A fascinating welcome to the wonderful world of insects' - LoveReading4Kids 'Fun, inspiring, and well researched.' - Kirkus Reviews, starred review A beautifull illustrated tour of some of the world's most fascinating insects, perfect for readers 8+. Did you know that without insects, humankind could not survive? This illustrated, fact-filled title explores the huge variety of insects, with a focus on what makes an insect an insect, the differences between the groups, and why insects are the most important animal group on Earth. Broken down into sections exploring each of the main types of insect, each section takes a different, playfully visual approach to really capture the character of the insects in the order being explored. As well as including practical advice for observing insects safely, a section at the back of the book describes ways to help insects and encourage them into a garden no matter how small.

A fascinating look at the world's most numerous inhabitants, illustrated with stunning images from the American Museum of Natural History's Rare Book Collection. It is estimated that there are around five million insect species on Earth, and this magnificent volume tells their incredible story. It covers everything from insect evolution, metamorphosis, and camouflage to society, language, and pollination--plus tales of discovery by intrepid entomologists. More than 180 illustrations describe these fascinating animals down to their tiniest details, from butterflies' iridescent wings to beetles' vibrant colors.

How insects around the world hide from and defend themselves from predators.

This illustrated book is a celebration of the insect universe, exploring their amazing forms and functions, their fascinating behaviour and the enormous impact they have on our lives. It looks at insects in all their extremes, from the biggest, fastest and fiercest to the best nest builder, most devious hunter and deadliest bride.

A devastating examination of how collapsing insect populations worldwide threaten everything from wild birds to the food on our plate. From ants scurrying under leaf litter to bees able to fly higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, insects are everywhere. Three out of every four of our planet’s known animal species are insects. In The Insect Crisis, acclaimed journalist Oliver Milman dives into the torrent of recent evidence that suggests this kaleidoscopic group of creatures is suffering the greatest existential crisis in its remarkable 400-million-year history. What is causing the collapse of the insect world? Why does this alarming decline pose such a threat to us? And what can be done to stem the loss of the miniature empires that hold aloft life as we know it? With urgency and great clarity, Milman explores this hidden emergency, arguing that its consequences could even rival climate change. He joins the scientists tracking the decline of insect populations across the globe, including the soaring mountains of Mexico that host an epic, yet dwindling, migration of monarch butterflies; the verdant countryside of England that has been emptied of insect life; the gargantuan fields of U.S. agriculture that have proved a killing ground for bees; and an offbeat experiment in Denmark that shows there aren’t that many bugs splattering into your car windshield these days. These losses not only further tear at the tapestry of life on our degraded planet; they imperil everything we hold dear, from the food on our supermarket shelves to the medicines in our cabinets to the riot of nature that thrills and enlivens us. Even insects we may dread, including the hated cockroach, or the stinging wasp, play crucial ecological roles, and their decline would profoundly shape our own story. By connecting butterfly and bee, moth and beetle from across the globe, the full scope of loss renders a portrait of a crisis that threatens to upend the workings of our collective history. Part warning, part celebration of the incredible variety of insects, The Insect Crisis is a wake-up call for us all.

Chronicles the evolution of insects and explains how evolutionary innovations have enabled them to disperse widely, occupy narrow niches, and survive global catastrophes. --Publisher's description.