United States
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A Backyard Book of Spiders in Maine covers the fascinating facts of the spider families found in Maine and the Northeast, and is richly illustrated with photos, drawings, and graphics. Amateur and professional naturalists alike will find here a wealth of information on individual spiders and special topics such as webs and silk, communication and mating, spiders in winter, spider bites, spider names, and more.
Dana Wilde of Troy, Maine, writes the Backyard Naturalist column for the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel newspapers in Maine. Before he worked in newsrooms he taught college literature in Maine and Eastern Europe, served as a Fulbright scholar in China and South Africa, and is an NEH fellow. His writings have appeared widely, and his Amateur Naturalist column earned awards from the Maine Press Association and the New England Newspaper & Press Association.
"I love this book. The personal anecdotes in A Backyard Book of Spiders in Maine make them real, and they show how Dana Wilde is passionate about them, making it fun to follow as he opens a new world, not just to those spiders of Maine but through them to the rest almost anywhere, and to anyone. There is so much fascinating to see in nature, as this book shows."
– Bernd Heinrich, author of A Naturalist at Large, Summer World, Winter World, and others
"Dana Wilde's perceptive and delightful Backyard Book of Spiders in Maine will provide any curious observer of spiders in Maine with insights into their biology, ecology, behavior, and natural history. Of particular note are his extensive and knowledgeable explorations into the fascinating etymology of spider names. This book belongs in the library of anyone with even a passing interest in the engrossing world of arthropods and the myriad ways they intersect with human society. Very warmly recommended."
– Dr Kefyn Catley, Professor of Biology and Science Education, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, N.C.
"A Backyard Book of Spiders in Maine is a wonderful contribution to a sorely misunderstood subject. Dana Wilde gives a well-rounded description of the variety of these little beings along with fascinating facts about the names we've bestowed upon them."
– Maine Master Naturalist Donne Sinderson
"This outstanding work will undoubtedly serve as a standard introduction to Maine's spider fauna for years to come."
– Robert E. Nelson, Editor, The Maine Entomologist; retired Professor of Geology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine
