Dinosaurs, however toothy, did not rule the earth--and neither do
humans. But what were and are the true potentates of our planet?
Insects, says Scott Richard Shaw--"millions" and "millions" of
insect species. Starting in the shallow oceans of ancient Earth and
ending in the far reaches of outer space--where, Shaw proposes,
insect-like aliens may have achieved similar preeminence--"Planet
of the Bugs" spins a sweeping account of insects' evolution from
humble arthropod ancestors into the bugs we know and love (or fear
and hate) today.
Leaving no stone unturned, Shaw explores how evolutionary
innovations such as small body size, wings, metamorphosis, and
parasitic behavior have enabled insects to disperse widely, occupy
increasingly narrow niches, and survive global catastrophes in
their rise to dominance. Through buggy tales by turns bizarre and
comical--from caddisflies that construct portable houses or weave
silken aquatic nets to trap floating debris, to parasitic wasp
larvae that develop in the blood of host insects and, by storing
waste products in their rear ends, are able to postpone defecation
until after they emerge--he not only unearths how changes in our
planet's geology, flora, and fauna contributed to insects' success,
but also how, in return, insects came to shape terrestrial
ecosystems and amplify biodiversity. Indeed, in his visits to
hyperdiverse rain forests to highlight the current insect
extinction crisis, Shaw reaffirms just how crucial these tiny
beings are to planetary health and human survival.
In this age of honeybee die-offs and bedbugs hitching rides in the
spines of library books, "Planet of the Bugs "charms with humor,
affection, and insight into the world's six-legged creatures,
revealing an essential importance that resonates across time and
space.
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