Planet Of The Bugs

This “excellent guide to the history of our planet” offers a bugs-eye view of evolution, biodiversity, and todays ecological crises (The Guardian, UK). According to entomologist Scott Richard Shaw, dinosaurs never ruled the earth—and neither do humans. The true potentates of our planet are, and always have been, insects. Starting in the shallow oceans of ancient Earth and ending in the far reaches of outer space—where insect-like aliens may also reign—Planet of the Bugs spins a sweeping account of insects’ evolution from humble arthropod ancestors into the bugs we know 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 bizarre and buggy tales—from caddisflies that construct portable houses to parasitic wasp larvae that develop in the blood of host insects—he demonstrates how changes in our planet’s geology, flora, and fauna contributed to insects’ success, and also how, in return, insects came to shape terrestrial ecosystems. And in his visits to hyperdiverse rain forests to highlight the current insect extinction crisis, Shaw reaffirms how crucial these tiny beings are to planetary health and human survival.

Chronicles the evolution of insects and explains how evolutionary innovations have enabled them to disperse widely, occupy narrow niches, and survive global catastrophes.

"This is a lovely little book that could and should have a big impact...Let’s all get rebugging right away!"—Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Meet the intelligent insects, marvelous minibeasts, and inspirational invertebrates that help shape our planet—and discover how you can help them help us by rebugging your attitude today! Remember when there were bugs on your windshield? Ever wonder where they went? We need to act now if we are to help the insects survive. Robin Wall Kimmerer, David Attenborough, and Elizabeth Kolbert are but a few voices championing the rewilding of our world. Rebugging the Planet explains how we are headed toward “insectageddon” with a rate of insect extinction eight times faster than that of mammals or birds, and gives us crucial information to help all those essential creepy-crawlies flourish once more. Author Vicki Hird passionately demonstrates how insects and invertebrates are the cornerstone of our global ecosystem. They pollinate plants, feed birds, support and defend our food crops, and clean our water systems. They are also beautiful, inventive, and economically invaluable—bees, for example, contribute an estimated $235 to $577 billion to the US economy annually, according to Forbes. Rebugging the Planet shows us small changes we can make to have a big impact on our littlest allies: Learn how to rewild parks, schools, sidewalks, roadsides, and other green spaces. Leave your garden to grow a little wild and plant weedkiller-free, wildlife-friendly plants. Take your kids on a minibeast treasure hunt and learn how to build bug palaces. Make bug-friendly choices with your food and support good farming practices Begin to understand how reducing inequality and poverty will help nature and wildlife too—it’s all connected. So do your part and start rebugging today! The bees, ants, earthworms, butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, ladybugs, snails, and slugs will thank you—and our planet will thank you too.

From moths and beetles to worms and spiders, this completely illustrated, fact-filled book features hundreds of creepy-crawlies for kids to discover and explore. This gorgeously illustrated book reveals the hidden world of some of the most mind-boggling insects. Divided into categorical sections like herbivores and predators, Bugs of the World includes beetles, wasps, bees, ants, caterpillars, butterflies, dragonflies, spiders, flies, crickets and grasshoppers, centipedes and millipedes, and more. Each of the 250 insects featured is accompanied by beautiful illustrations and facts about the creature, including its common name and scientific name, its size, its continent of origin, and a brief description of its unique characteristics. Kids will also learn about the different life cycles of insects, why they are important to ecology and our world, the planet's most dangerous insects, how bugs camouflage themselves, and so much more.

Discover the insects of the world! Earth’s creepy crawlies may be small but they are far from boring! Learn how they contribute to life on the planet, where they live, what they eat, how their bodies work and what makes them so special. This beautifully illustrated bug book for kids for ages 7-9 is packed with: • Fascinating information about bugs that supports and goes beyond the curriculum • Stories and facts to convey the amazing world of creepy-crawlies • Facts and information, with detailed illustrations and photographs of insects, spiders, molluscs and more • Compelling text written by insect expert, author and television presenter Jess French • Stunning photographs of individual creatures, from beetles to butterflies Take a magical journey through the forest floor, down into the deepest caves and even across the open ocean. The Book of Brilliant Bugs, written by insect expert Jess French, takes children on an expedition into the bug kingdom. The insect book is filled with fascinating facts about these little animals, how bugs pass on messages, compete for food, seek true love and fill the air with buzzing wings. It also shows how bugs help look after our planet and how we can help them. Young animal enthusiasts can spot and learn all the main bug groups. From worms, snails, millipedes and centipedes, spiders and scorpions, woodlice, bees and even bugs that glow! This educational natural science book will encourage children to love and appreciate science and nature.

Most North Americans would rather squish a bug than eat it. But mopane worms are a tasty snack in Zimbabwe, baby bees are eaten right out of the can in Japan, and grasshopper tacos are popular in Mexico. More than one-fourth of the world's population eats insects—a practice called entomophagy. Bugs for Breakfast helps middle-grade readers understand the role insects fill in feeding people around the world. Readers will be introduced to the insect specialties and traditions around the globe. They'll discover how nutritious bugs can be and why dining on insects is more environmentally friendly than eating traditional protein sources. Kids will see how making small changes in their own diets could help ensure no one goes hungry. It even includes 13 insect recipes! No doubt about it: teachers, librarians, and parents are hungry for books that entice young readers to be active participants in science. Bugs for Breakfast may not completely remove the yuck-factor from the notion of eating bugs, but it will open young readers' minds to what is happening in the world around them.

Presents a guide to keeping insects as pets, covering topics such as selection of species, legal issues, appropriate housing, temperature, decorations, health issues, feeding, water, mixed-species terrariums, spiders, beetles, and long-legged bugs, and possible dangers.