The Science Times Book of Insects

Rating:
Summary: Some fascinating natural histories
Review: This book preserves some of the best of the NY Times - Science Times writing. Most fascinating to me are the stories of social insects, such as bees swarming around a hornet and producing enough heat to "fry them" or ants and fungus cohabitating. Also fascinating were the insects not normally thought of as social - but occurring in groups; such as 16,000 dung beetles on one elephant patty, and the communal tropical spider in groups of 165,000 in Mexico (sounds like a scene out of Harry Potter). The spiders of course aren't insects, but thrown in for good measure.

There are also fascinating stories of extremes such as the Saharan silver ants that survive in 140 degree F heat. Also interesting are tales of the entomologist, Dr. Raffensperger, the consulting insect detective, or the conservation biologist who is willing to doom the "Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly" to extinction. These short essays, and occasional illustrations are delightful. Lest you think insects inconsequential, they outweigh humans by a factor of 50.

Rating:
Summary: Some fascinating natural histories
Review: This book preserves some of the best of the NY Times - Science Times writing. Most fascinating to me are the stories of social insects, such as bees swarming around a hornet and producing enough heat to "fry them" or ants and fungus cohabitating. Also fascinating were the insects not normally thought of as social - but occurring in groups; such as 16,000 dung beetles on one elephant patty, and the communal tropical spider in groups of 165,000 in Mexico (sounds like a scene out of Harry Potter). The spiders of course aren't insects, but thrown in for good measure.

There are also fascinating stories of extremes such as the Saharan silver ants that survive in 140 degree F heat. Also interesting are tales of the entomologist, Dr. Raffensperger, the consulting insect detective, or the conservation biologist who is willing to doom the "Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly" to extinction. These short essays, and occasional illustrations are delightful. Lest you think insects inconsequential, they outweigh humans by a factor of 50.