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.

A beautifully illustrated and thoroughly engaging cultural history of beekeeping - packed with anecdote, humour and enriching historical detail. The perfect gift. "A charming look at the history of beekeeping, from myth and folklore to our practical relationship with bees" Gardens Illustrated "An entertaining collation of bee trivia across the millennia" Daily Telegraph * Sweden's Gardening Book of the Year 2019 * Shortlisted for the August Prize 2019 * Winner of the Swedish Book Design Award for 2019 Beekeeper and garden historian Lotte Moeller explores the activities inside and outside the hive while charting the bees' natural order and habits. With a light touch she uses her encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject to shed light on humanity's understanding of bees and bee lore from antiquity to the present. A humorous debunking of the myths that have held for centuries is matched by a wry exploration of how and when they were replaced by fact. In her travels Moeller encounters a trigger-happy Californian beekeeper raging against both killer bees and bee politics, warring beekeepers on the Danish island of Laeso, and Brother Adam of Buckfast Abbey, breeder of the Buckfast queen now popular throughout Europe and beyond, as well a host of others as passionate as she about the complex world of apiculture both past and present. Translated from the Swedish by Frank Perry

The new book by the author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Millie Marotta's Animal Kingdom. Enter Millie's wonderful world of treetop treasures and discover the birds nesting and flying high up in the treetops, and the myriad creatures found among the branches. The enchanting illustrations to colour in range from birds such Major Mitchell's cockatoo and rose robins, to the magnolia warbler, silver-eared mesia and whiskered treeswift. As well as the beautiful birds of the world, Millie's intricate designs show the more unusual creatures residing in the treetops, such as the Amazonian milk frog, the sugar glider or the tree-kangaroo. Millie's inimitable style is treasured by thousands around the world and in this new, exciting book there are all sorts of creatures and fauna waiting to be coloured in, from tiny insects to winged beasts and scaled reptiles to buds and blossoms. The world's rainforests, woodlands and thickets are teeming with life and this book guarantees hours of relaxation and colouring fun.

If you want to do your bit to support local biodiversity, start your own wildlife pond in your back garden. Whether you are looking to do something to help the environment, building a feature pond as a family landscaping project, or attracting local wildlife to your garden; a wildlife pond is a perfect addition to your gardening efforts. Learn everything there is to know about wildlife ponds with: - Photographic and illustrative step-by-step guides on planning, creating, and maintaining your pond - A variety of pond types covered, including natural-style ponds, container ponds, and more traditional, formal-style ponds that still attract wildlife - What to expect throughout the seasons, the creatures that will visit, and the aquatic plants that will thrive - Tips on what to look out for in your pond, encouraging a natural eco-system, and how to maintain your newly built pond throughout the year Find out everything you'll need to know to create a natural sanctuary in your garden! This book shows you how to create a backyard pond without filters, pipes, and chemicals, and how to attract and support local species. RHS How to Create a Wildlife Pond provides easy-to-follow steps on how to dig your own pond line, advice on which pond plants to choose from, and how to make sure local wildlife can enjoy your pond safely. This book will also give you advice on how to take care of your newly built water feature so that you're able to enjoy the local animals, insects and birds for years to come. You can expect to see blackbirds bathing in your pond, hedgehogs using it as a water source, and bats flying over at night to catch insects. This wonderful book is filled with photographs and illustrations that will make planning and creating your own pond a therapeutic and fulfilling experience! Complete the Series: There are so many ways for you to enjoy your garden! If you're looking for tips on environmental changes and landscaping ideas, DK books have even more gardening guides and projects for you to explore. Discover RHS How to Garden the Low Carbon Way, or bring even more feathered friends to your garden with How to Attract Birds to Your Garden.

Attracting Garden Pollinators is a friendly, accessible, information packed guide to gardening for and with pollinators. Pollinators are in trouble, but our gardens can help. Gardens represent a vast, varied nature reserve' packed with plants rich in nectar and pollen to sustain these delicate creatures. This book explores the role that pollinators play and how gardeners and people with gardens can do something to help attract and support them. From butterflies (and their caterpillars - with host plant information) to surprising pollinators (moths, wasps, beetles flies and hornets) and of course including honeybees, hoverflies and bumblebees, this book will offer an insight into their fragile existence, lifecycles and their vital role in the food chain and the natural cycle. Jean Vernon is the Best-Selling author of The Secret Lives of Garden Bees.

Butterfly identification is now simple for everyone! This handy field guide focuses on 164 species of Georgia butterflies, arranged by color. See a blue butterfly? Turn to the blue section. Perfect for backyard or field use, this book features full-color photos of each butterfly plus an illustration that points out key identification marks. You'll learn things you've always wondered about butterflies while easily identifying the ones that you see.

The bright colours and fascinating ways of this small but important group of insects attract immediate attention. Cicindelidae, or tiger beetles, are frequently encountered, but they are difficult to capture, since they are alert and elusive, and still more difficult to identify. This intensive study of the distinguishing characteristics, geographical distribution and variation, and habits and habitats of tiger beetles in Canada - the culmination of the author's main interest for many years - will provide a much-needed reference work. Studies of insect families are scarce, and professional and amateur entomologists alike will find this book a most useful aid in their investigations and a stimulus to further research.

This latest edition of the Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland has been fully revised, updated and restructured, bringing it in line with the latest thinking in taxonomy. Moths are illustrated in their natural resting postures, and there are also paintings of different forms, underwings and other details to help with identification. New descriptions and illustrations have been included for species that have been newly recorded in Britain and Ireland since the last edition of the guide was published. The text descriptions of all other species - covering field characters and similar species, flight season, life cycle, larval foodplants, and habitat - have been revised and updated where necessary, and particular attention has been paid to updating the distribution information, which is now supported by maps. The revised general introduction explains how the methods of identifying and recording moths have evolved over recent years with the advent of new technologies and as a result of data analysis.

The weird and wonderful world of insects boasts some of the strangest creatures found in nature, and caterpillars are perhaps the most bizarre of all. While most of us picture caterpillars as cute fuzzballs munching on leaves, there is much more to them than we imagine. A caterpillar's survival hinges on finding enough food and defending itself from the array of natural enemies lined up to pounce and consume. And the astounding adaptations and strategies they have developed to maximize their chances of becoming a butterfly or moth are only just beginning to be understood, from the Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar that resembles a small snake to the Eastern Carpenter Bee Hawkmoth caterpillar that attempts to dissuade potential predators by looking like a diseased leaf. The Book of Caterpillars unveils the mysteries of six hundred species from around the world, introducing readers to the complexity and beauty of these underappreciated insects. With the advent of high-quality digital macrophotography, the world of caterpillars is finally opening up. The book presents a wealth of stunning imagery that showcases the astonishing diversity of caterpillar design, structure, coloration, and patterning. Each entry also features a two-tone engraving of the adult specimen, emphasizing the wing patterns and shades, as well as a population distribution map and table of essential information that includes their habitat, typical host plants, and conservation status. Throughout the book are fascinating facts that will enthrall expert entomologists and curious collectors alike. A visually rich and scientifically accurate guide to six hundred of the world's most peculiar caterpillars, this volume presents readers with a rare, detailed look at these intriguing forms of insect life.

South Africa has a great diversity of insect life which can be found everywhere – on the ground, in water and in the air. Remarkable Insects of South Africa seeks to introduce the reader to many of the more common and interesting species.

The book features many unique never before published photographs which serve to open a window into the amazing, sometimes bizarre and often beautiful but invariably intriguing miniature world of the insects. Through high-quality digital macro-photography accompanied by informative text and captions the reader is guided on a fascinating safari of images as insects feed, breed and hunt in their natural surroundings.

• Written from the viewpoint of a naturalist, rather than a scientist, the book presents both scientific facts and personal observations in a simple, easily understandable and interesting manner.
• The book is richly illustrated with more than 420 superb full-colour photographs.
• A special section on insect photography gives an overview of the techniques and equipment used in photographing these fascinating creatures.
• Insect-spotting is an increasingly popular hobby and this book makes a valuable addition to the literature on insects that occur in South Africa.

At 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 queenspotting puzzles - vivid up-close photos of the queen hidden among her many subjects. QueenSpotting celebrates the unique, fascinating life of the queen bee chronicles of 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.

Listen to the bees.

Bees reflect human society - understand them and we can get a little closer to understanding ourselves. Humans and bees have enjoyed a close relationship for millennia, and the entries in this book reflect at least two thousand years of fascination with the world's favourite insect. Monarch, celebrity, monk, peasant, warrior or regular Joe, there are few who haven't fallen under the spell of bees and the riches they bring. From superstition to science, cake recipes to self-help, these quotes are a mirror to ourselves - our hopes and fears, our lives and deaths. Not to mention our taste-buds.

Foreword 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 MP

Love them or loathe them, we can't avoid insects. From aphids to flies, ladybirds to wasps, insects of all shapes and sizes share our homes and gardens. Now available in an updated edition, the bestselling Backyard Insects explores the secrets and habits of more than one hundred little critters that are common to backyard Australia. Crawling with full-colour, larger-than-life photographs for easy identification, Backyard Insects is an indispensable guide for nature lovers, gardeners and kids of all ages.

All Great Britain and Ireland's resident and migrant dragonfly and damselfly species fully described and illustrated. Fully updated, revised and redesigned, this 2014 edition features full descriptions, ecological notes and distribution maps, as well as a general introduction and regional guide to the best places to watch dragonflies. The 2002 edition was shortlisted for the BP Natural World Book Prize.

Insects are everywhere. There are millions of species sharing the world with humans and other animals. Though literally woven into the fabric of human affairs, insects are considered alien from the human world. Animal studies and rights have become a fecund field, but for the most part scant attention has been paid to the relationship between insects and humans. "Insect Poetics" redresses that imbalance by welcoming insects into the world of letters and cultural debate.
In "Insect Poetics," the first book to comprehensively explore the cultural and textual meanings of bugs, editor Eric Brown argues that insects are humanity's "other." In order to be experienced, the insect world must be mediated by art or technology (as in the case of an ant farm or Kafka's "Metamorphoses") while humans observe, detached and fascinated.
In eighteen original essays, this book illuminates the ways in which our human intellectual and cultural models have been influenced by the natural history of insects. Through critical readings contributors address such topics as performing insects in Shakespeare's "Coriolanus," the cockroach in the contemporary American novel, the butterfly's "voyage out" in Virginia Woolf, and images of insect eating in literature and popular culture. In surprising ways, contributors tease out the particularities of insects as cultural signifiers and propose ways of thinking about "insectivity," suggesting fertile cross-pollinations between entomology and the arts, between insects and the humanities.
Contributors: May Berenbaum, Yves Cambefort, Marion W. Copeland, Nicky Coutts, Bertrand Gervais, Sarah Gordon, Cristopher Hollingsworth, Heather Johnson, Richard J.Leskosky, Tony McGowan, Erika Mae Olbricht, Marc Olivier, Roy Rosenstein, Rachel Sarsfield, Charlotte Sleigh, Andre Stipanovic.
Eric C. Brown is assistant professor of English at the University of Maine at Farmington. He has written previously about insects and eschatology in Edmund Spenser's "Muiopotmos,"

Britain is home to some forty species of dragonfly, and public interest in their plight is high right now thanks to their primeval beauty, aerobatic grace and a growing realisation of their importance for water eco-systems. In 'The Dragonfly Diaries', Ruary Mackenzie Dodds shares his quirky fascination for these remarkable creatures over the 25 years he has been photographing and working with them. Combining fascinating description of the lives of dragonflies, with a diary chronicling the ups and downs of establishing Britain's first public dragonfly sanctuary, 'The Dragonfly Diaries' is a must for nature buffs and for anyone who wants to be inspired by the resolve and dedication of a man on a mission to save these critically important insects.

'A funny and beautifully written welcome to the enigmatic, weird and wonderful world of wasps' DAVE GOULSON, author of SILENT EARTH There 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 zombies, about how wasps taught us to make paper. It offers up a maligned insect in all its diverse, unexpected splendour; as both predator and pollinator, the wasp is an essential pest controller worldwide. Inside their sophisticated social worlds is the best model we have for the earth's major evolutionary transitions. In their understudied biology are clues to progressing medicine, including a possible cure for cancer. The closer you look at these spurned, winged insects - both custodians and bouncers of our planet - the more you see. Their secrets have so far gone mostly untapped, but the potential of the wasp is endless.

This fun-filled outdoor adventure handbook is packed with unique ideas to help kids discover the great outdoors and get closer to nature. Created with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK's leading gardening charity, this pocket-sized guide teached kids about different habitats. This gorgeously illustrated handbook is bursting with fun activities, top tips and nature facts to help inspire kids to explore the amazing world around them. Learn how to choose a campsite. Grow your own daffodils. Learn how to navigate using the night sky. Each page is packed with original ideas to help kids discover and explore plants and wildlife, with exciting activities for different habitats.

This fun-filled, full-colour RHS adventure handbook is full of ideas to help kids discover the great outdoors and get closer to nature. Created with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK's leading gardening charity. This beautifully illustrated book is packed with fun activities, handy tips and nature facts to encourage children to explore the wonderful world around them. Grow your own strawberries and runner beans Build a hibernation home for outdoor creatures Create a nature scrapbook to treasure Discover more about plants, trees and wildlife Each page is filled with inspiring ideas for discovering and exploring plants and wildlife, with exciting activities for all seasons and weathers.

Streit's father was a watchmaker who also kept bees, and it was in early childhood that Jakob developed a passion for the honeybee. This exquisite reader for Steiner-Waldorf schools factually and scientifically allows one to enter into the magic and mysterious world of the bees. It offers a useful transition from Class 4 to Class 5, moving from the Animal and the Human Being lesson block, to the Botany block. It is also recommended for Class 3. Along with another of Jacob Streit's books, Little Bee Sunbeam, it is one of two books recommended for the sexuality curriculum in the Waldorf school.

The clear skull markings on the thorax of the large and impressive Death's Head Hawk-moth are truly fascinating, often perceived as a threat or leading to superstitious and mythological beliefs. Here the author, an authority in mimicry, discusses why we are so intrigued by these markings but also explains how other animals may perceive its form and behaviour. This moth has evolved to deceive its main predators, especially birds and bats, and to rob bees of their honey without getting stung, again by deceiving them of its true nature, with acoustic, visual and chemical signals in play. It is able to do this because of the obvious, but usually overlooked, fact that other animals live in a different sensory world to us, i.e. their perceptions are different.