Ants are found everywhere from garden to mountaintop. They are at their most diverse in the tropics, but that does not make the 60 or so species in our part of the world any less intriguing or significant. As social insects, ants have fascinating life histories. Ecologically, they are highly important and influential. From tiny guest ants living ......
A natural and cultural history of the oft-reviled slug, exploring the important role of these exquisite molluscs within ecosystems, their evolution and our complex relationship with them. Whether we are fascinated or repelled by them, few of us are indifferent to slugs. In evolutionary terms, they are among the most successful animals on the ......
The almost unnaturally bright light of the Glow-worm has puzzled, charmed and fascinated generations of poets, artists, scientists and nature lovers. But now, this enigmatic species is in decline and under threat. This book describes the life of Lampyris noctiluca, how it feeds, grows, defends itself and breeds; its natural enemies, its ......
Butterflies of West Virginia and the Central Appalachians illuminates a world hotspot of biodiversity at a crossroads of northern and southern habitats. Butterflies are a stunning example of this multiplicity, with 124 species appearing regularly. In this first-of-its-kind guide, Susan P. Olcott and Casey B. Rucker introduce readers to the natural ......
Spittlebugs is a comprehensive introduction to an economically important but relatively little-known group of insects of the superfamily Cercopoidea. Spittlebugs are found across all continents except Antarctica. Although harmless to a majority of their host plants, several species have become significant pests of sugarcane and pasture grasses in ......
A Practical Introduction to Biology and Identification
For the first time, here is a practical guide to marine plankton as seen and collected from the seashore. Perfect for naturalists and ecologists, amateur or professional alike, this book accesses a captivating hidden world. Illustrated throughout with stunning photographs, the multitudes of microscopic life-forms typically found in seawater that ......
A photographic ID guide to the most commonly encountered marine species
As one of the world's most popular holiday destinations, the Mediterranean is rich in wildlife, including a wealth of wonders to be found under the sea. Many visitors are attracted by snorkelling and so, for the first time, this book provides an easy-to-use identification guide specifically aimed at holiday snorkellers. Here you can discover all ......
High Park, at Blenheim in Oxfordshire UK, is a SSSI of great significance for its numerous ancient oaks and the organisms associated with these trees. This book gives a detailed, lavishly illustrated and thoroughly researched description of the biodiversity and natural history of what is by several measures the most significant site for ancient ......
A brief but engaging look at the fascinating world of ants. In Ants, researcher Joachim Offenberg encourages us to take a closer look at the ant: a small insect, but mighty in number and evolutionary sophistication. Exhibiting highly advanced social structures, the ability to control and manipulate other organisms, and the use of medicinal ......
