Innumerable Insects
The Story of the Most Diverse and Myriad Animals on Earth
A fascinating look at the world's most numerous inhabitants, illustrated with stunning images from the American Museum of Natural History's Rare Book Collection.
To date, we have discovered and described or named around 1.1 million insect species, and thousands of new species are added to the ranks every year. It is estimated that there are around five million insect species on Earth, making them the most diverse lineage of all life by far. This magnificent volume from the American Museum of Natural History tells their incredible story. Noted entomologist Michael S. Engel explores insects' evolution and diversity; metamorphosis; pests, parasites, and plagues; society and language; camouflage; and pollination—as well as tales of discovery by intrepid entomologists. More than 180 illustrations from the Rare Book Collection at the Museum's Research Library reveal the extraordinary world of insects down to their tiniest, most astonishing details, from butterflies' iridescent wings to beetles' vibrant colors.
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Publisher
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Release date
November 9, 2018 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781454933526
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781454933526
- File size: 39809 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Publisher's Weekly
September 17, 2018
Engel, a University of Kansas biology professor, delves into the American Museum of Natural History’s rare book collection, specifically its “thousands of marvelously illustrated books” about insects, to create a book as aesthetically pleasing as it is informative. Insects, Engel explains, are indeed innumerable, with perhaps as many as 30 million extant species. They can also be set apart from the rest of the planet’s life in many respects, since “insects were among the earliest animals to transition to land, the first to fly, the first to sing, the first to disguise themselves with camouflage, the first to evolve societies, the first to develop agriculture, and the first to use an abstract language.” Engel covers insect diversity, evolution, ecology, and physiology, among other topics, while including intriguing vignettes about early entomologists, including Maria Sibylla Merian, Julius T.C. Ratzeburg, and Jan Swammerdam. With so much ground to cover, Engel doesn’t go into great detail about any one point, but there’s enough substance to satisfy most readers. The images, however, are the stars of this work, which will delight every entomophile who turns its pages. -
Library Journal
Engel (research affiliate, American Museum of Natural History; coauthor, Evolution of the Insects) explores the identification and classification of insects, along with habitat, habits, and life cycles. From gorgeously documented beetles and butterflies to Robert Hooke's detailed black-and-white flea, the illustrations from the museum's Rare Book Collection highlight diversity and specialized adaptations. Even the drawing of a giant cave cockroach (not native to the United States!) is captivating. Biographies of notable scientists and illustrators who contributed to insect knowledge appear occasionally. VERDICT An engrossing addition for most libraries.
Copyright 1 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Formats
- Kindle Book
- OverDrive Read
- EPUB ebook
subjects
Languages
- English
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