David L. Wood, Thomas W. Koerber, Robert F. Scharpf,
and Andrew J. Storer
University of California Press, Berkeley
2003, 233 pp.
Price $19.95
ISBN 0-520-23329-8

This is a very comprehensive guide to the pests of California conifers. The book is divided into four sections—Damage by Insects, Biotic Diseases, Abiotic Disease, and Damage by Larger Animals—each color coded to make it easy to find the desired information. It is also appropriately referenced by symptom location and by host species, and includes an index and glossary. The small size of the book and the English and metric rulers on the inside cover make it handy for carrying into the field.

Each type of insect, disease, or animal damage is described by host, distribution, symptoms and signs, life cycle, significance, similar pests, management options, and a “for more information” section, which lists references of interest. Instead of “life cycle,” the abiotic section describes “environmental factors.” There are usually 2 or 3 clear color pictures of each type of pest or damage listed (211 color photos in all).

The guide does not have information on newly emerged diseases, such as sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum), because the impact and host range of these diseases are not yet known. It also does not cover many seedling pests or pests of minor economic significance.
Covering 80 insect, disease, and damage problems and including an abiotic section, this guide is more comprehensive than many other pocket guides I have seen. It would be useful to foresters, arborists, and resource managers of native California conifers, and also to the public who live in and enjoy forested areas of California. I would like to see similarly detailed pocket guides written for other forested regions of the country.

Carolyn Randall
Department of Entomology
Michigan State University
B18 Food Safety and Toxicology
East Lansing, MI 48824