More Books!

>sigh<

So many books, so little time.

As previously mentioned, I was up at a conference (the No Child Left Inside Summit) up in Midland, MI on Thursday.  On my way home, I stopped at the Chippewa Nature Center, briefly, to  see what it looked like.  I stopped in the gift shop...just to peek at the books...not really intending to purchase anything...not really.

Twenty minutes later I left with four new books and some t-shirts for my friends (they were on sale, after all - a real bargain).

First up, we have a nice little pocket guide of  Butterflies of Michigan.   This handy little book has just enough information, and photos of adults as well as larvae.  It is a good one to add to any field kit.

Next, a Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets!  The world has been waiting for this book!  Or, at least I have.  General insect field guides are great, but they are limited.  If every insect was to be placed in them, one would need to hire a whole village of Sherpas so carry them around.  Not really convenient for a field guide.  So, I have usually had to content myself with "it's a grasshopper" and leave it at that.  Now, however, I can start to identify one grasshopper from the next, and ditto with crickets!  I've only encountered katydids in the tropics, but hey, I am now ready should I see one here in Michigan!

And finally, a two-volume set for identifying grasses.  Grass ID guides are few and far between, especially one(s) written for the layperson. These two are still not written for the layperson, but they seem to be pretty comprehensive.  With a little studying, I should now have no excuse not to be able to identify grasses.

Look out world - she's armed and dangerous now.