Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West - (Princeton Field Guides) by Dennis Paulson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West is the first fully illustrated field guide to all 348 species of dragonflies and damselflies in western North America. Dragonflies and damselflies are large, stunningly beautiful insects, as readily observable as birds and butterflies. This unique guide makes identifying them easy--its compact size and user-friendly design make it the only guide you need in the field. Every species is generously illustrated with full-color photographs and a distribution map, and structural features are illustrated where they aid in-hand identification. Detailed species accounts include information on size, distribution, flight season, similar species, habitat, and natural history. Dennis Paulson's introduction provides an essential primer on the biology, natural history, and conservation of these important and fascinating insects, along with helpful tips on how to observe and photograph them.

Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West is the field guide naturalists, conservationists, and dragonfly enthusiasts have been waiting for.

• Covers all 348 western species in detail


• Features a wealth of color photographs


• Provides a color distribution map for every species


• Includes helpful identification tips


• Serves as an essential introduction to dragonflies and their natural history

From the Back Cover

"Extremely well organized, and very well written. This is a superb treatment. With its impressive number of large, clear images and thorough text, it will immediately become the must-have field guide for western odonate watchers and researchers."--Giff Beaton, author of Dragonflies and Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast

"Dennis Paulson is recognized as one of the very best odonatologists in the world. This is a fine book, and will sell many thousands of copies. The text is well organized, and the color photos are gorgeous."--Sidney W. Dunkle, author of Dragonflies through Binoculars

Review Quotes

"[T]hese volumes are obviously authoritative, comprehensive and clearly designed with the needs of the naturalist in mind. The photographs are excellent and . . . the text makes up for the unavoidable shortcomings of a photo-guide by including full descriptions of each species. Altogether, these two volumes constitute a complete, highly informative and beautifully illustrated guide to the Odonata of North America."---Guy Padfield, UKbutterflies

"Bird watching has been a common hobby for centuries, and butterfly watching has become popular in the last few decades. Odonate watching is the newest pastime. Here, Paulson offers a comprehensive guide to Odonata of western North America. . . . This well-written, informative guide is a 'must have' for any person, amateur or scholar, interested in these insects."-- "Choice"

"Honorable Mention for the 2009 National Outdoor Book Award in Nature Guidebooks"

"Who knew that there were 348 species of dragonflies and damselflies in the Western United States? That fact alone should make nature lovers who enjoy traveling to wild places want to check out Dennis Paulson's new book, Dragonflies and Damselflies of the West, published by Princeton University Press. . . . This guide includes information on flight seasons, habitat and natural history in the description of each insect as well as helpful tips on how to observe and photograph them."-- "Salt Lake Tribune"

About the Author

Dennis Paulson's books include Shorebirds of North America (Princeton) and Alaska: The Ecotravellers' Wildlife Guide. Now retired, he was director of the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound.