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Milkweed, Monarchs and More
A Field Guide to the Invertebrate Community in the Milkweed Patch
In 2003, the first edition of Milkweed, Monarchs and More, A Field Guide to the Invertebrate Community in the Milkweed Patch became the first field guide to document a natural community. In addition to identifying milkweed community members, it covered the basics of classification; natural habitats and communities; the unique structure of milkweed flowers; and arthropod life cycles and body parts. It was created to help the citizen scientists participating in the Monarch Larva Monitoring Program understand what they were seeing in milkweed patches across North America and collect data to help document the population dynamics of the monarch butterfly. The late summer generation of monarchs graduates from milkweed nurseries all over North America to join in an impressive migration. Many fly 3200 km (2000 miles) or more from the northern United States and Canada to mountains in the Mexican states of Mexico and Michoacan. That incredible accomplishment by such a small, seemingly delicate creature has captured many imaginations and created great interest in the milkweed community. Monarch enthusiasts, students and teachers wanted to explore the diverse natural community that thrives in the milkweed growing along our highways and woodland edges; in our open fields, fragmented prairies and vacant lots; and in our lovingly tended gardens. Milkweed, Monarchs and More quickly found its way into classrooms, homes, and nature centers.
In 2010, we created The Enlarged and Updated Second Edition of Milkweed, Monarchs and More with larger type and pictures in response to requests for a larger format. It is more classroom friendly for student reports and easier on older eyes. We also updated many of the sections and added more milkweed species. The reviews were good, but people who loved the smaller, field-work friendly version asked us to please not let it go out of print. By then, nearly all of the original books had been sold. In 2011, we are presenting Milkweed, Monarchs and More, A Field Guide to the Invertebrate Community in the Milkweed Patch Updated Second Edition, Field Version. The new book has all the updates we put in the Enlarged Version, plus a few more adjustments to the changing understandings of science. At 4.75" X 7" it is still small, but slightly larger than the original, and there are a few more pages, allowing space for the expanded entries and to make some of the images a little larger.
Both Feature:
• Over 300 full-color photos.
• Entries on insects and spiders at the order and family levels—including photos of representative individuals, scientific and common names, identifying features, life cycles, sizes, and ranges.
• Color coded symbols indicating the animals’ roles in the milkweed community.
• An overview of insect and arachnid body structures.
• Explanations of terms and concepts useful for organizing and sharing observations.
• An overview of unique features of the milkweed family—including photos, range and identifying features for 16 of the 110 species found in North America.
• Easy access to information through table of contents and index, plus glossary and references.
Milkweed, Monarchs and More,
Field Version
ISBN# 0-965-7472-6-4
Milkweed, Monarchs and More, Updated Second Edition, Field Version
by Ba Rea, Karen Oberhauser,
and Michael A. Quinn
Trade paper, perfect bound, 4.75" X 7", 112 pages
retail $9.00
The Enlarged and Updated Second Edition of Milkweed, Monarchs and More
ISBN# 0-965-7472-3-3
The Enlarged and Updated Second Edition of Milkweed, Monarchs and More,
by Ba Rea, Karen Oberhauser, and Michael A. Quinn
Trade paper, perfect bound, 8" X 10,"
80 pages
retail $16.95