Black beetle, dwarf spider, hairy burying beetle, queen termite, robber fly, and spotted cucumber beetle the names alone conjure a reaction. These loud, exuberant, boldly colored paintings celebrate creatures that are ordinarily considered pests. Each painting is accompanied by factual text prepared by the artist. The entire project, Insects: A Guide, was first shown at the Pam Adler Gallery in New York in 1983. A pioneer of site-specific installations in the 1970's, with this project,Carlson became absorbed by the subject of insects and the way that they are traditionally presented in natural history museums.