Insects + Spiders

Book Review: Wildlife Of Australian Rainforests

Jade Craven · August 30, 2021 ·

Wildlife of the Australian Rainforests isn’t the type of book I would typically read. I prefer guides dedicated to specific regions or species. However, I found myself really enjoying this guide.

This book focuses on significant wildlife-watching sites in rainforests across Australia. It gives readers an overview of entire ecosystems.

It is a comprehensive and inspiring read that will give naturalists many ideas for new places to visit.

Book Review: All About Butterflies Of Australia

Jade Craven · April 13, 2020 ·

Butterflies are a fascinating yet complex insect. Most of the books about butterflies are field guides, which means they focus on providing the resources for identification.

All About Butterflies Of Australia takes a different approach. The goal is to capture the readers’ imagination and encourage them to observe the butterflies in their local environment. The book is both practical and beginner-friendly. I highly recommend this to any butterfly enthusiast.

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Book Review: Garden Pests, Diseases & Good Bugs

Jade Craven · March 23, 2020 ·

There are many useful books to help amateurs identify insects. Most of these focus on identifying the insect and helping the reader understand how they interact with the environment.

Garden Pests, Diseases & Good Bugs takes a different approach. It just focuses on the insects that you will find in your garden. The goal is to help you figure out which insects are beneficial and which insects will cause issues. This can help you find natural, non-toxic ways to control the pest species.

This book is essential reading if you are a gardener.

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Book Review: The Complete Field Guide To Butterflies Of Australia

Jade Craven · March 2, 2020 ·

I love butterflies. They are one of the easier insect species to see in a garden and are very beautiful to examine up close. Observers will quickly learn that being easy to see doesn’t mean that a butterfly is always easy to identify.

The Complete Field Guide To Butterflies Of Australia aims to help readers learn how to identify various species. The guide features all of the butterfly species on Australia’s mainland and remote islands. This review explores whether the guide is useful for beginners.

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Book Review: A Naturalist’s Guide To The Insects Of Australia

Jade Craven · February 24, 2020 ·

I love trying to identify the insects in my backyard, but it can be tricky. There are a lot of great entomology books available, but very few targeted at the complete newbie.

A Naturalist’s Guide To The Insects Of Australia is one of just two books available targeted at beginners. It’s an identification guide that features 292 species of insect that are reasonably common in Australia. The simplicity makes it easier to try and figure out what species you have seen.

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