks, and related forms.
• 500 illustrations, 370 in full color.
• Essays on basic biology, habitats, collecting, raising, and conservation of insects and spiders.
• Lists of sources of supplies and information; bibliography, glossary, index.

A highly readable book, Insects of the Los Angeles Basin is an essential reference for southern California gardeners, teachers, students, campers, and anyone who is interested in nature, ecology, and environmental protection. - from Amzon