Ladybugs of Alberta: Finding the Spots and Connecting the Dots.

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

John Acorn loves the creepy crawlies of the world and is an expert on ladybugs. His guide is polished in both style and presentation. The photographs are clear and the colours intense and accurate. The guide opens with a gallery of “lesser ladybugs” of Alberta, followed by a gallery of “larger ladybugs.” The next two chapters focus on what ladybugs are and their lives. The third chapter discusses the history of ladybug study in Alberta. The fourth covers ladybug conservation. The rest of the book is dedicated to species accounts.

In this volume, the first regional ladybug field guide in North America, Acorn covers 75 species. Each species account includes a drawing of the ladybug, a distribution map, an explanation of the name origin, description, notes and often a large close-up photograph. It is in this section you see Acorn’s personality coming through. Each ladybug is accompanied by a rhyming couplet. For the micro ladybug: “‘Look at this ladybug!’ says author John, / ‘You’ve got to be kidding,’ most readers respond.” Of the ornate ladybug, he says “Nephus Ornatus is about as ornate / as a bit of dried bird poop on a wrought iron gate.”

In the notes, Acorn speaks in the first person, telling us about his experience with the ladybug. For example, in the notes for the lacustrine ladybug, he tells us, “When I first started finding lacustrine ladybugs, I’ll admit that I mistook them for American hairies, not noticing the difference in size.” Of the ursine anthill ladybug, he says, “To be honest, this species puzzles me …”

This an academic work and a field guide. It is well-referenced and contains a glossary, index and checklist. Every academic library that supports entomological research will want to purchase this book. However, when reading the work of someone so passionate about ladybugs, it is hard not to be engaged. Public libraries in western North America will also want to consider adding it to their collections. Highly recommended.