biology

A photographic tribute to the microscopic insects that share our gardens, floorboards, and bedsheets. Clad in spiked and scaled armor, lance-like pincers at the ready, Phillips explores the hidden beauty of insect anatomy. Drawing on his life-long love of insect biology and microscopy Phillips has produced a mesmerizing look into the hidden world of the insect form. The 150 photographs in this book, all taken using an electron microscope, reveal an amazing variety of anatomical structures normally invisible to the human eye: a wax surface that prevents evaporation, antennae that sense molecules that are undetectable by other animals, and feet that allow insects to walk upside down on almost any surface. Organized with the nonscientific reader in mind, Art and Architecture of Insects explores the intricate structures of some of our planet’s most fascinating residents. This book’s stunning photography and entertaining facts will fill readers with a sense of wonder at the unseen universe that surrounds them. Whether young or old, jaded insect-lover or new to the awe-inspiring strangeness of insect exoskeletons, one thing is certain: You will never look at insects in the same way again.

In looking at cicadas, as well as other humming, clicking, and thrumming insects, this book considers the radical notion that humans got our idea of rhythm, synchronization, and dance from the world of insect sounds that surrounded our species during the millions of years over which we evolved. Rothenberg explores a unique part of our relationship with nature and sound – the music of insects that has provided a soundtrack for humanity throughout the history of our species
This book continues Rothenberg’s research and writing on the relationship between human and animal music, and it follows him as he explores the exotic insect markets in Shanghai, plays his saxophone with crickets and other insects, and confers with researchers and scientists nationwide.

The nocturnal songs of insects are lures and warnings, full of risks and rewards for these tiny competitive performers. What moves crickets and katydids to sing, how they produce their distinctive sounds, how they hear the songs of others, and how they vary cadence, volume, and pitch to attract potential mates, warn off competitors, and evade predators is part of the engaging story this book tells. Himmelman’s narrative weaves together his personal experiences as an amateur naturalist in search of crickets and katydids with the stories of scientists who study these insects professionally. He also offers instructions for bringing a few of the little singers into our homes and gardens. We can, Himmelman suggests, be reawakened to these night songs that have meant so much to the human psyche. The online insect calls that accompany this colourfully illustrated narrative provide a bridge of sound to our past and to our vital connection with other species.

The second edition of the text that for thirty years served as the fundamental introduction to a field of study that has been growing enormously. Today, new technologies and understandings are allowing questions to be shaped – and answered – in ways that once could not have been envisioned. However, massive new information also can overwhelm and obscure the broader perspectives needed to put new discoveries into context. Thus, the times fairly demand that students and non-specialists seek a wider understanding of diverse proximate and ultimate forces that cause animals to behave as they do. This book provides that opportunity. The authors strike a balance between modern developments and historical insights, between new examples and old, between empirical work and theory, and between pertinent conclusions and the dynamic field and laboratory experiences from which such discoveries arise. Considerably updated and expanded, this edition includes 26 case studies, as well as 45 new colour plates and 173 figures (over 40 per cent of them new) with detailed legends that add richness to the well-written, accessible text.

Provides a balanced treatment of the theory and practice of pure and applied insect ecology. Suitable for general readers, professionals, and students of varying levels, this work offers coverage of physiological, genetic, molecular, and ecosystem aspects of insect ecology, using reference to primary literature and real world examples.