Insectopedia uncovers the fascinating and infinitely varied world of insects. It explores their intriguing behaviour and biology – from mating and breeding, metamorphosis and movement to sight, smell, hearing and their adaptations to heat and cold.

A chapter on superorganisms probes the curious phenomenon of social communities among insects; another covers the critical role that these creatures play in maintaining the fragile balance of life on our planet. The book concludes with a 60-page illustrated field guide, describing most insect orders and their main families.

Previously published as Insectlopedia of Southern Africa, this fully revised and redesigned edition includes up-to-date information throughout, an expanded ID section, and several hundred new photographs.

Insektopedie lê die betowering en ryke verskeidenheid van die wêreld van insekte bloot. Dit deurgrond hul fassinerende gedrag en biologie – van paring en broeigedrag, metamorfose en beweging tot sig, reuk, gehoor en hul aanpassings by hitte en koue.

’n Hoofstuk oor superorganismes ondersoek die merkwaardige verskynsel van sosiale gemeenskappe; ’n ander een dek die kritieke rol wat dié diertjies speel om die fyn balans van lewe op ons planeet in stand te hou.

Die boek sluit af met ’n 60-bladsy geïllustreerde veldgids wat die meeste insekordes en hul belangrikste families beskryf. Voorheen as Inseklopedie van Suider-Afrika gepubliseer, maar die nuwe uitgawe is nou grondig hersien en herontwerp, met die nuutste inligting, ’n uitgebreide ID-seksie en ’n paar honderd nuwe foto’s.

In hierdie titel gee die skrywer sy mening oor die ekologiese krisis en beveel aan dat ons ons hele wereldbeskouing verander, nie net ons tegnologie nie. Dit beteken ons ou volkie se pionierstalente kom weer in aanvraag. Hy glo ook parasiete is van groot nut vir die mensdom, want dink net hoe hierdie haglik oorbevolkte planeetjie nou al sou gelyk het sonder malaria! Het u geweet vegetariers is in werklikheid plantmoordenaars? Hulle is erger as vleiseters, want hulle pik op die mees weerlose lewende wesens wat nie eers kan skree of weghol nie. En diereregte-aktiviste is ongelukkig en onvrolik. Hulle het in der waarheid net een doel, en dis om ander mense ewe ongelukkig te maak. En hulle het geld. Soos die ikone van televisie-prediking weet hulle hoe om hulle bydraes uit naiewe ou tannies se sakke te rokkel. Wanneer die dood tersprake kom, glo hy ons instinkte lieg vir ons dat ons liggame onsterflik is. Ons verstand weet ons gaan sterf, maar ons arme instinktiewe liggame glo dit nie.

In the last few decades we were privileged to see a number of excellent field guides published on our insects, spiders and scorpions. A comprehensive treatment of the terrestrial arthropods has, however, not been done. With the 'Goggo Guide', the authors provide a practical full colour field guide to identify these fascinating groups and to explain their interesting biology, behaviour and ecology. This volume deals with the following groups: Velvet worms; wood lice and sand fleas; centipedes; millipedes; dwarf centipedes, double tails, springtails and proto insects; whip spiders, small whip scorpions, book scorpions and harvesters; mites; ticks; scorpions; romans; spiders. All the groups are highlighted with full colour photographs with scale identification, illustrations, classification explanations and a comprehensive term list.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.