Dragonfly Identification

Note: All of  these are in stock, but not all of them are online yet. Please call or email (512-321-2089, 888-258-4687 info@naturallycurious.net ) and we'll get them coming to you.

	Dragonflies through Binoculars A Field Guide to Dragonflies of North America by Sidney W. Dunkle  List:  $29.95  Ours:  $26.96  266 pages, 47 full color plates  More Info (click or scroll)
	Stoke's Beginners Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies by Blair Nikula, Jackie Sones, Donald & Lillian Stokes  List:  $8.95  Ours:  $8.06 Paperback, 7" x 4.5", 160 pages    More Info (click or scroll)
	Dragonflies, Behavior and Ecology of Odonata by Phillip Corbet, a college level text book Hardcover, $135.00, call for price and availability.
	Dazzle of Dragonflies by Forrest Mitchell and James Lasswell The joy of dragonflies, not so much an identification as a celebration of their beauty, diversity and information on appreciation techniques (gardening, water features, photography, rearing). Hardcover, $39.95   Our price:  $35.96
	Dragonflies of Indiana, Indiana Academy of Science This book is so well done and beautifully illustrated, we sold multiple copies in Texas until we had our own book! Hardcover, $34.00
	Dragonflies and Damselflies of Texas and South-central U.S. by John Abbott. The ultimate field guide for Texas and surrounding states. Paperback, $35.00, Ours: $31.50 More info/Shop
	Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast Giff Beaton List $24.95  Ours: $22.46

Dragonflies through Binoculars   My dragonfly watching friends in Texas have had to rely on the Dunkle’s earlier publications on dragonflies of Florida, and some handy internet sites to learn the names of the species they were seeing.  This publication will make learning to identify dragonflies much more accessible for all of us!  Note that I didn’t say easy, just accessible.  Like most birding guides, Dragonflies through Binoculars is organized taxonomically.  Unlike birds, there is not a big difference between the different groups (hawks are a lot easier to distinguish from hummingbirds, than say Clubtails from Petaltails).  Not to worry, the book includes only seven families of Dragonflies.  Given the information in Dunkle’s book, it won’t be long before you are familiar with the dragonfly families and new vocabulary.  It may even give you the opportunity to cherish our hot, sunny, summer days, as that is when these beauties are active.

 The color plates are accompanied by a range map, short description, and the page number where more information on each species is found.  The species accounts include a description of each family (how do you know if it’s a Darner or a Cruiser?), identification, body features, similar species, habitat, season and comments.  Dragonflies through Binoculars also includes a great introduction to the sport/hobby of dragonfly viewing, along with good information on the basics of their natural history.  (I say basics because we also carry Dragonflies, Behavior and Ecology of Odonata, which could be used as college level text book).  The index includes boxes to check by the common name of each dragonfly, enabling readers to keep a check list of the dragonflies they’ve seen.

 Here’s why I’m excited about this new book.  It opens up a whole new field of things to learn.  If you read about aging, one of the things they tell you is the more you use your mind, the more it’ll serve you in your elder years.  They always recommend doing crossword puzzles, I don’t like crossword puzzles, I like nature.  So, I’ll keep on learning by finding out if I have a Widow Skimmer or Common Whitetail on our property. Thank you Dr. Dunkle and Oxford Press.

Stoke's Beginners Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies

Even if you already have a copy of the book Dragonflies through Binoculars, this book will most likely be an excellent addition to your collection. I must confess to being a bit overwhelmed by sorting through and learning the different groups of dragonflies (even though there are just 3 types of damsels and 7 dragons!), which is why I like the Stokes' inside cover: Identification guide and Color Tab index. It lists the different characteristics of the different families (size, perchers or fliers, flight height, perched position, wing patterns, body colors, eye position and other useful clues. This is helpful not only for finding the right section to look in in the book, but to help me learn how to identify them without the little key. It includes over 100 common species, great color photos (some with the background obscured making it easier to see the wing pattern).  This book also gives great natural history. The back inside cover has the anatomy detail, so as you are reading the descriptions, you can learn/refresh your memory easily, too.

.                                                                     SSM