Description:I was first recommended this book nearly ten years ago when working on a Venezuela field course for the University of California, Pomona. I had never heard of it, but one of the entomology professors assured me that it was the best available resource on Neotropical entomology - she was right! Given the dearth of identification materials on Latin American insects, this tome steps in to fill the breach as well as any single volume can. It is a useful introduction to the natural history of tropical insects and can also be used as a rough field guide allowing one to identify most insects to order, often to family and sometimes even to genus and species. In the absence of other books, this is the volume that students and amateurs should choose. The price is certainly a deterrent, but it's often available used. I have been using my well-tuhumbed copy in and out of the field for quite a few years so it has earned its keep!