A Year of Garden Bees and Bugs

52 stories of intriguing insects

Dominic Couzens, Gail Ashton, Lesley Buckingham

$37.99

Hardback

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English

Batsford
20 March 2024

Mathematics & Sciences; Wildlife: butterflies, other insects & spiders

A fascinating journey into the secret life of insects, experts Dominic Couzens and Gail Ashton discover 52 minibeasts from around the world, every week of the year.

Just as birds have yearly rhythms, so do insects, bees, beetles and butterflies, and they tell the story of what is happening week-by-week in the insect world, in our own backyards and just outside our patio doors. From the daily grind of the house spider building a new web each morning, to the vast appetites of ladybirds, which can devour hundreds of aphids a day, and the glory of the Stag beetle's maiden flight. We delve into the world of the lethal Sydney funnelweb spider in Australian gardens, the migratory mission of the Monarch butterfly in America and the life of the backdoor scorpions in South Africa. In amongst the seasonal behaviour, the authors have woven history and folkloric tales - from Cardinal Wolsey's fear of spiders to how flies can solve murders.

These brilliant stories are complemented by wonderful, commissioned illustrations that bring out the beauty of the entomological world, and the QR code for each one takes you to a video or audio file that really brings the creatures to life. A book for any nature lover to reveal the true wonder of our insect neighbours.

By: Dominic Couzens, Gail Ashton
Illustrated by: Lesley Buckingham
Imprint: Batsford
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 221mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781849947954
ISBN 10: 1849947953
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 20 March 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction Sydney Funnel-web Spider Brimstone Butterfly Humming Hoverfly Mayfly Buff-tailed Bumblebee Springtail Driver Ant Cotton Harlequin Bug Ashy Mining Bee Peacock Butterfly Dark-edged Bee-fly Luna Moth Pond Skater/Water Strider Backswimmer Honey Bee Milkweed Leaf Beetle Black Widow spider Seven Spot Ladybird German Wasp Ruby Tailed Wasp Violet Carpenter Bee Globe Skimmer Rose Chafer Soldier Beetle Garden Tiger Dog Day Cicada Black Ant Tiger Swallowtail Stag Beetle Aphids Common Froghopper Elephant Hawk Moth Marmalade Hoverfly True Katydid Fall Field Cricket Hummingbird Hawk Moth Ivy Bee Yellow Garden Spider Monarch Butterfly Fire Ant Foam Grasshopper Green Lacewing House Spider Cranefly Large Yellow Underwing Garden Spider Peacock Jumping Spider Cape Mountain Rifles Bean Beetle Mantis Heliconid Greenbottle Earwig Woodlice Index Acknowlegements

Dominic Couzens has written many books on birds and birdwatching, including two books published by Collins: Identifying Birds by Behaviour and Birds of Britain and Ireland. He is a leader of specialised bird tours both at home and abroad, and is a regular contributor to Birdwatch and BBC Wildlife magazines.