Grasslands comprise the largest and most diverse set of ecosystems in the United States and are among the most extensive in the world. Characterized by scanty rainfall, these western grasslands are too dry for crop production and are used almost exclusively for grazing livestock. The grasslands on the western edge of the Great Plains, known as the

This text brings together fundamental information on insect taxa, morphology, ecology, behavior, physiology, and genetics. Close relatives of insects, such as spiders and mites, are included.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1877.