The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs: Discover Amazing Butterflies, Moths, Spiders, Dragonflies, and Other Insects!

by Judy Burris, Wayne Richards

With this book in hand, readers of any age will discover -- just outside their own doors, no matter where they live--a world they never knew existed. Hundreds of stunning photos combined with expert information create an up-close-and-personal tour of the hidden lives of spiders, beetles, butterflies, moths, crickets, dragonflies, damselflies, grasshoppers, aphids, and many other backyard residents. You won't believe your eyes! Each creature is in its natural setting, and many are shown progressing through all of the various stages of their life cycles. This is a one-of-a-kind look at some of life's most fascinating mysteries -- surprising, captivating, and perfect for nature lovers of all ages.

"The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs" has earned two national awards --
(1) NOBA - National Outdoor Book Award
(2) Teacher's Choice Award for "Product of Excellence for the Family".

Genres: Science, Reference, Gardening, Nonfiction, Childrens, Nature

144 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

Sister and brother naturalists Judy Burris and Wayne Richards from the Cincinnati area (northern Kentucky) are the authors and photographers of a brand new book called Nature's Notes. They also wrote The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs, winner of the National Outdoor Book Award (NOBA) plus the Teacher's Choice Award for "Product of Excellence for the Family". Their first book The Life Cycles of Butterflies won the Teacher’s Choice Award for “Children’s Books” as well as “Product of Excellence for the Family.” Their articles and nature photography have been published worldwide in calendars, books, newspapers and magazines including Butterfly Gardener, Birds and Blooms, Nature's Garden, Better Homes and Gardens, Cincinnati Magazine, Kentucky Living, Garden Gate and Backyard Living.

Reviews

[Dane Riley]

I thoroughly enjoyed this easy to understand breakdown of bug stuff

[Scott Bolick]

As an insect lover I was looking for a book for my nephews. While the book is enjoyable overall several of the images and even some of the information is mislabeled, mainly the authors seem to mix up Planthoppers, Treehoppers, and Leafhoppers more often than they get them right. Overall if you're looking for a book to catch kids interest in insects this isn't bad, just know that some of the information isn't completely accurate and should be taken with a grain of salt. Are the errors egregious enough to bother any kid with a casual interest? Definitely not, but if your kid is hyper focused on insects and/or accuracy it could be an issue.

[Rayjan Koehler]

Not a bad book, but it doesn't do a lot on Ants or different Bees...and puts some focus on Spiders which are not Bugs or Insects as the title suggests. Also even though they don't intend to I think it has so much information on Black Widows it would draw kids to seek out finding at least one for a pet("since the authors raised some why can't I play with them too?" I have met kids that would think/say something like this.)

[Stephen]

A third of the content is butterflies and moths, but it's a superb collection of photos detailing life stages of various insects and spiders, along with information on their favored foods and predators.

[Autumn Kearney]

To quote the movie The Lion King, slimy yet satisfying. :)

This book not only talked about insects, it had information on seasons, plant cycles, and different types of insect cycles.

I thought that it was a fun read.

[Mrs. DL]

A passion project through and through: it´s basically a guide to raising different insects, such as moths, butterflies, beetles, etc., with beautiful and original photos. Offers detailed life cycles/feeding preferences of several insects and arachnids.

[TL Thomas]

While I assume this is geared towards older kids, it was great for an adult too. The photo breakdown of each species was really great and I'll be out there looking for some of these species. The book also provided some general information on insects, life cycles, plants they use for food, etc.

[Kimberlie]

Not many books cover full life cycles. Great!

[BVC]

Molto carino ma eccessivo il focus sulle farfalle.

[Kaylee]

From the preface:
"About 90 percent of the photos were taken in a backyard garden in northern Kentucky only one-eighth of an acre in size...With the exception of the lightning bug, all of the bugs in this book can be found throughout the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico."
So really, if you don't see any of these bugs, it's because you aren't looking.

The pages are filled with lots of great color photos arranged in a magazine-like format. The whole book seems like it could be the bug edition of Ranger Rick. The back of the book has comparison charts to help identify eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. It would make a great home reference book for any kid interested in bugs.

My main complaint about this book is that it focuses so much on butterflies and moths--dedicating several pages to individual species--when other types of bugs like bees, ants, and spiders (all of which can be easier to find and observe) don't get this special treatment.

[Melanie]

The Secret Life of Backyard Bugs
Judy Burris & Wayne Richards
Storey Publishing

Stunning photography!
Every living thing progresses through life cycles, often with bugs we only see the adult stage. In awe filled photography we are able to see complete life cycles of insects and spiders from eggs to larvae, pupa to adult.
There is a description of each insect, order it belongs to, and trivia facts for each insect displayed. This is by far one of the most interesting bug books I have ever read.
It also includes a top host and nectar plant guide, comparison guides for each stage of the life cycle, and briefly touches on plant and soil life.
Again, Amazing photography, simple yet very informative for all ages! Detailed descriptions and photographs make this book interesting even for those who aren’t overly found of insects.
I received a copy of this book from Storey in exchange for an honest review.

[Drake U.]

adding to my list of books to purchase