Common bees of Eastern and Western North America (2-volume set)

The only portable full-color photographic guide to the most commonly seen bees east of the Mississippi River Bees play a vitally important role in the pollination of native plants and agricultural crops around the globe. Common Bees of Eastern North America is the first species-level photographic field guide to the most commonly seen bees in the eastern United States and Canada. Identifying bees to species is challenging even for taxonomists. This book walks you through the process of bee identification using breathtaking high-resolution color photos that highlight the unique characteristics of each species, making identification easier. Full of essential facts about the natural history of these magnificent creatures, this is the must-have field guide for naturalists and backyard gardeners alike. Covers 125 of the most commonly seen species in the eastern United States and Canada Features 500 stunning close-up photos in full color Shows multiple images for each species, with arrows highlighting key identifying marks Provides silhouette images depicting the actual size of each species Describes key identification features, size, phenology, floral preference, nesting, and related species Includes a range map for every species Contains a taxonomic key to the bee genera of the eastern United States and Canada "Bees play an essential role in the pollination of native plants and agricultural crops across the globe. In North America alone there are more than 4,000 bee species. In spite of their abundance and diversity there is no accessible field guide for the non-expert. This book will remedy that situation by providing a carefully crafted introduction to bee identification for eastern North America. No portable field guide could include coverage of the myriad species in the region, so the book concentrates on identifying bees at the genus level. It includes information on the 72 different genera that are found east of the Rockies. The introduction includes coverage of bee biology and anatomy, as well as a section on how to use the guide. For each genus, the book provides habitus (side) and dorsal (top) views, close-up photos of important features, field pictures, maps, descriptions of life history traits, and a description of the genus as a whole. The habitus and dorsal views are uniquely detailed, as they use a photography technique developed by researchers at the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab. While the guide is primarily designed to allow the user to identify at the genus level, the authors provide features on six of the most common and easily identifiable species for each genus. While many field guides are ordered taxonomically, this book is organized by morphology to better aid the non-expert in making a correct identification"-- Provided by publisher