'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Tuesday, 11 August 2020

Review: Encyclopedia of Insects

The Encyclopedia of Insects contains the ugly and the beautiful of the insect world. Over three hundred of them from all over the globe appear in this book, each with a role to play.

Insect bodies are divided into three parts: a head, thorax and abdomen.

Explored are their fascinating lifestyles, personal details, habits, habitats and appearance, Latin names, and their contribution to animals, humans and the environment.

Painted illustrations of all are displayed in vibrant colour. Known as the unsung heroes of the natural world, unfortunately, many species face extinction due to climate change and pollution.

Travelling through each entry via an astonishingly clever and informative narrative, we learn about these insects’ life stages – those of complete and incomplete metamorphosis, life spans, wing spans, where they are found and how they camouflage.

Especially interesting is the information available about insects of Australia (just a few). The Eusocial Weevil (Austroplatypus incompertus) found in eucalyptus forests, the gorgeous Jewel Beetles, (Temognatha Alternata) found in the forests of Queensland and the Golden Stag Beetle (Lamprima aurata) found throughout our country.

This is certainly an outstanding reference book for those interested in living things found in nature. Even the 200 species of nomad Army Ants (Hymenoptera) that carry their nests, the queen and larvae, plus the flesh-eating beetles and flies, play a significant role in the cycle of life.

Dragonflies, grasshoppers, slugs, Mayflies, spiders, snails and slugs. No matter how disgusting some people may find them, they exhibit a usefulness and rare value – each and every one of them.
  
Title: Encyclopedia of Insects
Author: Jules Howard
Illustrator: Miranda Zimmerman
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, $29.99
Publication Date: June 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780711249141
For ages: 12+
Type: Non Fiction