Alien Worlds
How Insects Conquered the Earth, and Why Their Fate Will Determine Our Future
-
- $27.99
-
- $27.99
Publisher Description
A beautifully illustrated journey into the hidden realm of insects
Life on Earth depends on the busy activities of insects, but global populations of these teeming creatures are currently under threat, with grave consequences for us all. Alien Worlds presents insects and other arthropods as you have never seen them before, explaining how they conquered the planet and why there are so many of them, and shedding light on the evolutionary marvels that enabled them to thrive. Blending glorious imagery with entertaining and informative science writing, this book takes you inside the hidden realm of insects and reveals why their fate carries profound implications for our own.
Spectacular photos provide a rare, up-close look at the alien worlds of insectsSheds light on the origins and wondrous diversity of insectsDiscusses how insects first took to the air and colonised the far corners of our planetExplores the extraordinary sensory world of insectsExplains the remarkable success of social insects, from termites and ants to bees and wasps
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"We live in a world dominated by insects," according to this stunning survey. Nicholls (Flowers of the Field), a fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, explains that insects evolved from ancient marine arthropods (segmented invertebrates) that crawled onto land more than 400 million years ago. Soon after, some grew wings that gave them an edge against predators and helped them rapidly spread throughout the globe. Digging into the adaptations of insects mundane and exotic, Nicholls explains that the American cockroach has sense organs able to "detect the slightest air movement" and that glacier stoneflies produce "their own brand of antifreeze to survive" on the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina. He delves into the surprisingly complex social worlds of aphids, ants, bees, and grasshoppers, observing that Chromacris psittacus grasshoppers coordinate their feeding frenzies to maximize how much of a given leaf they can ingest before the poisonous plants they prey on deploy chemical defenses. Surprises abound, and gorgeous color photos provide intimate views of the species discussed. The result is an eye-popping tour of the weird and wild world of bugs. Photos.
