Books
I love to have books about nature. Some of the books that Chris and I have are listed below. When looking to buy a book, you can often save a lot of money with a used edition. Books are listed by subject matter.
Wildflowers and Plants
Wild flowers of Ohio by Robert L Henn, second edition
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/108700.jpg?143)
A very good book, flowers organized by color. Nice thin book to carry. Photographs. This and Newcombs are the 2 books we usually carry.
Newcomb's Wildflower Guide by Lawrence Newcomb
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/5001939.jpg?110)
A very good book with a nice key system that make it pretty easy to find items. We have 2 copies - a his and a hers. I carry a hardback edition that I bought used. Line drawings and color drawings. This and Henn's Wild flowers of Ohio are the 2 books we usually carry.
Wildflowers of Ohio field guide by Stan Tekiela
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/2663409.jpg?111)
A good book, organized by color. This is a thick, chunky book that seems to have trouble with the binding on most copies I have seen, so I keep it at home now. Photographs
Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada by Gleason and Cronquist
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/8892850.jpg?129)
A bit old, but one of the very complete books on plants, 900+ pages
No drawings, so see the next book
No drawings, so see the next book
Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual: Illustrations of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Canada
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Excellent drawings to go with the above book.
900+ pages with thousands of drawings
900+ pages with thousands of drawings
A Field Guide to Wildflowers by Roger Peterson
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/7292220.jpg?112)
Color based with line and color drawings. We have an older version. I like the drawings, but I find it a bit hard to find something new in it.
We also have the Guide to Pacific States Wildflowers and the Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers.
We also have the Guide to Pacific States Wildflowers and the Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers.
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers,
Eastern Region
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/5552835.jpg?93)
Organized by families, photographs organized by colors.
We also have the Western Region guide.
We also have the Western Region guide.
Weeds of the Northeast by Uva, Neal, and DiTomaso
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/3704888.jpg?105)
A unique book that can be very helpful. Since it looks at plants that are considered to be weeds, there are photos of many stages of plants' life cycle, not just when there are flowers present. This can be very useful in identifying young plants and seed pods.
A Guide to Nonnative Invasive Plants Inventoried in the North by Forest Inventory and Analysis by Olson and Cholewa
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/7392471.jpg?112)
An Instant Guide to Wildflowers by Forcey and Fitzsimons
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/8961177.jpg?134)
Limited species, but nice color drawings and descriptions of what is included
Vascular Plants of Ohio: A Manual for use in Field and Laboratory
by Clara Weishaupt
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/5863746.jpg?126)
Book of keyed plant ID, no drawings. Out of print, but you can still find used copies.
Guide to Vascular Flora of Illinois, Revised and Enlarged Edition
by Rober Mohlenbrock
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/3544210.jpg)
Book of keyed plant ID, no drawings.
Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel
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Goes about plant ID by family characteristics
Plant Identification Terminology By James Harris and Melinda Harris
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One of the best books I have found for botany terms used in many of the books
Plant Form by Adrian Bell and Alan Bryan
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Helpful for plant terminology. Lots of photos, but not really organized for searching for terms.
Field Manual of Michigan Flora by Edward Voss and Anton Reznicek
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/3790033.jpg?165)
Even though it is for Michigan, it certainly works for Northwestern Ohio. No drawings or photos. Maps showing distribution in Michigan. Pretty reasonable priced (under $30 for 900+ pages)
MONOCOTLYEDONEAE: VASCULAR FLORA OF OHIO VOL 1 CAT-TAILS TO ORCHIDS By Lucy Braun
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/9576551.jpg?183)
An older (1967) book, but still useful. Someday I hope to find vol 2 and 3 used at reasonable prices.
Botany Coloring Book by Paul Young
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/1224876.jpg?182)
Interesting way to learn your way around botany.
Perennials of Ohio & Annuals of Ohio by Debra Knapke and Alison Beck
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/7138014.jpg?175)
The Wildflower Book, East of the Rockies
by Donald and Lillian Stokes
Lots of nice photos and general information. Information on growing, arranging, drying, etc.
We have an older version.
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/543848.jpg?213)
Good Weed Bad Weed by Nancy Gift
Interesting approach, bad weeds being things that take over or are toxic. Good weeds being things that attract wildlife or are pretty. Useful for identification also.
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/1551814.jpg?169)
Edible Wild Plants
Peterson Field Guide
We seldom eat plants in the wild, but good background information to have
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/871125.jpg?182)
A Great Lakes
Wetland Flora
By Steve W Chade
Black and white drawing, maps of locations, good descriptions & keys
Wetland Flora
By Steve W Chade
Black and white drawing, maps of locations, good descriptions & keys
Ferns
Fern Finder: A Guide to Native Ferns of Central and Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada (Nature Study Guides) By Barbara Hallowell
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/839292.jpg)
One of the handy pocket sized guides
Insects & Spiders & Butterflies
Butterflies of Ohio by Jaret Daniels
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/4498918.jpg?82)
A very good book that many people use
Common Spiders of North America by Richard Bradley
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A great book on spiders. Richard Bradley was a speaker at the 2013 Oak Openings Research Forum
Peterson Field Guides Insects by Borror and White
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/3540664.jpg?144)
Line and color drawings
Audubon Field Guide to Insects and Spiders
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Photographs
In Ohio's Backyard: Spiders by Richard Bradley
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/6792823.jpg?129)
A look at the spiders of Ohio. Has sections on how to capture and preserve spiders. Also includes sections for teachers..
You can order it HERE
You can order it HERE
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/6739981.jpg?151)
The Butterfly Book
By Donald and Lillian Stokes / Ernest Williams
Covers common butterflies, and provides some interesting information on them.
Mammals and Tracks
Wild Mammals of North America Biology - Management - Economics, edited by Chapman, Thomson, and Feldhamer
- Wild Mammals of North America Biology - Management - Economics, edited by Chapman, Thomson, and Feldhamer
Audubon Field Guide to North American Mammals
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/4035224.jpg?176)
Photographs
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/8590210.jpg?143)
A Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior
By Donald and Lillian Stokes
We have a slightly older version. Has a short sections on many animals in addition to tracking and scat sections.
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/6184397.jpg?159)
Identifying Animal Tracks by Richard Headstrom
Something I need to go practice.
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/1359610.jpg?129)
Trackards for North American Mammals
by David Brown
Cards (on a ring) with track information
Birds
Peterson Field Guides Eastern Birds by Roger Peterson
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/4218048.jpg?89)
Color drawings
Bird Finder by Roger Lederer
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/4925926.jpg?120)
Small starter book with line drawings
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iBird Pro
OK, it is not a book, but this is what we often use in the field. Might have to put up a section on apps.
Trees and Woody Plants
Trees of Ohio Field Guide By Stan Tekiela
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/8009132.jpg?120)
Peterson Field Guides Eastern Trees by George Petrides
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/7184655.gif?133)
The Woody Plants of Ohio by E. Lucy Braun
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A classic that was 1st published in 1961.
Tree Finder By May Watts
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A pretty good keyed book.
Leaf Identification Key to Eighty-Eight Ohio Trees
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/8790198.jpg?100)
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/3932261.jpg?156)
Trees Shrubs and Vines
By Arthur Viertel
Mushrooms
Mushrooms Demystified By David Arora
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A huge volume. My favorite mushroom book.
Audubon Field Guide to Mushrooms
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/9934336.jpg?74)
Photographs
General Books, Interpretation, Folklore
Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Comstock
This book was recommended by Kim High. It was originally published in 1910. The author was the first female professor at Cornell. It is a very thick book that covers all parts of nature. A bit quaint at times, but nice to have a different perspective sometimes. You can still find used copies. The book is in the public domain, so you can also find it online at places like:
https://archive.org/details/handbookofnature002506mbp One thing to beware of if you buy the book, many of the recently published versions are printouts of the scanned pages, often with bad image quality. |
Peterson Field Guides Eastern Forests
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/8725022.jpg?102)
A look at the different forests and their unique ecologies
Readers Digest North American Wildlife
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There is an amazing number of color wonderful drawings. A pretty good starter book
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/4737083.jpg?123)
Wildflower Folklore by Laura Martin
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/8943877.jpg?139)
The History and Folklore of North American Wildflowers
by Timothy Coffey
by Timothy Coffey
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/250686.jpg?123)
Never Say It's Just a Dandelion
By Hillary Hopkins
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/1777615.jpg?131)
The Teeth of the Lion
By Anita Sanchez
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/6551112.jpg?124)
A Guide to Nature in Winter By Donald Stokes
A Stokes Nature Guide
I have an older edition
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/3463812.jpg?136)
Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America
Colonial Dames of America
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/5168092.jpg?168)
The Ohio Nature Almanac
Edited by Stephen Ostrander
Basically a listing of all parks, preserves, and other nature areas in Ohio with descriptions and background information.
The Amateur Naturalist's Handbook By Vinson Brown |
The Amateur Naturalist's Handbook by Vinson Brown A look at how to start studying nature, old book (originally put out in 1948). We have the 1980 version. |
Geology
Roadside Geology of Ohio by Mark Camp
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/3234349.jpg?91)
Mark Camp gave the Wood County OCVN Geology presentation in 2013
Golden Guide Geology
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/6884513.jpg?136)
This book was recommended by a geologist giving a presentation at the 2012 OCVN state conference as have most of the information on minerals that most people ever need.
Ohio's Geology in Core and Outcrop by Schumacher, Mott, and Angle
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12140753/4777026.jpg)