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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Invertebrates > Insects (entomology)
This Naturalists' Handbook aims to attract more people to the study
of solitary wasps by describing the ecology, distribution and
natural history of these insects, including all relevant research
in one convenient volume. Contents include an overview of the
natural history of the solitary wasp, guidelines on identification,
and advice on techniques and approaches to study. Further reading,
a systematic checklist of genera and an alphabetical checklist of
species and their distributions are included. Detailed keys to the
identification of the species form the centre of the book and the
text is accompanied by clear illustrations throughout, making this
an invaluable practical guide for anyone seeking to broaden their
knowledge of these fascinating, diverse creatures. Smaller, gentler
and less intimidating than the black and yellow social wasps, the
solitary wasps are attractive because of their bright colours and
their fascinating behaviour. A female wasp will construct a nest,
excavating it from wood or sand or building it from mud. She
provisions the nest with prey, hunting down a suitable creature,
perhaps a caterpillar or a fly, which she will paralyse before
dragging it home to the nest. She lays her egg on the paralysed
prey, and the larva when it hatches feeds on the prey. On a sunny
day it is easy to observe the apparently purposeful behaviour of
female wasps as they prepare their nests and stock them with food
for the next generation. This book is a digital reprint of ISBN
0-85546-295-7 (1995). Naturalists' Handbooks encourage and enable
those interested in natural history to undertake field study, make
accurate identifications and to make original contributions to
research.
Insects boast incredible diversity, and this book treats an
important component of the western insect biota that has not been
summarized before - moths and their plant relationships. There are
about 8,000 named species of moths in our region, and although most
are unnoticed by the public, many attract attention when their
larvae create economic damage: eating holes in woolens, infesting
stored foods, boring into apples, damaging crops and garden plants,
or defoliating forests.In contrast to previous North American moth
books, this volume discusses and illustrates about 25 per cent of
the species in every family, including the tiny species, making
this the most comprehensive volume in its field. With this approach
it provides access to microlepidoptera study for biologists as well
as amateur collectors. About 2,500 species are described and
illustrated, including virtually all moths of economic importance,
summarizing their morphology, taxonomy, adult behavior, larval
biology, and life cycles.
RSPB 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 the world. Richard also examines the natural history and
cultural significance of this fascinating group of beetles, from
Ladybird Books to Thor. The Spotlight series introduces readers to
the lives of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photos
and informative expert text.
The book provides a reference to biological control of arthropod
pests in agriculture and of public health importance in Iran. A
quick glance over the literature shows a long history of biocontrol
attempts in the country. Some historically important events
highlighting the interest of Iranian academic, research and
extension fields to the natural enemies and their applied aspects
are provided. Iran, with an exception of the former USSR, was a
pioneer in both basic and applied biocontrol in West Asia. The book
consists of four parts: three parts for predators, parasitoids and
pathogens, and last part for other approaches and analyses of the
current state of biological control in Iran. The book provides the
most up-to-date information on pest control and related topics of
entomology in Iran. The chapters are written by scholars from major
Universities and research centers in Iran.
This book summarizes the recent advancements in identifying the
mosquito vectors and discusses various strategies for their
control. The book describes various molecular taxonomic methods,
including DNA barcoding and single nucleotide polymorphism-based
machine learning approach, which are used for the identification of
mosquito vectors. It also presents the various mosquito control
methods, namely, phytochemicals, Bacillus thuringiensis toxins,
nanotechnology, biological control agents, and environmental
management strategies. It also highlights the importance of various
repellents that are used for protection from different kinds of
mosquito vectors. Finally, the book offers a comprehensive yet
representative description of challenges associated with mosquito
vector-borne diseases. The book is a useful resource for medical
entomologists, health workers, and researchers working in
mosquito-control and vector-borne diseases.
The global drive towards sustainability and improved animal health
means there is a greater need for development of novel functional
ingredients for the feed industry. As the requirements for protein
for livestock feed and human consumption grows, the use of insect
products as animal feed has gained increasing attention. Covering
global production systems of insect protein, oil and chitin, as
well as co-products from this industry, this book: - Considers
in-depth nutritional and safety aspects of insects for feed. -
Reviews suitability of insects as feed for different animal species
and life stages. - Examines current knowledge of the value of
insect-rearing residues as biofertilizers for crop health. -
Identifies the challenges related to regulation, legislation,
consumer perception and acceptance, and commercialization of
insects. - Provides interviews with established and early-stage
innovative companies producing insect protein for feed. Including a
focus on practices such as waste valorization, this book takes a
holistic look at how insects could contribute to the sustainability
of livestock production on a global scale. Providing an up-to-date
reference for research scientists, nutritionists, and
veterinarians, as well as prospective insect farmers, it will also
be of interest to those with a broader curiosity towards climate
change, sustainability, and the circular economy.
While social wasps, like hornets and yellow jackets, garner most of
the publicity (most of it negative), the vast majority of wasp
species, including digger wasps, spider wasps, and mud-daubers, are
solitary. Elegant in appearance and distinctive in their actions,
solitary wasps have long fascinated observers and have been the
subject of narratives by such naturalists and scientists as Jean
Henri Fabre, Niko Tinbergen, and Howard Ensign Evans.
Each adult female solitary wasp forages alone and, if she builds
a nest, it is occupied solely by herself and her own off-spring.
Females use their stings mainly for hunting, rather than for
defense, and exhibit a wide range of foraging and parental
behaviors. Solitary wasps are of special interest to ethologists
and evolutionary biologists.
Kevin M. O'Neill provides readable yet thorough accounts of the
natural history of the major families of solitary wasps and also
surveys the current state of scientific research on these insects.
Numerous comprehensive tables of quantitative data serve as an
excellent reference for biologists.
Topics covered in Solitary Wasps: Behavior and Natural History
include:
-- classification of the solitary wasps and their relation to other
Hymenoptera
-- foraging and nesting behaviors
-- mating and parental strategies
-- thermoregulation
-- natural enemies
-- defensive strategies
-- directions for future research
Solitary Wasps: Behavior and Natural History is the first
general survey in more than 25 years to be dedicated to its subject
and is the best place to turn for information about the biology and
compelling behavior of these common insects.
"In this enormously useful book, a profound need is met by a
profound contribution, the first such comprehensive work in over
fifty years. While brief, "Ants of North America" is the
distillation of a vast amount of study and practice. It is a joy to
browse and read, and will have an important impact on the study of
ants."--Edward O. Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus,
Harvard University
"Two of the most prolific ant faunists have produced a marvelous
taxonomic guide to the ant genera of North America. The keys and
genus descriptions are succinct and easy to read, the illustrations
superb. This book is a must for entomologists, ecologists, and
particularly all who study ants."--Bert Holldobler, Foundation
Professor of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
"This book represents a bold advance in the study of North American
ants. It provides, for the first time, an accessible and lavishly
illustrated guide to all the ant genera occurring in the United
States and Canada. It will greatly enhance both public interest in
ants and scientific investigation of their ecology, behavior and
evolution."--Philip S. Ward, Department of Entomology and Center
for Population Biology, University of California at Davis
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Ants
(Paperback)
Gary J. Skinner, Geoffrey W. Allen; Illustrated by Geoffrey W. Allen
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R628
Discovery Miles 6 280
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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Information on the biology of ants and various techniques for
studying ants is included. An extensive chapter on ant
identification forms the bulk of this handbook with keys to worker
ants, queen ants and male ants accompanied by colour and b/w
plates. A quick-check field key is also included for use in the
field. This is a digital reprint of the 1996 first edition (ISBN
0-85546-305-8).
This book brings together a wide range of sampling methods for
investigating different arthropod groups. Each chapter is organized
to describe and evaluate the main sampling methods (field methods,
materials and supplies, sampling protocols, effort needed, and
limitations); in addition, some chapters describe the specimen
preparation and conservation, species identification, data
collection and management (treatment, statistical analysis,
interpretation), and ecological/conservation implications of
arthropod communities. The book aims to be a reference for
zoologists, entomologists, arachnologists, ecologists, students,
researchers, and for those interested in arthropod science and
biodiversity. We hope the book will contribute to advance knowledge
on field assessments and conservation strategies. Arthropods
represent the most speciose group of organisms on Earth, with a
remarkable number of species and interactions still to be
described. These invertebrates are recognized for playing key
ecological roles in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Because of the increasing and relentless threats arthropods are
facing lately due to a multitude of human induced drivers, this
book represents an important contribution to assess their
biodiversity and role in ecosystem functioning and generation of
ecosystem services worldwide.
First Published in 1989, this book explores the relationship
between plants and insects and the ways in which they interact with
each other. Carefully compiled and filled with a vast repertoire of
notes, diagrams, and references this book serves as a useful
reference for students of oncology, and other practitioners in
their respective fields.
Introduces readers to the roles of bees in world ecosystems, as
well as threats to bee populations and conservation efforts.
Eye-catching infographics, clear text, and a "That's Amazing!"
feature make this book an engaging exploration of the importance of
bees.
The search for new strategies of pest control with safer molecules
is currently of great importance and interest. Microbe-mediated
biological crop protection is an attractive and promising
technology with no concern for a negative impact on the environment
and biodiversity. Microbial hydrolytic enzymes such as proteases,
chitinases, lipases, etc. are attractive for this purpose. They
present toxic properties and act synergistically to control pest
attacks. Also, some metabolites, that microorganisms produce for
their survival or defense, can be explored and exploited for plant
protection. The focus of this Volume is on the potential of
microbial hydrolytic enzymes and their metabolites in agroecosystem
functioning. Subsequent chapters review topics such as microbial
hydrolytic enzymes as powerful management tools, chitinases in IPM
of agro-horticultural crops, metabolites as pesticides and the
importance of the metabolites of entomopathogenic fungi,
metabolites and virulence factors. Other topicas include:
microbial-based nanoparticles, recombinant DNA technologies to
improve the efficacy of microbial insecticides, the effects of
entomopathogens on insect predators and parasitoids, and the
management of major vegetable insect pests. This Volume provides
detailed accounts on the safe use of microbial products for
sustainable management of insect pests. Its aim is to build solid
foundations for the students, teachers, and researchers interested
in eco-friendly management of important insect crop pests.
This book compiles for the first time all the current information
on the electronic monitoring of the feeding behavior of
phytophagous true bugs. It includes state-of-the-art illustrations
of feeding sites on the various plant structures, and examines how
the different feeding strategies are related to the variable
waveforms generated using the electropenetrography (EPG) technique.
Further, the book describes the mouthparts and modes of feeding and
discusses the physical and chemical damage resulting from feeding
activities. Covering in detail all EPG studies developed and
conducted using true bugs published to date, it explores the use of
electronic monitoring of feeding coupled with histological analyses
to improve strategies to control true bugs, from traditional
chemical methods to gene silencing (RNAi).
Bumblebees are familiar and charismatic insects, occurring
throughout much of the world. They are increasingly being used as a
model organism for studying a wide range of ecological and
behavioural concepts, such as social organization, optimal foraging
theories, host-parasite interactions, and pollination. Recently
they have become a focus for conservationists due to mounting
evidence of range contractions and catastrophic extinctions with
some species disappearing from entire continents (e.g. in North
America). Only by improving our understanding of their ecology can
we devise sensible plans to conserve them. The role of bumblebees
as invasive species (e.g. Bombus terrestris in Japan) has also
become topical with the growing trade in commercial bumblebee nests
for tomato pollination leading to establishment of non-native
bumblebees in a number of countries.
Since the publication of the first edition of the book, there have
been hundreds of research papers published on bumblebees. There is
clearly a continuing need for an affordable, well-illustrated, and
appealing text that makes accessible all of the major advances in
understanding of the behaviour and ecology of bumblebees that have
been made in the last 30 years.
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