A fascinating journey into the secret life of insects, with QR codes linked to videos that bring every creature to life.

Just as birds have yearly rhythms, so do bees, beetles, butterflies and other insects. Wildlife experts Dominic Couzens and Gail Ashton discover 52 minibeasts from around the world.

They tell the story of what is happening week-by-week in the insect world, in our own backyards, window boxes and in hidden corners of our homes. 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 among the seasonal behaviour, the authors have woven history and folklore.

These brilliant stories are complemented by wonderful illustrations by Lesley Buckingham that bring out the beauty of the entomological world. A QR code for each entry takes you to a video file to further explore the habits of these intriguing creatures. Revealing the true wonder of our insect neighbours, this book will appeal to all nature lovers.



Dominic Couzens is a British author and journalist specialising in avian and natural history subjects. He contributes regularly to BBC Wildlife magazines; and is also a professional field trip guide. His critically acclaimed books include The Secret Lives of Garden Birds (Guardian wildlife book of the year), The Secret Lives of British Birds (The Times wildlife books of the year), and The Secret Lives of Garden Wildlife. He is also the author of A Bird a Day and A Year of Birdsong, both published by Batsford. He lives in Dorset.

Gail Ashton is a highly experienced wildlife photographer and writer with a passion for entomology. She believes it's the little things that makes the world go round. A few years ago she began a year-long project to photograph and document 500 UK invertebrates, which sent her down a path of discovery that has become a passion, and shows in this book. She is also the co-author of the book, An Identification Guide to Garden Insects of Britain and North-West Europe. She lives in Hertfordshire.

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