Wildlife: butterflies, other insects and spiders: general interest Books

Book SynopsisAuthor Mathew Tekulsky wrote the first book on butterfly gardening for North America, nearly 40 years ago! Butterfly gardening is the practice of attracting beautiful butterflies to your garden by growing common plants and flowers that they use for food and nectar. This fun and wonderfully simple activity will bring colour, light, and beauty to your garden and home. With the relaxing and rewarding qualities of this outdoor hobby, it’s not hard to see why it’s sweeping the nation and growing in popularity.How to Create a Butterfly Garden is a complete, step-by-step guide to gardening for butterflies. You’ll learn about: The butterfly life cycle, habitats, and behaviours Choosing and obtaining food and nectar sources Designing your garden Options for country, suburban, and city gardens Fifty common garden butterflies and the plants they like Butterfly observation and conservation This guide will teach you everything you need to get started—whether you’re a suburban resident, the owner of a small urban garden, an apartment dweller, or a keeper of a country estate, you can enjoy frequent butterfly visits to your garden or window box. The key, Tekulsky believes, is learning some basic knowledge of butterfly characteristics and behaviour and knowing how to meet the needs of the butterfly species most common in your neighbourhood. Not only is butterfly gardening one of the easiest ways to enjoy these enchanting creatures, but it’s also a wonderful way to help conserve natural butterfly populations for generations to come. Learn how to create your own beautiful butterfly garden today!Trade Review"A comprehensive book such as this on butterfly gardening is overdue." —Roger Tory Peterson, ornithologist

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Book SynopsisWhen Ben Masters' father, a dedicated naturalist, is confined to the house with inoperable cancer, he is unable to follow the butterfly season for the first time since his childhood. His son must become his connection to the outdoors, reporting back on his beloved Purple Emperors, Lulworth Skippers, Wood Whites and Silver-studded Blues. The problem is, his son knows practically nothing about the natural world. Blending natural history, pop culture, and literary biography, this unforgettable memoir charts a terminal summer when butterflies become a way for father and son to talk about masculinity, memory, identity, generational differences, and, ultimately, loss and continuation. The Flitting takes readers on an unlikely journey, flitting between the lives and works of Vladimir Nabokov and other literary lepidopterists; the artistic metamorphoses of Prince and Joni Mitchell; butterflies and gender in Virginia Woolf, Angela Carter and The Sopranos; the voices of John Clare and Luther Vandross. These diverse subjects come together in an intensely authentic portrait of a father and son sharing passions, lessons and regrets as they run out of time.

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Book Synopsis'A beautiful gift... Full of fascinating facts' Yorkshire Post 'We all want to help the beleaguered bee and Sally Coulthard's latest book is a great place to start' Amateur Gardening 'How to help bees thrive and give your garden a real buzz' You Magazine We need bees. These tiny, hardworking insects have transformed our lives with their quiet diligence; fertilizing the wild plants we rely on, and giving us thousands of years of sugary pleasure. But bees are in danger; across the planet, their numbers are plummeting. Sally Coulthard is here to share fifty ways we can all save bees. Whether you garden for bees, campaign for bees, or just learn a bit of bee-whispering, little things can make a big difference. Just ask a bee.Trade ReviewA useful and beautiful gift... Full of fascinating facts' * Yorkshire Post *We all want to help the beleaguered bee and Sally Coulthard's latest book The Bee Bible is a great place to start * Amateur Gardening *How to help bees thrive and give your garden a real buzz * You Magazine *Sally Coulthard's beautifully presented book explains all you need to know about starting a bee hive, and why you would want to * This England *

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Book SynopsisGiven that insects vastly outnumber us (there are approximately 200 million insects for every human) it is no surprise that there is a rich body of verse on the creeping, scuttling, flitting, stinging things with which we share our planet. Many cultures have centuries-old traditions of insect poetry. In China,where noblewomen of the Tang dynasty kept crickets in gold cages-countless songs were written in praise of these 'insect musicians'. The haiku masters of Japan were similarly inspired, though spread their net wider to include less prepossessing bugs such as houseflies, fleas and mosquitoes. In the West, poems about insects date back to the ancient Greeks, and insects feature frequently in European literature from the 16th century onwards. The poets collected here range from Donne, Marvell, Keats and Wordsworth; Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Christina Rossetti, to Elizabeth Bishop, Mary Oliver, Ted Hughes, Paul Muldoon and Alice Oswald. In translation there is verse by - amongst others - Meleager and Tu Fu, Ivan Turgenev, Victor Hugo, Paul Valéry, Pablo Neruda, Antonio Machado and Xi Chuan. Bees, butterflies and beetles, cockroaches and caterpillars, fireflies and dragonflies, ladybirds and glowworms--the miniature creatures that adorn these pages are as varied as the poetic talents that celebrate them.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive go-to wildlife guide for all 16 million British gardens.' Mike DilgerEven the smallest garden can be an important haven for wildlife, and this authoritative guide enables everyone to explore this wealth on their back doorstep. It covers all the main animal groups including pond life likely to be found in a garden in Great Britain and Ireland.Detailed descriptions and information on life history, behaviour and occurrence are provided for more than 500 species, as well as practical information on creating a pond for wildlife, making nestboxes and feeding birds. Richard Lewington, acknowledged as one of the finest natural history artists in Europe, has teamed up with his brother Ian, one of our most respected bird artists, to provide nearly 1,000 superbly detailed colour artworks to complement the text.Presented in an accessible, easy-to-use format, this fully updated and expanded edition covers everything from blue tits to bumblebees and hedgehogs to hawkmoths.Table of ContentsPreface to the second edition Introduction Identification guide to garden wildlife Glossary Top ten tips for wildlife gardening Further reading Further resources Photographic credits Index

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Book SynopsisThe second edition of Richard Lewington''s pocket guide to the butterflies of Great Britain and IrelandPresented in an accessible, easy-to-use format, this is an ideal guide for both beginners and more experienced enthusiasts. It includes more than 600 superb illustrations of all the life stages of each species, together with beautiful artworks of the butterflies in their natural settings and pertinent species information, distribution maps and life history charts. The second edition features a new, illustrated at-a-glance' identification guide, updated distribution maps and species accounts, and new spreads and artwork for the Cryptic Wood White and Scarce Tortoiseshell.Trade ReviewThis is a beautiful piece of work and exceeds any expectation that one might have of a pocket guide, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. -- Peter Eeles * UK Butterflies website *This is an excellent edition of a very useful, beautiful, well priced and portable guide. -- Dr Katie Cruickshanks * Butterfly Magazine *This is a good update to an already excellent book, with the addition of the 'at a glance' guide and new treatment of the wood whites likely to tempt some owners of the first edition to move to the new edition. -- Mike Toms * BTO *This is the second edition of the essential pocket guide to UK lepidoptera. Climate change is altering the shape of our butterfly life, but in this up-to-date guide you'll find precise illustrations showing the top and underwing for both sexes, plus eggs, larvae, pupae, associated plants and locator map for each species. * RSPB Nature's Home magazine: pick of new nature books *Richard Lewington’s butterfly paintings are legendary … the text is also first rate. It is filled with facts and oozes common sense. So far as UK butterfly field guides go, this is as good as it gets. -- John Tennent * Atropos *This easy-to-follow fact-packed field guide is perfect for beginners and compact enough to slip into your rucksack or pocket when out for a stroll. * Caravan Club Magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction Conservation The structure of a butterfly The life cycle of a butterfly The six butterfly families How to use this guide At-a-glance guide Main descriptions Swallowtail Skippers Whites and yellows Browns Fritillaries, admirals and tortoiseshells Duke of Burgundy Coppers, hairstreaks and blues Extinct species and rare migrants Day-flying moths Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisMatch the upper sides and undersides of the wings of 25 species of butterfly from around the world in this beautifully illustrated matching game. With all kinds of stunning species – from the painted lady to the purple emperor – this fun and educational game is an ideal gift that will appeal to nature lovers everywhere. Includes a mini dossier on each species. Can also be used as a memory game when you get to know the butterflies. Collect more pairs than your opponent to win!Trade Review"Expand your knowledge of species AND train your brain by playing the game too" -- The People - Love Sunday

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"If ants are your interest, look no further than this title . . . . This beautifully illustrated 224-page book, which includes over 200 colour photographs and infographics, explores the extraordinary diversity of ants and offers insights into their elaborate social systems." * Pest Magazine *"I am an ant biologist, and I am often contacted by people with a newfound interest in ants, asking about a good introductory book. . . . I have never had a good answer until now. This is the volume I would recommend."---John T. Longino, The Quarterly Review of Biology"A very attractive and easy-to-read book that can be picked up and read in short bursts, revealing the astonishing diversity of Formicidae family."---Stephen Fleming, BeeCraft"This is a book that will satisfy you page after page and you will absorb a great storehouse of knowledge, almost effortlessly."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds""An excellent comprehensive introduction to the fascinating world of ants and beautifully illustrated.""---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association"This book offers access to the sometimes hidden world of the ubiquitous ant."---G.C. Stevens, Choice

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Book SynopsisNature’s most successful insects captured in remarkable macrophotography In Ants, photographer Eduard Florin Niga brings us incredibly close to the most numerous animals on Earth, whose ability to organize colonies, communicate among themselves, and solve complex problems has made them an object of endless fascination. Among the more than 30 species photographed by Niga are leafcutters that grow fungus for food, trap-jaw ants with fearsome mandibles, bullet ants with potent stingers, warriors, drivers, gliders, harvesters, and the pavement ants that are always underfoot. Among his most memorable images are portraits—including queens, workers, soldiers, and rarely seen males—that bring the reader face-to-face with these creatures whose societies are eerily like our own. Science writer Eleanor Spicer Rice frames the book with a lively text that describes the life cycle of ants and explains how each species is adapted to its way of life. Ants

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Book SynopsisJourney through the world of California native bees, one letter at a time."Krystle Hickman''s travels across wild landscapes reveal rare and elusive pollinators, each one meticulously photographed and arranged in a brilliant A-to-Z tribute." —Olivia Messinger Carril, coauthor of The Bees in Your BackyardNational Geographic Explorer Krystle Hickman has spent a decade capturing exquisitely detailed photographs of native bees and making exciting discoveries about their behavior in the field. In her debut book of natural history, she offers an intimate look at the daily habits of rare and overlooked native bees in California: those cloaked in green or black or red, that live alone in the ground or sleep inside flowers, that invade nests and pillage resources like infinitesimal conquerors, or that, unlike more generalist honeybees, are devoted exclusively to the pollen of a single type of flower. A committed conservationist and community scientist who knows all too well how precarious the wellbeing of these insects is, Hickman shares her adventures in local native plant gardens and throughout the far reaches of California to bring the beauty of such diverse ecosystems into wondrous bee''s-eye view. Meant for all curious readers, this collection of bee stories—one for each letter of the alphabet, matching the first letter of a bee''s scientific name—will leave you both wowed and compelled to help save these fascinating beings and the lands they call home.

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Book SynopsisAt the heart of every bee hive is a queen bee. Since her well-being is linked to the well-being of the entire colony, the ability to find her among the residents of the hive is an essential beekeeping skill. In QueenSpotting, experienced beekeeper and professional “swarm catcher” Hilary Kearney challenges readers to “spot the queen” with 48 fold-out visual puzzles — vivid up-close photos of the queen hidden among her many subjects.QueenSpotting celebrates the unique, fascinating life of the queen bee and chronicles royal hive happenings such as The Virgin Death Match, The Nuptual Flight — when the queen mates with a cloud of male drones high in the air — and the dramatic Exodus of the Swarm from the hive. Readers will thrill at Kearney’s adventures in capturing these swarms from the strange places they settle, including a Jet Ski, a couch, a speed boat, and an owl’s nesting box. Fascinating, fun, and instructive, backyard beekeepers and nature lovers alike will find reason to return to the pages again and again.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE A naturalist’s passionate dive into the lives of bees (of all stripes)—and the natural world in her own backyard Brigit Strawbridge Howard was shocked the day she realised she knew more about the French Revolution than she did about her native trees. And birds. And wildflowers. And bees. The thought stopped her—quite literally—in her tracks. But that day was also the start of a journey, one filled with silver birches and hairy-footed flower bees, skylarks, and rosebay willow herb, and the joy that comes with deepening one’s relationship with place. Dancing with Bees is Strawbridge Howard’s charming and eloquent account of a return to noticing, to rediscovering a perspective on the world that had somehow been lost to her for decades and to reconnecting with the natural world. With special care and attention to the plight of pollinators, including honeybees, bumblebees, and solitary bees, and what we can do to help them, Strawbridge Howard shares fascinating details of the lives of flora and fauna that have filled her days with ever-increasing wonder and delight.Trade ReviewKirkus Reviews— A British naturalist offers crisp essays on her relationship with bees. In her debut book, Howard, a devoted bee advocate, pens a lengthy, knowledgeable, and occasionally poetic tribute to honeybees, bumblebees, and other buzzy creatures . . . [She] provides a nice balance between the very real science of studying bees and their function in nature and her cleareyed and eloquent observations about the natural world. Because of that balance, what might have sounded like a dry lecture turns into something far more interesting. Whether she's explaining how different bee species are classified, describing her mother's deteriorating health (and eventual death), or simply ruminating on the beauty around her, Howard creates a text that is compelling and worth your time even if you're not a fellow bee advocate."Library Journal— "[A] fascinating and wide-ranging exploration of nature. . .This satisfying memoir of a woman’s reawakening to the importance of nature in her life will appeal to fans of natural history memoirs, bees, the natural world, or ecology."Booklist, Starred Review— “[An] engaging, richly descriptive tale of natural discovery."“In this delightful book, Brigit Strawbridge Howard brings us into the fascinating and often overlooked world of bees. She introduces us to solitary nesting bees that lay their eggs in empty snail shells, cuckoo bees that make other bees take care of their eggs, and the amazing social lives of bumblebees and honeybees. Her curiosity and wonder at these small creatures are infectious and will inspire a greater appreciation of our natural world.”—Nancy J. Hayden, coauthor of Farming on the Wild Side“Hovering through Brigit Strawbridge Howard’s remarkable encounters with bees, alighting on beautiful and often unexpected descriptions of bumblebees, miner bees, and even parasitizing cuckoo bees, one dips into a world most of us have forgotten. By leading us gently and discretely into the minutiae of nature, Brigit shows how rewarding it is to reconnect—how the world’s tiniest beings can not only lift our spirits, but signal the way to a richer, wilder future.”—Isabella Tree, author of Wilding“Dancing with Bees is a passionate hymn to nature, a joyful celebration not just of bees, but of the power of paying attention. Strawbridge Howard’s rediscovery of the natural world is infused with a sense of wonder both irresistible and infectious. And the promise of this beautiful book is that if we take the trouble to notice our natural surroundings, we too can find a way to reconnect not just to nature, but to a deeper sense of ourselves.”—Caroline Lucas, MP, former Green Party Leader“I devoured this book as I would a jar of exquisite honey. I was as fascinated by it as I would be watching a hive of bees at work. I may read another nature book this year, but not a better one. Or a more important one. As is made so manifestly clear in these pages, we need our bees. Thank God, then, for Brigit Strawbridge Howard, our queen bee-advocate.”—John Lewis-Stempel, author of Still Water and Meadowland“Dancing with Bees is one of the most important and accessible and entertaining books I’ve ever read. Brigit has poured meticulous detail and research into her book, which has left me with even more respect for our precious bees than I ever thought possible. What’s more, it’s a touching, sensitive account of what makes us human and how we connect to the natural world. Everyone should read it.”—Kate Bradbury, author of Wildlife Gardening and The Bumblebee Flies Anyway“A beautiful book and one that hums with good life. Brigit Strawbridge Howard came late to bees but began noticing them at a time when their going was being widely announced. Her attention has been clear-sighted but also loving. By looking closely at the hummers and the buzzers, she has begun to take in the whole of what Charles Darwin called the ‘tangled bank’ of life, where there are bees (and Brigit’s winning descriptions will help you know them) and there are plants, and there are other pollinators and nectar-seekers, including Homo sapiens. No other insect—surely no other animal—has had such a long and life-giving relationship with humans. Bees may well have shaped our evolution; our continued well-being is certainly dependent on them. Bees have long been part of our consciousness and art, buzzing in parables and fables and ancient and modern poems made out of their industry and their organisation and their marvellous sweet products. All that is in this book: It is ambrosia.”—Tim Dee, author of Landfill“While the plight of our overworked honeybees elicits much hand-wringing, the rest of Earth’s splendorous apian diversity has remained unjustly obscure. In this winning tribute to our black-and-yellow fellows, Brigit Strawbridge Howard celebrates the virtues of dozens of less heralded, but no less crucial, wild species—mining bees, leaf-cutting bees, mason bees, cuckoo bees. Like a bee herself, Strawbridge Howard is at once pragmatic and whimsical, flitting lightly between practical advice for crafting a bee-friendly garden and wise digressions about our manipulative relationship with nature. By the end of Dancing with Bees, you’ll wholeheartedly agree that these indispensable creatures should be extolled as ‘our equals, not our minions.’”—Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager“A joy-filled voyage of discovery through the wonderful world of bees.”—Dave Goulson, author of Bee Quest and A Sting in the Tale“Sprinkled with moments of pathos, this exquisite book is the perfect introduction to the often neglected world of wild bees—and the beautiful plants with which they dance an ecosystem into life.”—Hugh Warwick, author of Linescapes and Hedgehog“Brigit Strawbridge Howard is an excellent pollinator of information. Dancing with Bees is a book teeming with love: for bees but also for the natural world as a whole and, by extension, for life itself. Everyone who cares about the future of our planet should read it.”—Tom Cox, author of 21st-Century Yokel“Dancing with Bees is an antidote to the reality of modern life that’s spent nose down in our smartphones while the wondrous stuff—nature—goes on all around us. Brigit Strawbridge Howard chronicles her own journey of reconnecting with the natural world with heartfelt eloquence. Her descriptions of the creatures, plants, and landscapes that populate her journey are made with the unabashed joy of someone for whom a veil has been lifted, revealing a world to be cherished but also in great need of our protection.”—Matthew Wilson, garden designer; author; panelist, BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time“We are handed a lens—light, bright, beautiful things come into focus. Brigit’s flare for observation and description, passion for knowledge, and ease with communication involve us in adventuring through the looking glass to explore with her the intimate life of wild bees. Gently, this timely book reminds us that nature is in trouble and that we must all join the dance.”—Sue Clifford and Angela King, founding directors, Common Ground“Dancing with Bees is a brilliantly described journey of discovery of bees, trees, people, and places, imbued with a childlike wonderment. Learn about cuckoo bees, carder bees, bees that are not bees, the commonplace and the rare. It is never too late to reconnect with nature and rewild oneself.”—Steven Falk, author of Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland“Well written and researched, beautifully illustrated, and packed with natural history detail, Dancing with Bees is a book to start you off on a journey that could well become an obsession. Even if you are well versed in the ways of bees, you will still want to wrap yourself in the warmth of this charming book. Brigit Strawbridge Howard gently shows you all the things you may have been missing; you are about to enter a macro-world of wonder and delight. I absolutely loved this book. If, due to infirmity perhaps, I am ever unable to walk in the countryside, I can now go dancing with bees whenever I choose.”—Dr. George McGavin, president, Dorset Wildlife Trust; honorary research associate, Oxford University Museum of Natural History“Brigit Strawbridge Howard leads us on a wistful pilgrimage of awakening into the world of bees who are among the most fascinating, charismatic, and important of insects. Written in an easy, accessible style without shying away from solid facts and beguiling detail, and beautifully illustrated by renowned Devon naturalist John Walters, Strawbridge Howard’s book is the result of hundreds of hours of watching, listening, and learning in her garden and the wider countryside, wondering what the future might bring and how human excesses may be curbed.”—Stuart Roberts, entomologistTable of ContentsPreface: Realisations Introduction: The Honey Trap 1. Spring on the Wing 2. A Nest of One's Own 3. What's in a Name? 4. The Boys Are Back in Town 5. Bees Behaving Badly 6. The Upside-Down Bird 7. The Cabin by the Stream 8. Cuckoo, Cuckoo 9. On Swarms and Stings 10. To Bee, or Not to Bee 11. Seeking the Great Yellow Bumblebee, Part 1 12. Seeking the Great Yellow Bumblebee, Part 2 13. On Bovey Heathfield 14. In Praise of Trees 15. Sedgehill, a Natural History 16. Cotton Weavers 17. Time for Tea 18. Evergreen 19. Amongst the Snowdrops Epilogue. Reflections Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAll the Buzz for Beekeeping Beginners“The book oozes with bee facts and trivia….Bees do make good pets and this book is a gentle introduction to the world of backyard bee keeping.” —Patsy Bell Hobson, writer and master gardener emeritus#1 New Release in Entomology and Insects & SpidersWhat happens when a writer sets up a backyard beehive? You get a beekeeping book full of fun and fascinating facts about honey bees and our other favorite pollinators.A nature guide book for beekeeping beginners. Full of trivia, tips, legends, and lore—this quirky bee book swarms with interesting information, so you can have fun, learn stuff, grow your farm, or just relax. Writer and beekeeper Jack Mingo lives with half a million bees, and has picked up a thing or two at his bee farm. In this collection of humorous and often unusual observations, Mingo shows us a glimpse of the mystical and matriarchal world of bees.The save the bees sign you’ve been looking for. How many legs do bees have? Enough not to crowd your bed at night. They don't track mud or bugs into your house, and they won’t bark and whine. They even greet you with raw honey and beeswax. And these are just some of the reasons bees make the best pets of all. Whether you’re a beekeeping beginner, looking to save the bees, or interested in fun nature facts about bugs and insects, there’s something here for every nature lover.Step into Mingo’s hive for tidbits like: Fun and interesting tips and tricks for beekeeping beginners Knowledge about the color, quality, and benefits of local honey The history and legendary stories of bees, like the role they played in the Civil War and the Legend of the Caroling Bees If you liked Beekeeping for Dummies, The Beekeeper’s Handbook, or Beekeeping for Beginners, you’ll love Bees Make the Best Pets.Trade Review“In between musings both sacred and silly, Mingo provides facts about honeybees and how to raise them…. This is a lovely little book.”—Daily Local News, Pennsylvania “The book oozes with bee facts and trivia…. Bees do make good pets and this book is a gentle introduction to the world of backyard bee keeping.”—Patsy Bell Hobson, writer and master gardener emeritus

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Book SynopsisIntroducing BUGS, in the Little Explorer's collection - an interactive non-fiction series for curious youngsters, with over 30 flaps.A lively introduction to creepy crawlers, where children can lift the flaps to learn about a variety of little critters. Young readers will be amazed as they discover which bugs are the smallest, which are the biggest, the different jobs they have when they live in groups, the clever ways they help humans, and much, much more. This book features over 30 sturdy flaps to lift, along with charming, child-friendly artwork that introduces new concepts and vocabulary in a simple and accessible way.

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Book SynopsisWho has the answer to the world's fuel problems? How can we bring ruined land back to life? Where do roboticists turn when they try to engineer a hive mind? Termites. Strange though it seems, scientists look to tiny termites for answers to some big ideas. Lisa Margonelli tracks them, deep into their mounds to find out how termites can change the world. Underbug: An Obsessive Tale of Termites and Technology touches on everything from meditation, innovation and the psychology of obsession to good old-fashioned biology.Trade Review‘Turns cutting-edge science into rich narrative by plunging deep into the termite’s world...Margonelli’s masterly book is a timely, thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human, as much as what it means to be termite, and a penetrating look at the moral challenges of our ongoing technological revolution.’ * The New York Times *‘…one of the finest writers and most original thinkers we have. A surprising, swirling, fantastically unpredictable, thought-provoking, funny, and (depending on your species) delicious book.’ -- Mary Roach, author of Grunt and Gulp‘An eminently readable melange of the termite microcosm.’ * BBC Wildlife *‘A book about termites landed on my desk and, dear reader, it is so good that it came within a whisker of achieving the full weight of a maximum 9.8 Newtons…Governments and businesses (and the military) have invested a lot of money into termite investigations. And this excellent book follows the twists and turns of the eccentric scientists involved.’ * BA Business Life *‘In a unique voice that’s wry, inventive, and acrobatic, Margonelli takes us on a termite-guided exploration of subterranean tracts of nature, science, and robotics. The book is brimming with flair. Prepare to find yourself absorbed.’ -- Peter Godfrey-Smith, author of Other Minds‘Termites are not just the destructive force that homeowners know and hate―“architects of negative space,” as environmental writer Lisa Margonelli wittily puts it. They also comprise a kind of entomological three-ring circus, and this round-up of research on the eusocial insects is a ticket to the show… This is a wild ride through a hidden microcosmos stretching from Australia to Namibia.’ * Barbara Kiser, Nature *‘A revealing exploration of one of the most inscrutable insects ever to dominate our planet.’ -- Jonathan Balcombe, author of What a Fish Knows‘Unlikely but fascinating...[this] far-ranging work touches on the nature of individuality, the use of drones by the military, the applicability of concepts of good and evil to science, and the creation of biofuels created using the termite gut, among other topics. Margonelli brings all of this to light by making complex, cutting-edge science understandable to the general reader, while also conveying the excitement, frustration, and plain drudgery inherent in the scientific endeavor... Margonelli has written a book as entertaining as it is informative.’ * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisFear and fascination set wasps apart from other insects. Despite their iconic form and distinctive colours, they are surrounded by myth and misunderstanding. Often portrayed in cartoon-like stereotypes bordering on sad parody, wasps have an unwelcome and undeserved reputation for aggressiveness bordering on vindictive spite. This mistrust is deep-seated in a human history that has awarded commercial and spiritual value to other insects, such as bees, but has failed to recognize any worth in wasps. Leading entomologist Richard Jones redresses the balance in this enlightening and entertaining guide to the natural and cultural history of these powerful carnivores. Jones delves into their complex nesting and colony behavior, their unique caste system and their major role at the centre of many food webs. Drawing on up-to-date scientific concepts and featuring many striking colour illustrations, Jones successfully shows exactly why wasps are worthy of greater understanding and appreciation.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a readable account of butterfly behaviour, based on field observations, great photographs and the latest research. The main focus is on courtship and mating - including perching, searching and territorial behaviour - but to understand these subjects it is necessary to explain how mates are chosen and this requires sections on wing colours and patterns. A chapter on butterfly vision is also essential in terms of how butterflies see the world and each other. There have been exciting discoveries in all of these fields in recent years, including: butterfly vision (butterfly photoreceptors), wing patterns (molecular biology), wing colouration (structural colours and nano-architecture), mating strategies and female choice (ecology and behaviour).Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Sexual selection and mate choice 3: Strategies for locating a mate 4: Seeing and being seen 5: Courtship behaviour 6: Body language 7: The Mating Game 8: The inside story 9: Scents – chemical communications 10: Wing colours and iridescence 11: Glossary 12: Summing Up 13: Annex 1. 14: References

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Book Synopsis Step into the remarkable world of the honeybee in this illuminating and delightfully illustrated pocket guide. For budding apiarists, this introductory book offers fascinating information about honeybees and everything you need to know to begin your own beekeeping journey. For example, did you know that from birth, female bees are promoted through roles such as nurse, baker, and guardian of the hive? Or that male bees'' primary purpose is simply to mate with a queen, but only 0.1% of them ever will? In these pages, you''ll discover the inner workings of the beehive, the properties of honey, the basics of keeping bees, and the joys that come from this meditative hobby, including a thriving garden, environmental stewardship, and a supportive community (not to mention delicious honey!). A whole world awaits-and it''s just outside your door.FOR BEEKEEPERS AND BEE ENTHUSIASTS: This petite and brightly colored book will appeal to anyone interested in bees

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Book SynopsisCatherine Hyde follows the journey of the bee and the sun in a calendar of glorious full colour paintings that celebrate the sensory delights of herbs, seasoned with bee and plant lore. From the rising and setting of the Pleiades, from sunrise to sunset, the bee and the sun work in harmony, a miracle of nature, growth and new life. Beneath the shifting constellations, equinoxes and solstice markers, as the bee progresses from plant to flower, acclaimed artist Catherine Hyde pays tribute to the magic and mystery of nature. Snippets of ancient bee beliefs and plant folklore are complemented by paintings of wild thyme, saffron, meadow sweet, basil, mallow, lavender and many more delights. A book to treasure, and an ode to the wonder of nature. 'This is a treasure... Such a celebration of the wheel of the year' JACKIE MORRIS, CILIP Kate Greenaway winner of The Lost Words, on The Hare and the MoonTrade ReviewBlending beautifully vibrant paintings with the written word, this gorgeous calendar of art celebrates the magic of nature, as well as the sensory delights and etymology of herbs * Daily Mail *PRAISE FOR THE HARE AND THE MOON: 'This is a treasure by Catherine Hyde. It is a thing of beauty that traps time... Such a celebration of the wheel of the year' Jackie Morris, CILIP Kate Greenaway winner of The Lost Words. 'She is, if you will, a visual poet weaving images, symbols and archetypes into paintings that resonate in the subconscious and linger there like half-remembered dreams or the dark fairy stories with which she has such affiliation' Pip Palmer, Galleries Magazine. 'Share the joy of leafing through the beautiful book which contains a treasure trove of visual and oral language... Atmospheric, entrancing and sparing enough to act as stepping stones into endless daydreams' Cornwall Today. 'It is the vibrant and atmospheric paintings and the way they bring to life the flora and fauna of the British countryside that make this book one that resonates... A book to treasure' The Field. 'An absolutely exquisite calendar of paintings, it's gorgeous... A celebration of flora, fauna and country life, this simply stunning tome would make the perfect girft or coffee table book' * The Countryside *

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Book SynopsisInsects conquered the Earth long before we did and will remain here long after we're gone.They outnumber us in the billions and are essential to many of the natural processes that keep us alive and that we take for granted.Yet, despite this, very few of us know much about the hidden world of insects.In this fascinating new book, entomologist and broadcaster George McGavin takes a deep dive to reveal the unknown truths about the most successful and enduring animal group the world has ever seen, and to show the unseen effects this vast population has on our planet, if only we care to look.McGavin explores not only the incredible traits that insects have evolved to possess, such as dragonflies that can fly across oceans without resting or beetles that lay their eggs exclusively in corpses, but also the vital lessons we have learnt from them, including how therapy using maggots can save lives and how bees can help grow rich tomato yields.The Hidden World reveals the wonderful complexity of our relationship with insects, how they have changed the course of our history and how, if we continue to learn from them, they could even be the key to our future and survival.Trade Review'Every page drips with details to dissuade readers of the notion that insects are unsightly pests ... A compelling and very readable argument that we should all appreciate the hidden world of six-legged creatures far more' * The Biologist *

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Book SynopsisBees is an outstanding collection of photographs showing these fascinating insects in their natural habitat. Honey bees, bumblebees, mining bees, dwarf bees, carpenter, leafcutter and mason bees: bees come in many different types, with more than 16,000 species worldwide. The bees we are most familiar with, bumblebees and honey bees, live in colonies and play a major role in pollinating the crops, plants and flowers around us. And bees produce honey – reputedly the food of the gods – a function of bees’ lifecycle, which humans have exploited for millennia. Many bees today are domesticated, and beekeepers collect honey, beeswax, pollen, and royal jelly from hives for human use. A typical bee produces a teaspoon of honey (about 5 grams) in her lifetime. Bees can communicate many ways through the movement of their wings and bodies – most famously, with the ‘waggle dance’, where they make figure-of- eight circles to let other bees know the direction and distance of nectar. With full captions explaining how bees live, function communally, communicate, feed and reproduce, Bees is an insightful examination in 190 outstanding colour photographs of mankind’s favourite insect.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Social Bees There are around 16,000 species of bees worldwide in the Anthophila clade. Some bees live and work together. This chapter covers the eusocial life cycle of queens, drones and worker bees, revealing facts about their nests and general activity. It also introduces the most famous type of bee, the honey bee (Apis), as well as bumblebees (Bombus) and stingless bees (Meliponini). 2. Solitary Bees Not all bees live and work with others; some like to lead their own lives. This chapter is a roll call of solitary bees, and includes mason bees, carpenter, bees, plasterer bees, digger bees, mining bees, orchid bees, cuckoo bees and sweat bees. 3. Bee Anatomy Bees have a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton. They have three main body parts: the head, thorax and abdomen. A pair of antennae is attached to their head and they have two pairs of wings. This section contains fascinating close-up shots of every aspect of a bee’s physiology – its eyes, mouthparts, legs, feet, wings (at rest and in flight), waist, stinger, ovipositor, hairs and antennae. 4. Behaviour There are three types of honey bees: the queen, the workers and the drones. A queen bee is the only female bee in the hive that reproduces. Worker bees are all female, and are all offspring of the queen. The males in the hive are called drones. Drones fly off to reproduce with other young queens who will start a new colony. Here we look at these roles, as well as brood care, honey production, building the honeycomb, foraging, defence and swarming. 5. Bees and Flowers Pollen and nectar collection is a vital part of the ecosystem bees operate in, and they will fly up to 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) from the nest to collect nectar and pollen from flowers. Forager bees usually live just 30 days after they begin foraging. This is because foraging is one of the most dangerous tasks. Bees also collect water for drinking and cooling the nest.

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Book SynopsisThis second guide in the Gardening with Nature Series gives step by step advice on how to encourage butterflies to your garden. Jenny Steel describes the importance of providing shelter and avoiding the use of pesticides, with lists of suitable nectar and larval plants, and their maintenance.

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Book SynopsisBritain's much-revered and studied butterflies are, besides being very beautiful, a fascinating group of insects each with an intricate life story. The aim of this enchanting collection of poetry penned by respected insect ecologist - and as revealed here - accomplished poet Dr Richard Harrington, is to tell that story in verse - some scientific, some humorous, always enlightening. 'The Butterfly Collection', which describes the life and times of our 58 resident as well as some migratory species in a series of brilliant poems, is surely a kaleidoscope of inspiration and as such, a treasure to behold, containing stunning colour photographs of the butterflies themselves, mostly taken by the author.Trade ReviewA joyous, lyrical and witty delight, wonderfully capturing the personality, magic and science of Britain's butterflies. - Patrick Barkham, Natural History writer for The Guardian and author of The Butterfly Isles; These captivating and original poems, varied in style and approach, explore the character of our butterflies through the wondrous portal of poetic science. Reading them will amuse and entertain, and strengthen your love and understanding of our butterflies. - Matthew Oates, author of In Pursuit of Butterflies and Beyond Spring; It will surprise no one who knows the author that most verses are infused with a happy wit, whilst some, including lines on 'The Gatekeeper', are surely serious poetry. I warmly recommend this collection: it is a book that can be dipped into, re-read and thoroughly enjoyed. - Prof. Jeremy Thomas OBE; Professional entomologist Richard Harrington provides a colourful insight into the world of UK butterflies in his book of original poems, The Butterfly Collection. Each species is treated to its own lyrical tribute, brought to life against a backdrop of striking images and accompanied by the author's own personal reflections and experiences. Light-hearted, educational and fun to read, this book would make a wonderful gift for budding lepidopterists and experts alike. - Katie Callaghan, Butterfly, Butterfly Conservation; The Butterfly Collection is an unusual fusion of the arts and sciences that have been blended with a large dose of the author's wit and obvious love of his subject, it is a celebration of the beauty and diversity of our butterflies that will be loved and cherished by all who read it. - Peter Smithers, Antenna, RES; This is a delightful poetry book, unusual and excellent. - John Tennent, Atropos; It's all tremendous fun and will entertain and delight butterfly lovers. - Peter Marren, British Wildlife; This is a very readable book and, surprisingly, packed with useful information. Not only is each sidebar informative, but the poem associated with each species is well-crafted and brings to life the essence of the butterfly - whether it is referring to its structure, behaviour, history or other aspect that is unique to the species. I have no doubt that many readers will come away enlightened as the nuances of each species are delicately interwoven within the overall structure of each poem. Just as importantly, each poem is an easy read and sprinkled with humour. This book may even encourage the reader to take more interest in our butterfly fauna. - Peter Eeles, UK Butterflies, Dispar

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Book SynopsisSmall, vital and mysterious, bees are an essential part of our ecosystem yet they are under greater threat than ever before. The Bee Book offers a unique insight into this most fascinating of creatures, from the mystery of the hive; the power of the queen; and the many appearances of bees in folklore, literature and art.

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Book SynopsisBritain’s nature year, from the first flower to the last leaf With a mix of evocative writing, beautiful photographs and facts that are too good to keep to yourself, this book explores 50 magical moments that define our seasons. It’s an inspiring guide to connecting with the nature around you and seeing how it changes through the year. There’s butterflies, blossom and bluebells. There’s foxgloves, flying ants and fungi. There’s snow, seedheads and shadows. You’ll discover how many miles an hour spring moves, how spiders can heal us and how woodpeckers help to protect sensitive technology. The inspiration behind the book is partly the National Trust’s hugely successful 'Blossom Watch' campaign, launched in March 2021. Each year we are encouraged to notice and share when we first see tree blossom, emulating the Japanese tradition of 'Hanami'.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisWhether resident or tourist, no-one is spared from the bloodlust of Scotland’s most savage insect . . . The midge does not like sunlight and thrives in the wet, so the Scottish summertime brings perfect climatic conditions for this ruthless wee beastie. This fascinating and amusing anthology of anecdotes and information about the minuscule marauder ranges from the eighteenth century to the present, covering such topics as Bonnie Prince Charlie, Queen Victoria, kilts and camping. It also includes a section on remedies and repellents, so locals and visitors can tray and enjoy the pleasures of Scotland without the pain. And if the new midge-eating machines are as good as claimed, midges may soon be a thing of the past.

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Book SynopsisTop-Bar Beekeeping is an offering designed to encourage beekeepers around the world to keep bees naturally by providing beekeeping basics, hive management and the utilization of top-bar hives. In recent years, beekeepers have had to face tremendous challenges, from pests, such as varroa and tracheal mites, to the mysterious but even more devastating phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Yet in backyards and on rooftops all over the world, bees are being raised successfully, even without antibiotics, miticides, or other chemical inputs. More and more organically-minded beekeepers are now using top-bar hives, in which the shape of the interior resembles a hollow log. Long lasting and completely biodegradable, a top-bar hive made of untreated wood allows bees to build comb naturally rather than simply filling prefabricated foundation frames in a typical box hive with added supers. Top-bar hives yield slightly less honey but produce more beeswax than a typical Langstroth box hive. Regular hive inspection and the removal of old combs helps to keep bees healthier and naturally disease-free. Top-Bar Beekeeping provides complete information on hive management and other aspects of using these innovative hives. All home and hobbyist beekeepers who have the time and interest in keeping bees intensively should consider the natural, low-stress methods outlined in this book. It will also appeal to home orchardists, gardeners, and permaculture practitioners who look to bees for pollination as well as honey or beeswax.Trade Review ForeWord Reviews- "Farmers who seek a guide to hive maintenance told through a thoughtful personal narrative will benefit from the discussion of this topbar style of beekeeping. The first-person style of the book allows a window into the practices of the topbar beekeeper while conveying a wealth of knowledge and a well-researched comparison of hive practices. The book is appropriate for beginning beekeepers as well as those experienced but looking for information on natural and organic beekeeping practices. The book’s ten sections discuss optimal practices of an organic beekeeper juxtaposed with discussion of industry standard practices and their drawbacks. Each section contains stories of the authors’ successes and failures as well as diagrams and pictures to explain everything from hive design to plant species for optimal pollination. Whether the reader is looking to start their own hive or simply increase their knowledge of honeybees, the book provides interesting and detailed discussions of all aspects of raising them. Crowder and Harrell offer not only advice on how to get started, but an in-depth discussion of all aspects of keeping a hive, from bee capture, breeding, and selection to honey processing. They have crafted a book that is both informative and engaging, filled with introspective advice and practical knowledge." Publisher's Weekly- "Cave drawings show beekeepers “smoking” their hives, preparing for insect interaction. Today’s mass-produced honey relies mostly on the venerable Langstroth method of beekeeping, which has produced plenty of honey—but also has introduced plenty of chemicals into the process—through the years. Top-bar hives, named for the bars that run across their tops, are popular with bee beginners even though they produce less honey than Langstroth hives. But this account, the culmination of Crowder and Harrell’s 40 years of top-bar beekeeping adventures, shows the reader their method’s advantages: it avoids antibiotics, miticides, and other chemicals inherent to the conventional process. Crowder and his wife, Harrell, leave no comb unharvested as they take the top-bar aspirant from bee basics (stings, smoke, and hive transfers) through hive management (comb removal and feeding) to beneficial, and profitable, byproducts like beeswax. For those a bit lukewarm to the swarm, the book gives a fascinating insight into bees’ elaborate organizational and geometry skills, and it may even make one reconsider buying mass-marketed, chemical-laced honey.""Reading Top-Bar Beekeeping reminds me of the classes I took with Les Crowder several years ago. He's a man who truly knows whereof he speaks, who has the gift of communicating with his small friends, the bees, and sharing his understanding with us. . . . This is the one book on beekeeping that I will recommend to my permaculture students."--Scott Pittman, Director, Permaculture Institute USA "This is an excellent guide for hobby beekeepers who wish to keep bees using top-bar hives. Drawing on his more than 30 years of beekeeping experience in New Mexico, author Les Crowder describes in detail the special comb management techniques that this low-cost, but relatively intensive, form of beekeeping requires. Top-Bar Beekeeping also provides an eloquent appeal for beekeepers to make care, respect, and reverence the foundation of their relationships with the bees."--Thomas D. Seeley, Cornell University; author of Honeybee Democracy and The Wisdom of the Hive"This book presents practical advice, gained from first-hand experience, on the organic management of top bar hives. This book will serve as an excellent guide to the ever-growing number of beekeepers that utilizes less intrusive management schemes such as top bar hives. Thanks to Les and Heather for their efforts to provide sound advice on natural ways to keep bees."--Dr. Jeff Pettis, USDA-ARS Table of Contents1. Top-bar hives 2. The supercreature 3. Beekeeping basics 4. Hive management 5. The seasons 6. Honey, beeswax, and other products 7. Evaluating your queen 8. Problem-solving 9. Raising queens 10. Planting for bees

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Book SynopsisInsects have a greater impact on human lives and livelihoods than any other group of organisms. This guide will help you to identify insects that are frequently encountered, very striking or ecologically important in the region. Compact and easy-to-use, it features more than 400 of the interesting and diverse insect groups found in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Full-colour photographs of all featured species are accompanied by concise text giving key identification features for each group.

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Book SynopsisThis photographic identification guide to the 280 butterfly species most commonly seen in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High-quality photographs from the area's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers geography and climate, vegetation, habitats, behaviour, opportunities for naturalists and the main sites for viewing the listed species. Also included is a classification of butterflies found in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, from their superfamilies down to the level of genera to give an understanding of the relationships of butterflies

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Book SynopsisBeginning with an introduction to soil ecosystems, this work reveals the unseen labors of underground organisms maintaining the rich fertility of the earth as they recycle nutrients between the living and mineral worlds. It introduces readers to an array of creatures: wolf spiders with glowing red eyes, snails with 120 rows of teeth, and more.Trade Review"Soil, for the layman, is typically out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Those who enjoy the beauty of nature rarely look down. James B. Nardi offers an engaging and informative view of the living creatures whose activities in the soil affect its creation, composition, and fertility. Like Alice in Wonderland, the reader of Life in the Soil is dropped into a fantastical world." - Cathy J. Maloney, editor, Chicagoland Gardening"

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Book SynopsisRSPB Spotlight: Ladybirds is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist.Brightly coloured and pleasingly pattered, ladybirds are among some of our most beloved and familiar invertebrates. Their role in helping to protect our crops by devouring huge numbers of pests has firmly established these tiny, flying beetles as the gardeners'' friend.Spotlight Ladybird focuses on the 26 species that are resident in the UK, from the widespread but unusual Orange Ladybird to the rare - and aptly named - Scarce 7-spot Ladybird. Ladybird expert, Richard Comont considers the conservation challenges facing these iconic species, whose populations are now at risk thanks to the threat posed by one of their own, the invasive alien Harlequin Ladybird. And he covers all aspects of ladybirds'' biology, from tiny larvae emerging from their oval eggs to large aggregations that converge at specific sites around theTable of ContentsMeet the Ladybirds Ladybirds Across Time and Space The Ladybird Year Feeding and Foraging Ladybirds in the Landscape Natural Ladybird Enemies Cultural Connections Watching Ladybirds Looking After Ladybirds Glossary Further Reading and Resources Ladybird Species in Britain Acknowledgements Image Credits Index

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Book SynopsisFor many of us, the buzzing of a bee elicits panic. But the next time you hear that low droning sound, look closer: the bee has navigated to this particular spot for a reason using a fascinating set of tools. She may be using her sensitive olfactory organs, which provide a 3D scent map of her surroundings. She may be following visual landmarks or instructions relayed by a hive-mate. She may even be tracking an electrostatic path left by other bees. What a Bee Knows: Exploring the Thoughts, Memories, and Personalities of Bees invites us to follow bees’ mysterious paths and experience their alien world. Although their brains are incredibly small - just one million neurons compared to humans’ 100 billion - bees have remarkable abilities to navigate, learn, communicate, and remember. In What a Bee Knows, entomologist Stephen Buchmann explores a bee’s way of seeing the world and introduces the scientists who make the journey possible. We travel into the field and to the laboratories of noted bee biologists who have spent their careers digging into the questions most of us never thought to ask (for example: Do bees dream? And if so, why?). With each discovery, Buchmann’s insatiable curiosity and sense of wonder is infectious. What a Bee Knows will challenge your idea of a bee’s place in the world - and perhaps our own. This lively journey into a bee’s mind reminds us that the world is more complex than our senses can tell us.Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1. A Bees’ Life Chapter 2. The Remarkable Bee Brain Chapter 3. Bees Living Together Chapter 4. What Bees Sense and Perceive Chapter 5. Bees and Flowers: A Love Story or Arms Races? Chapter 6. Finding Many Lovers Chapter 7. Bee Smart Chapter 8. Master Builders and Memory Chapter 9. Sleep and Dreaming in Bees Chapter 10. What do Bees Feel? Chapter 11. Self-Awareness, Consciousness, and Cognition Epilogue Appendix. Things We Can All Do to Help Pollinators Art Credits About the Author

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Book SynopsisA Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of the Philippines is an introductory photographic guide to 289 butterfly species commonly seen in the Philippines. High quality photographs from the Philippines' top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, wing size, larval foodplant, distribution and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers species and subspecies, butterfly observation, areas to visit, some butterfly facts, identification and taxonomy, and a glossary. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the butterflies of the Philippines with their current global status and endemicity.

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Book SynopsisA BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED LOOK AT THE LIVES AND MIND-BOGGLING BEHAVIOURS OF INSECTSHow to Read an Insect takes you on an unforgettable tour of the insect world, presenting these amazing creatures as you have never seen them before.This stunningly illustrated guide puts a wealth of fascinating behaviours under the microscope – from elegant displays of courtship to brutal acts of predation. Along the way, Ross Piper charts the evolution of insects and reveals everything you need to know about how they nest, feed, reproduce and defend themselves. He concludes by discussing the impact of the human world on insects, and what we can do to prevent their decline in numbers.• Explores the remarkable lifestyles of exotic insects as well as those in your own garden.• Includes highlights from a wide range of new insect behaviour studies.• Features a wealth of breathtaking colour photos, illustrations, and graphics.

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Book SynopsisRSPB ID Spotlight Bees is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 40 of our most widespread and familiar bees by renowned artist Richard Lewington.Watching a garden busy with bees is one of the joys of summer. But can you tell a White-tailed Bumblebee from a Garden Bumblebee? Or confidently distinguish between a Patchwork Leafcutter Bee and a Long-horned Bee? Britain and Ireland are home to more than 270 species of bees, some of which play an important ecological role through their industrious pollination of our crops and wildflowers.Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification, while the artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field. The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our bees, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB and other conservation charities are workiTable of ContentsIntroducing the UK’s Common Bees Habitats Distribution and Migration General Behaviour, Life Cycle and Diet Conservation Spotlight ID: Bumblebees Honey Bees Flower Bees Mason Bees Mining Bees Leafcutter Bees Plasterer Bees Scissor Bees Wool Carders Mourning Bees Long-horned Bees Nomad Bees Pantaloon Bees

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Book SynopsisA funny and beautifully written welcome to the enigmatic, weird and wonderful world of wasps' DAVE GOULSON, author of SILENT EARTHThere may be no insect with a worse reputation than the wasp, and none guarding so many undiscovered wonders.Where bees and ants have long been the darlings of the insect world, wasps are much older, cleverer and more diverse. They are the bee's evolutionary ancestors flying 100 million years earlier and today they are just as essential for the survival of our environment. A bee, ecologist Professor Seirian Sumner argues, is just a wasp that has forgotten how to hunt.For readers of Entangled Life, Other Minds and The Gospel of Eels, this is a book to upturn your expectations about one overlooked animal and the wider architecture of our natural world.With endless surprises, this book might teach you about the wasps that spend their entire lives sealed inside a fig, about stinging wasps, about parasitic wasps, about wasps that turn cockroaches into living zoTrade Review‘Sumner's tale is thrilling, warm and scholarly in equal measure, and brilliantly repairs the reputation of wasps – most beautiful and wonderful as they truly are’Adam Rutherford, author of How to Argue with a Racist ‘A book I never knew I needed that is an absolute delight to read … Finally, a cure for our irrational fear of this unfairly demonised insect … A book that draws us in to the strange beauty of what we so often run away from’Robin Ince ‘If you’ve ever wondered “why do wasps exist?” you must read this book. There is so much more to them than you ever imagined. A funny and beautifully written welcome to the enigmatic, weird and wonderful world of wasps’Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth ‘I thought I knew about wasps – I was wrong … A tremendously good read that left me buzzing with excitement and reminded me why I became an entomologist’George McGavin ‘Sometimes the most perfect books are those that shine a light on surprising, neglected subjects. Endless Forms is just such a book. Summer writes lucidly and entertainingly about this most fascinating of creatures’Will Storr ‘You also shouldn’t miss Endless Forms … which explains why you shouldn’t, on any account, go squashing these remarkable creatures to a pulp … [A] marvellous, revelatory natural history’Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller, Editor’s Choice ‘Contains splendidly vivid descriptions of modern techniques of entomological heredity and genomics, as well as insect-scale neuroscience … it would be a tetchy soul who did not begrudgingly admire them a bit more’Telegraph ‘Sumner’s vivid enthusiasm for wasps is contagious … with every animated description of the daily lives of a wasp family, my prejudices melt away’Guardian ‘Sumner is an exuberant guide to the world of wasps and may even persuade you not to whack the next one you find in your kitchen’Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisBig Cat Phonics for Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It comprises classroom resources to support the SSP programme and a range of phonic readers that together provide a consistent and highly effective approach to teaching phonics.

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Book SynopsisA fantastic first book on butterflies and moths, this is the perfect companion for bug hunters ages 6 and up eager to understand how caterpillars become butterflies.Nature Explorers: Butterflies and Moths encourages little explorers to get outside and covers everything you need to know about these critters, including cocoons, wings, caterpillars, and eggs. Children can learn about butterflies and moths from all over the world, from their very own gardens to woodland, mountains, rainforest, desert, and even the Arctic.With exciting activities, like how to make a butterfly kite, and plenty of fun facts, this beautiful book is a must-have for children curious about butterflies and moths.About the series:The Nature Explorers series is a fantastic first set of books on the great outdoors for children aged 6 to 8. From birds, to weather, to the seashore, and more, the key topics of each subject are explained with plenty of f

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Book SynopsisThirty-one full-page illustrations feature butterflies in creative settings that will flutter to life with color. Each dazzling design centers around beautiful creatures nestled within landscapes of swirling flowers and leaves.

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Book SynopsisA stunning photographic record of endangered honey bees in their wild, forest habitat, with images from world-renowned nature photographer Ingo Arndt.

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Book SynopsisThe Real Buzz on Bees What a promise! Actually, promises. First, here’s a book that teaches kids all about the fascinating world of bees. Second, fun exercises, activities, and illustrations engage the imagination and offer a deeper understanding of bee life and bee behavior. Third, by following a few simple steps including removing the book’s cover and taping it together, readers can transform the book into an actual living home for backyard bees. Fourth, added all together, Turn This Book Into a Beehive! lets kids make a difference in the world—building a home where bees can thrive is one small but critical step in reversing the alarming trend of dwindling bee populations. Written by Lynn Brunelle, author of Pop Bottle Science, whose gift for making science fun earned her four Emmy Awards as a writer for Bill Nye the Science Guy, Turn This Book Into a Beehive! introduces kids to the amazing mason bee, a non-aggressive, non-stinging super-pollinator that does the work of over 100 honeybees. Mason bees usually live in hollow reeds or holes in wood, but here’s how to make a home just for them: Tear out the perforated paper—each illustrated as a different room in a house—roll the sheets into tubes, enclose the tubes using the book’s cover, and hang the structure outside. The bees will arrive, pack mud into the tubes, and begin pollinating all the plants in your backyard. Twenty experiments and activities reveal even more about bees—how to smell like a bee, understand the role of flowers and pollen, learn how bees communicate with each other through “dance,” and more. It’s the real buzz on bees, delivered in the most ingenious and interactive way.

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Book SynopsisForeword by Gillian Burke This is a lovely little book that could and should have a big impact....Let’s all get rebugging right away! Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Meet the intelligent insects, marvellous minibeasts and inspirational invertebrates that bring life to our planet. Discover how we can ‘rebug’ our attitudes and embrace these brilliant, essential insects, so that we can avoid an ‘insectageddon’ and help each other thrive. In Rebugging the Planet, Vicki Hird shows us that bugs are beautiful, inventive and economically invaluable. They are also responsible for pollinating plants, feeding birds, defending crops and cleaning water systems. But with 40% of insect species at risk of extinction and a third more endangered, our planet is headed towards an insect apocalypse. We have to start giving worms, spiders, beetles, ladybirds and butterflies the space they need to flourish! Discover how to: Grow your garden a little wild and plant weedkiller-free, wildlife-friendly plants Take your kids on a bug treasure hunt and build a bug palace in your garden Rebug parks, schools, pavements, verges and other green spaces Make bug-friendly food choices and support good farming practices Rebugging the Planet shows how small changes will have a big impact on our littlest allies – and our planet. Hird’s joy in bug life is infectious and her knowledge encyclopaedic...If you’ve ever asked what bugs have done for us, read this book! Caroline Lucas, Green Party MPTrade Review"This is a lovely little book that could and should have a big impact. The decline of insect life in the UK and globally is one of the biggest concerns of our biodiversity crisis. We often feel so helpless about nature loss, so it’s hugely inspiring to find out that there is something we can actually do about it. Let’s all get rebugging right away!"—Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, multi-award-winning writer and broadcaster"A bold and educational call to action and call to arms in one of the most crucial challenges facing society – halting the dreadful destruction of the amazingly little animals we call invertebrates or bugs. Time to get rebugging!"—Matt Shardlow, author and chief executive of Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust"Everyone should read Vicki’s delightful bug book! She’s been a committed environmentalist and campaigner for nature ever since the 1980s, when I first met her. Like me, she’s a Londoner, but unlike me, she’s realised that her lifelong fascination for nature in general and insects in particular can be explored in an urban setting. Her passion for bugs is palpable and wonderfully illuminated through individual bug stories, which makes this book totally accessible. Vicki has done a service to the planet and the insects we share it with."—Patrick Holden, CBE organic farmer, and founding director and chief executive of the Sustainable Food Trust"What a fantastic, timely and important book! For too long, our society has taken bugs for granted when in reality they represent the very foundations of our food system, our economy, our civilisation. With her well-researched but personable and highly readable writing style, Vicki Hird offers an engaging and hopeful narrative about what we can and must do to make insects matter, and reverse the appalling declines in insect populations that have taken place these last few years. In doing so, she doesn’t just stick with the easy stuff like what needs to happen in your garden or local park – much as she covers this brilliantly. She also tackles the need for system level change; in agriculture, in politics, in the economy, in culture, if we’re going to succeed in rebugging the planet – all while gaining fascinating insights from the remarkable world of insects."—Craig Bennett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts"Rebugging the Planet is a joyous and impassioned song to the insect life on which we all depend. Brimming with wisdom but accessibly written, it is a call to arms to avert Insectaggedon. Without bugs, we’re in deep trouble!"—Guy Shrubsole, environmental campaigner and author of Who Owns England?"A passionate, accessible, and in-depth introduction to the wonderful world of ‘bugs’. Packed with eye-opening facts and leaving not a stone unturned in her efforts to understand and explain the causes of their decline, Vicki inspires each and every one of us to re-evaluate our relationship with these magnificent minibeasts. Whoever we are, whatever our circumstances, there is always more that we can do to help if we only knew how. This book provides us with the tools and advice we need to ‘rebug’ our gardens, our lives and our world."—Brigit Strawbridge Howard, author of Dancing with Bees"Hird’s joy in bug life is infectious and her knowledge encyclopaedic. I defy even the most bug-phobic reader not to finish Hird’s book without, if not sharing her love of them, at least joining in her admiration. Bugs are essential to a thriving natural world, and indeed to our own future on this planet, yet they’re under threat like never before. If you’ve ever asked what bugs have done for us, read this book – and then join the movement to protect them!"—Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP"In 1987 E.O. Wilson told us that ‘bugs’ were the little things that run the world. We didn’t listen and instead have forced millions of species of these essential creatures to the brink of extinction. Just in time, Vicki Hird tells us how and why we need to change our cultural relationship with ‘bugs’ and reverse these disastrous declines. Despite the serious nature of this subject matter, Rebugging the Planet is a light-hearted and delightful read."—Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope"This book is a delightful exploration into the world of ‘bugs’ – broadly defined to include insects, spiders, centipedes, and even snails – replete with creative use of words like ‘rebug’, ‘rewild’, ‘insectageddon’, ‘invertosphere’, ‘entomophage’ (the practice of eating bugs) and ‘fog basking’ by the Namib beetle to obtain water. Full of colourful stories about specific novel species like the cockchafer, the hummingbird hawkmoth and money spiders, it is also a call to action to do everything we can to stop the modern assault on bugs. The author shows how so many aspects of modern life – chemical-based agriculture, EMFs, plastics and forever chemicals – are forcing many species into extinction, but she also warns that we will come to appreciate what bugs do for us best when we see the carnage left behind when they are gone."—Stephanie Seneff, author of Toxic LegacyPublishers Weekly— "Brimming with tips and tools, this [book] is sure to leave nature-lovers inspired."

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Book SynopsisSusan Knilans and Jacqueline Freeman are in love with bees. So in love that they observe their bees—their work, communication, seasonal activity and more—for hours each day. And with observation came realisation: when bees are allowed to live as they would in nature (with smaller hives, no chemicals, freedom to swarm and little-to-no human interference), they will thrive. Accordingly, Knilans and Freeman have spent decades perfecting the revolutionary practice of preservation beekeeping, guided by the simple question, “What do the bees want?” A surprising page-turner, this instructional book tells the story of their successes and failures, demonstrating what was learned along the way. Sharing preservation beekeeping’s key tenets, the authors provide concrete, simple ways to implement their approach, from finding the right hive location to honing observation skills. This preservation manifesto is a vital addition to any beekeeper’s library, imparting all the joys of a beekeeper’s life.

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Book SynopsisThoroughly revised and updated, this long-awaited new edition of Field Guide to the Spiders of South Africa remains the most comprehensive guide to South African spiders published to date. It features over 780 of the more common spider species encountered in the field and in homes and gardens, as well as representative species from some of the rarer spider families. ‘Quick Keys’ to the 72 South African spider families provide a useful starting point to identification. Succinct genus and species accounts cover identifying characteristics, breeding, behaviour, distribution and conservation status. Colour photographs and/or illustrations as well as distribution maps support each entry. Introductory chapter discusses spider morphology, spider life cycle, the functions of silk, as well as spider collection techniques. Section on venom identifies species that pose a danger to humans, unpacks neurotoxic and cytotoxic venom, and details the symptoms and treatment of spider bites. Sales points: An invaluable aid to spider identification. Comprehensively updated and expanded. Written by a leading authority in the field. Incorporates the most recent taxonomic changes.

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