Phoridae are probably the insect family with the greatest diversity of larval habits, but the least studied of the large families of flies due to identification difficulties. This book collates what is known about the natural history of the Phoridae world. It reviews eggs and oviposition, larval habits (including saprophages, kleptoparasites, fungus breeders, plant feeders, predator, parasitoids, parasites and enemies), pupae and their enemies, development, adult habits (including feeding, special associations, courtship, mating, phoretic mites and enemies) and ecological aspects. There follows a new user-friendly and extensively illustrated key to world genera and a review of the identification literature for each of the 229 genera recognized. A review of methods and an extensive bibliography complete the work.

Phoridae are probably the insect family with the greatest diversity of larval habits, but the least studied of the large families of flies due to identification difficulties. This book collates what is known about the natural history of the Phoridae world. It reviews eggs and oviposition, larval habits (including saprophages, kleptoparasites, fungus breeders, plant feeders, predator, parasitoids, parasites and enemies), pupae and their enemies, development, adult habits (including feeding, special associations, courtship, mating, phoretic mites and enemies) and ecological aspects. There follows a new user-friendly and extensively illustrated key to world genera and a review of the identification literature for each of the 229 genera recognized. A review of methods and an extensive bibliography complete the work.

A comprehensive guide to the insects of North America contains information--including life histories, behaviors, and habitats--on every major group of insects found north of Mexico.

A unique collection of concise but detailed information on 10,000 animals, plants, fungi and algae of the British Isles. Every species with an English common name is included. The compendium is in two parts. The first, smaller part, looks at various terms that people interested in natural history may come across. The second provides information on individual species or species groups, with entries on those with English (common) names, as well as selected families, orders, classes, etc. In the case of marine organisms, entries are given for intertidal and subtidal invertebrate species, and generally speaking for fish species that might be observed inshore. Indication is often given on distribution as well as whether a species is common, scarce or something in between. For some species a note is made of population size and trends. Comments are made where appropriate on etymology, both of the English name and the binomial. No other natural history dictionary or cognate publication relating to the British Isles is as comprehensive in taxonomic cover.

Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award for Natural History and a New York Times Editors Choice Pick "After reading Super Fly, you will never take a fly for granted again. Thank you, Jonathan Balcombe, for reminding us of the infinite marvels of everyday creatures." —Sy Montgomery, Author of How to Be a Good Creature From an expert in animal consciousness, a book that will turn the fly on the wall into the elephant in the room. For most of us, the only thing we know about flies is that they're annoying, and our usual reaction is to try to kill them. In Super Fly, the myth-busting biologist Jonathan Balcombe shows the order Diptera in all of its diversity, illustrating the essential role that flies play in every ecosystem in the world as pollinators, waste-disposers, predators, and food source; and how flies continue to reshape our understanding of evolution. Along the way, he reintroduces us to familiar foes like the fruit fly and mosquito, and gives us the chance to meet their lesser-known cousins like the Petroleum Fly (the only animal in the world that breeds in crude oil) and the Chocolate Midge (the sole pollinator of the Cacao tree). No matter your outlook on our tiny buzzing neighbors, Super Fly will change the way you look at flies forever. Jonathan Balcombe is the author of four books on animal sentience, including the New York Times bestselling What A Fish Knows, which was nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Award for Science Writing. He has worked for years as a researcher and educator with the Humane society to show us the consciousness of other creatures, and here he takes us to the farthest reaches of the animal kingdom.

A breathtaking novel of danger, intrigue, suspense, terror and world chaos. Al Aqrab - The Scorpion Cell - is destroying the House of Saud using oil as its weapon. CIA Special Agent Jon Gold is yanked from a round of golf. Little does he know the danger he is walking into in the high stakes worlds of oil and terrorism. About the Author: Author John Opie is a heart surgeon and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Publisher's website: http: //www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/ScorpionSanction.html