The Wild Silk Moths of North America

Book excerpt: The Saturniidae are among the largest and showiest moths in North America. This comprehensive work covers the life history and taxonomy of a hundred species and subspecies. The adults and larvae of all species are illustrated in thirty color plates, which are supplemented by line drawings of cocoons, photographs of behavior, and distribution maps. More than a natural history, this book includes chapters on population biology, life history strategies, disease and parasitoids, and the importance of silk moths to human culture. The systematic account emphasizes genetic differences among populations and the process of speciation and presents new information on experimental hybridization and life histories. For the student, researcher, and naturalist practical information is offered on collecting, rearing, and conducting original research. The entire text is referenced to an extensive bibliography.