Himmelman's Natural History Books - for Adults and Curiosity-Driven Teens
Availble to order online, but why not support your local bookstore and order through them?
Discovering Moths, Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard (2nd ed.)
Stackpole Books
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In lively, accessible prose, John Himmelman explains the intricacy of moths' life cycle, their importance in nature, and how just a tiny handful of the many moth species are truly pests to humans. He tells how to attract moths with lights and bait, when and where to observe them, and how best to photograph these tiny subjects. Entertaining personal anecdotes and short profiles of some of the country's foremost moth-ers add human interest. This new edition updates photos and information while focusing on states east of the Mississippi.
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Generously illustrated with Himmelman's line drawings and photographs.
Discovering Amphibians, Frogs & Salamanders of the Northeast
Down East Books
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What makes amphibians so fascinating? They're mostly small and well camouflaged and easily overlooked as they go about their little lives. But appealing they certainly are, and in in Discovering Amphibians naturalist John Himmelman explains why we should be fascinated by the 'phibs" that inhabit our ponds, woods, and gardens. He tells us how to spot migrating salamanders, chorusing treefrogs, and even wood frogs frozen solid (but still very much alive) beneath the fallen leaves.
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Although the "protagonists" of Discovering Amphibians may be small, the scope of the book is broad, covering everything from amphibians' physiology to their place in folklore and literature to scientific explanations of why they seem to be disappearing from so many places around the globe You'll also learn where to find various species of frogs and salamander, how to handle them safely, and how to create vernal pools and year-round habitats in your own backyard.
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Generously illustrated with Himmelman's line drawings and photographs.
Cricket Radio, Tuning in the Night-Singing Insects
Harvard University Press
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At a time when night-singing insects have slipped beyond our notice―indeed, are more likely to be heard as NatureSounds than in a backyard―John Himmelman seeks to reconnect us to creatures whose songs form a part of our own natural history.
On warm summer evenings, night-singing insects produce a whirring, chirping soundscape―a calming aural tapestry celebrated by poets and naturalists for millennia. But “cricket radio” is not broadcast for the easy-listening pleasure of humans. The nocturnal songs of insects are lures and warnings, full of risks and rewards for these tiny competitive performers. What moves crickets and katydids to sing, how they produce their distinctive sounds, how they hear the songs of others, and how they vary cadence, volume, and pitch to attract potential mates, warn off competitors, and evade predators is part of the engaging story Cricket Radio tells.
Himmelman’s narrative weaves together his personal experiences as an amateur naturalist in search of crickets and katydids with the stories of scientists who study these insects professionally. He also offers instructions for bringing a few of the little singers into our homes and gardens. We can, Himmelman suggests, be reawakened to these night songs that have meant so much to the human psyche. The online insect calls that accompany this colorfully illustrated narrative provide a bridge of sound to our past and to our vital connection with other species.
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Generously illustrated with Himmelman's line drawings and photographs.
Sadly, out of print, but available used from a number of sources - an Internet search will turn up many hits. What happened? We enclosed a bit of technology that virtually disappeared once the book came out - an enclosed CD of the calls...
Guide to Night-Singing Insects of the Northeast
Stackpole Books
*Crickets, katydids, shieldbacks, coneheads, trigs, and angle-wings across the northeastern United States
*Full-color illustrations depict each insect in extraordinary detail
*Enclosed audio CD features songs and calls
The mysteries behind the musical chirps, buzzes, and songs of the night are revealed in this guide to night-singing insects. Includes in-depth information on the three main families of these insects-the katydids, mole crickets, and true crickets-as well as full-color illustrations showing the unique features of each species. Readers will learn where to find each species, what colors and physical attributes are important, how species compare with one another, and how various sounds can help identify a particular insect. Complete with an audio guide and CD, this package is the only resource readers will need to study these small yet amazing insects of the night.
