Download or read book Caterpillars of Eastern Forests (Classic Reprint) written by David L. Wagner and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2017-10-30 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Caterpillars of Eastern Forests For better and for worse, caterpillars are integral to the health of our forests. Populations of more than 20 species of eastern forest Lepidoptera may reach densities that result in the defoliation of hundreds or thousands of acres. Tannins, alkaloids, mineral spirits, latexes, spices, and many pharmaceuticals are manufactured by plants, at least in part, to deter hungry caterpillars. Caterpillars are the dietary staple of many forest mammals and birds, and without them there would be fewer songbirds to welcome each spring. Some caterpillars ingest fallen leaves, thereby hastening decomposition and soil formation. Despite these and many other roles that caterpillars play in forest ecosystems, there is but modest literature for their identification. Moreover, much of what is written is technical in nature, out of print, or focused on a single family. Our intent in preparing this guide is to enable forest managers, extension entomologists, and nonspecialists to identify many of the eastern region's most frequently encountered species. It is also our wish that this guide will promote a greater appreciation for the remarkable caterpillar biodiversity of eastern forest and woodland ecosystems. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.