The harvesting, processing and consumption of edible insects is one of the main keys to the sustainability of food chains on the African continent. Insects are the largest and most successful group of animals on the planet and it is estimated that they comprise 80% of all animals. This makes edible insects extremely important to the future survival of large populations across Africa and the world. Insects offer a complete animal protein that includes all 9 essential amino acids and are very competitive with other protein sources. They are also a good source of beneficial unsaturated fats, and many insects have a perfect Omega 3:6 balance. African Edible Insects As Alternative Source of Food, Oil, Protein and Bioactive Components comprehensively outlines the importance of edible insects as food and animal feed and the processing of insects in Africa. The text also highlights indigenous knowledge of edible insects and shows the composition and nutritional value of these insects, plus presents reviews of current research and developments in this rapidly expanding field. All of the main types of edible insects are covered, including their nutritional value, chemical makeup, and harvesting and processing details. The various preparation technologies are covered for each insect, as are their individual sensory qualities and safety aspects. A key aspect of this work is its focus on the role of insects in edible oils and gelatins. Individual chapters focus on entomophagy in Africa and the various key aspects of the continent's growing edible insect consumption market. As it becomes increasingly clear that the consumption of insects will play a major role in the sustainability of food chains in Africa, this work can be used as a comprehensive and up-to-date singular source for researchers looking for a complete overview on this crucial topic.

Introducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience - classics which will endure for generations to come. What if intelligent life on earth not only evolved on land, but also in the sea? Other Minds is a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself - a story that largely occurs in the ocean, where animals first appeared. Tracking the mind's fitful development over millennia, Other Minds explores the incredible evolutionary journey of the cephalopods. What kind of intelligence do they possess? And how did the octopus, a solitary creature with little social life, become so smart? Heralded as the 'scuba-diving philosopher' when Other Minds first published, Peter Godfrey-Smith explores the underwater world and the concept of sentience to trace the question of inner life back to its roots. By comparing human beings with our most remarkable animal relatives, Other Minds casts crucial new light on the octopus mind - and on our own.

This book presents the latest information on canine parasites with zoonotic potential, to help avoid human infections. Compiled by international specialists, it covers protozoa, ectoparasites and helminth species of clinical importance in dogs, as well as the state of the art in diagnosis, preventive measures and potentially necessary treatment schemes. Dogs are commonly kept in families around the world and can predispose their human companions to disease. Updating and deepening insights from other specialist literature, the book is intended for practitioners and scientists alike. It also offers practical guidance for veterinary and human physicians and highlights unexplored research areas, making it a valuable resource for students and educated non-experts with an interest in parasitology, infectiology and zoonotic pet diseases.

The Theraphosidae are the most famous and diverse mygalomorph spiders, and include some of the largest arachnids on earth. Their unique defense mechanisms, predatory tactics, reproductive strategies and ecological adaptations are displayed by a wide range of terrestrial, burrowing and arboreal species. These arachnids are familiar to the general public thanks to horror movies and a growing interest in tarantulas as pets; however, scientific information on the group is scattered throughout the literature and not easily available. This book reviews all major aspects of New World Theraphosid tarantulas and provides in-depth information on their evolution, taxonomy, behavior, physiology, ecology, reproduction, conservation and biogeography. As a comprehensive guide to the biology of tarantulas, it will appeal to researchers, students and terrarium hobbyists alike.

All kinds of bugs are hiding behind colorful Easter eggs, just waiting for you to find them!
(And there are lots more fun surprises, too!)

Based on over 2,500 specimens representing all the species of Leptinotarsa in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, this book includes studies on 31 of the 41 known species of the world. Included are host records, when available, and distribution data. The most complete information is available for nine species found in the United States.

Represents the first comprehensive study of these moths in North America north of Mexico using modern systematic procedures involving assessment of a number of morphological and biological characters in relation to their phylogenetic status. This study also represents a worldwide generic study made in conjunction with the revision of the North American species, primarily to ascertain realistic generic limits and the placement of the various genera once included in the heterogeneous concept of the family. Extralimital genera are noted in a catalog of generic names associated with the Glyphipterigidae.

From ancient cave paintings of honey bee nests to modern science's richly diversified investigation of honey bee biology and its applications, the human imagination has long been captivated by the mysterious and highly sophisticated behavior of this paragon among insect societies. In the first broad treatment of honey bee biology to appear in decades, Mark Winston provides rare access to the world of this extraordinary insect. In a bright and engaging style Winston probes the dynamics of the honey bee's social organization. He recreates for us the complex infrastructure of the nest, describes the highly specialized behavior of workers, queens, and drones, and examines in detail the remarkable ability of the honey bee colony to regulate its functions according to events within and outside the nest. Winston integrates into his discussion the results of recent studies, bringing into sharp focus topics of current bee research. These include the exquisite architecture of the nest and its relation to bee physiology; the intricate division of labor and the relevance of a temporal caste structure to efficient functioning of the colony; and, finally, the life-death struggles of swarming, supersedure, and mating that mark the reproductive cycle of the honey bee. "The Biology of the Honey Bee" not only reviews the basic aspects of social behavior, ecology, anatomy, physiology, and genetics, it also summarizes major controversies in contemporary honey bee research, such as the importance of kin recognition in the evolution of social behavior and the role of the well-known dance language in honey bee communication. Thorough, well-illustrated, and lucidly written, this book will for many years be a valuable resource for scholars, students, and beekeepers alike.

During the past quarter century, there has been a tremendous expansion in our knowledge about gastropods, their behavior and their neurobiology. We can understand a great deal about mammaliam nervous systems by studying the relatively larger and simpler structure of the gastropod nervous system. Behavior and its Neural Control in Gastropod Molluscs first reviews the broader aspects of molluscan biology and draws attention to the special features of the gastropod nervous system. The book then examines different types of behavior, reviewing progress in understanding the mechanisms of neural control, and emphasizing cases in which control can be attributed to identified neurons and indentified neural circuits.

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.

The go-to photographic guide to Britain and Ireland's insects Britain's Insects is an innovative, up-to-date, carefully designed and beautifully illustrated field guide to Britain and Ireland's twenty-five insect orders, concentrating on popular groups and species that can be identified in the field. Featuring superb photographs of live insects, the guide covers the key aspects of identification and provides information on status, distribution, seasonality, habitat, food plants and behaviour. It also offers insight into the life history of the various insect groups, many of which are truly amazing. This is the go-to guide for entomologists, naturalists, gardeners, wildlife photographers and anyone else interested in insects, whatever their level of knowledge. More than 2,600 stunning photographs, carefully selected to show key identification features Photo guides to every insect order, covering 316 families and almost 850 genera Covers 1,653 species, of which 1,476 are illustrated Designed to allow easy, accurate comparison of similar species Up-to-date distribution maps and charts summarizing adult seasonality QR codes that link to sound recordings of grasshoppers and crickets Information on photographing and recording insects to help conservation

Drosophila, the common fruit fly, is the most extensively studied of all organisms from the standpoint of genetics and cytology. This atlas summarizes what is known about the approximately 100 Drosophila genes for which the complete nucleotide sequence is known. Each entry includes a description of the gene's molecular organization and expression, the complete nucleotide and amino acid sequences, maps of interesting structures, highlights of functional features and promoter regulatory regions, and selected references to the primary literature. A separate section of the atlas considers different aspects of gene organization as they occur in the Drosophila genome. Topics covered include size correlations among various genetic elements, splicing signals, translation initiation signals, and codon bias. The work represents a new milestone in summarizing current information and making it easily accessible to geneticists and biologists.

This book reviews the latest research on bioproducts from various economically important insects, such as silkworms, honey bees, lac and drosophila, and termites, and discusses their general, biomedical and industrial applications in detail. It includes chapters focusing on insects as a food source, probiotics, silk-based biomaterials, insect pheromones, insects as biomedicine source, pupa oil chemistry, non-protein compounds from Lepidopteran insects, insect chitin and chitosan, polyphenols and flavonoids. Model insects like Bombyx mori or bees were domesticated in Asian countries thousands of years ago. Over time, natural products from these animals became industrialized and today they attracting increasing attention thanks to their sustainability and their manifold applications in agriculture and biomedicine. The book is intended for entomologists, material scientists, natural product researchers and biotechnologists.

"Insect Sampling in Forest Ecosystems" highlights the problems faced by entomologists working in forest ecosystems. It suggests ways in which their methodology can be modified so as to be understood by ecologists and become accepted within the general fields of ecology and entomology.

Insect sampling, although firmly based on standard ecological census techniques, presents special problems that are not faced by other ecologists. With the small size, varied life cycles, rapid rates of increase, and ingenious adaptations to habitats of insects, ecological entomologists face problems that are somewhat different to those faced by vertebrate or plant ecologists. Furthermore, forest ecosystems, whether natural or manmade, present special problems to the ecologists working beneath their canopies.

This book will be essential reading for advanced students and researchers as well as teachers across the whole spectrum of education.

Over the course of his photography career, Daniel Kariko came to realise that many of his most stunning subjects could be found in his own home. Kariko utilises a combination of a Scanning Electron Microscope and optical Stereo Microscope to achieve a portrait-like effect for insects and arthropods. Vibrant in colour and surprising in personality, these images reveal such details as the glittering eyes of a horsefly, the strong legs of a centipede and the fetching smile of a honeybee. Each photograph comes with a full-body illustration from artist Isaac Talley and character descriptions from entomologist Tim Christensen. Blurring the lines of art and science, Aliens Among Us is a guidebook for anyone interested in putting a face to the creepy-crawlies under the couch.

Knowledge of insect movement, particularly of flight, is crucial to our understanding of the great ecological and evolutionary success of insects. The last 20 years have seen many advances in this subject area. New fields have arisen, such as metapopulation theory, and dramatic developments have taken place in methods of studying movement, as a result of new techniques in molecular biology and radar monitoring. There have also been advances in our knowledge of flight-related physiology and behavior. This book, which is based on the main papers presented at the Royal Entomological Society's 20th Symposium held in September 1999, brings us up to date with these developments. It contains chapters on flight mechanisms, foraging movements, migration, the evolution of movement strategies, the interactions between dispersal rates, population structure and gene flow the effects of climate change on geographical distribution. It is essential reading for entomologists, and of interest to those researching animal behavior, physiology, ecology and genetics.

Overviews of biochemical, genetic, and molecular perspectives of plant-insect interactions with added emphasis on bioinformatic, genomic, and transcriptome analysis are comprehensively treated in this book. It presents the agro-ecological and evolutionary aspects of plant-insect interactions with an exclusive focus on the climate change effect on the resetting of plant-insect interactions. A valuable resource for biotechnologists, entomologists, agricultural scientists, and policymakers, the book includes theoretical aspects as a base toward real-world applications of holistic integrated pest management in agro-ecosystems.

The Eponym Dictionary of Odonata is a comprehensive listing of all people after whom damselflies and dragonflies have been named in scientific or common names. Each entry provides details of the species and a brief biography of the person. It is also cross-referenced so that the relationships between scientific authors, entomologists and others can be followed. Many entries have been contributed by the people so honoured who are not necessarily odonatologists, entomologists, zoologists or even great men of science. Many damselflies and dragonflies are named for the author's family members, friends and those who collected the species holotypes, while others are figures from myth or history. In fact, it could be anything from the author's mother to a favourite musician! Because entries may include details of dates, places, educational and work institutions, it is possible to discover information about each person and for a picture to be built of how the science sometimes follows groupings of colleagues or those significantly influenced by charismatic teachers. The Dictionary includes other names which might, at a glance, be thought to be eponyms yet are not in the truest sense. These may be species named after characteristics embodied in characters from literature, whole peoples, acronyms or toponyms, etc. To some extent it can read like a canon of the great women and men of science over the last several centuries. Interestingly there are species named after as many as three generations of the same family, veiled references to old lovers, sycophantic homage, financial patronage, etc., as well as all the more `legitimate' reasons for naming species. Not surprisingly, odonatologists exhibit a range of opinion on the practice, from naming all species after people, to wanting all eponyms banned; they can be totally humourless and pedantic or full of fun and irreverence. Like all of us they have as many reasons for their namings as ordinary folk have for naming their children or pets! Underlying all this, however, is the value of this volume in cataloguing this fascinating aspect of science for all users, whether scientists or interested lay readers.

Mites are among the most important arthropods in greenhouses, both as pests causing economic injury to greenhouse crops, and as natural enemies used in the biological control of pest insects and other mites. Because of their minute size, mites are much less well known than insects. This book describes the biology, identification and control of such mites and the topics covered include an introduction to the Acari, illustrated keys to orders, families and selected species, the control of pest mites, and the role of beneficial mites in biological control. The book will be of interest to those working in entomology, crop protection and horticulture.

The measurement of metabolic rates is central to important questions in many areas of physiological research. Unfortunately these measurements are anything but straightforward, with numerous pitfalls awaiting both the novice and even the experienced investigator. The original edition of this work, published in 2008, quickly became the principle "how to" manual for the field. It successfully de-mystified the topic, explaining every common variation of metabolic rate measurement. Background information on different analyzer and equipment types allowed users to choose the best instruments for their application. Respirometry equations, normally a topic of terror and confusion to researchers, were derived and described in sufficient detail to facilitate their selection and use. In this new edition, the content has been thoroughly updated and a decade of new literature incorporated. New chapters on room calorimetry, human metabolic measurement, and metabolic phenotyping have also been added. Measuring Metabolic Rates is aimed at experimental biologists, physiologists, and any professional scientist involved with metabolic measurement. This practical handbook will also be of relevance and use to graduate students.

Insects represent over half of the planet's biological diversity. This popular textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to this extraordinary diversity, and places entomology central to the theory and practice of evolutionary and ecological studies.

Fully revised, this fifth edition opens with a chapter concerning the popular side of insect studies, including insects in citizen science, zoos and butterfly houses, and insects as food for humans and animals. Key features of insect structure, function, behaviour, ecology and classification are integrated with appropriate molecular studies, including the latest international studies. Much of the book is organized around major biological themes: living on the ground, in water, on plants, in colonies, and as predators, parasites/parasitoids and prey insects. A strong evolutionary theme is maintained throughout.

There is major revision to the chapter on systematics and taxonomy, and a new chapter, Insects in a Changing World, includes insect responses to, and the consequences of, both climate change and human-assistedglobal alterations to distributions. Updated 'Taxoboxes' demonstrate topical issues and provide conciseinformation on all aspects of each of the 28 major groupings (orders) of insects, plus the three orders of non-insect hexapods. New boxes describe a worrying increase in insect threats to landscape and commercial trees (including eucalypts, palms and coffee) and explain the value of molecular genetic data, including evolutionary developmental biology and DNA barcoding, in insect biodiversity studies.The authors maintain the clarity and conciseness of earlier editions, and extend the profuse illustrations with new hand-drawn figures. Over 50 colour photographs, together with the informative text and an accompanying website with links to video clips, appendices, textboxes and further reading lists, encourage a deeper scientificstudy of insects. The book is intended as the principal text for students studying entomology, as well as a reference text for undergraduate and graduate courses in fields of ecology, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, palaeontology, zoology, and medical and veterinary science.

This study of distribution, abundance and population size variation in animals (formerly regarded as pure ecological subjects) is presented in an evolutionary framework. Arguing that evolved characters of organisms such as morphology, behavior and life history influence their ecological relationships, this new conceptual framework is broadly relevant to ecologists, evolutionary biologists, behavioral scientists and entomologists.