A Year of Garden Bees and Bugs - 52 stories of intriguing insects
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 natural history subjects. He contributes regularly to BBC Wildlife magazine and is a professional field trip guide. His critically acclaimed books include The Secret Lives of Garden Birds and The Secret Lives of Garden Wildlife. He is also the author of A Bird a Day, A Year of Birdsong and A Year of Garden Bees and Bugs. He lives in Dorset.
Gail Ashton is a wildlife photographer and writer with a passion for entomology. A few years ago she photographed and documented 500 UK invertebrates, which sent her down a path of discovery that has become a passion. She is the co-author of the book An Identification Guide to Garden Insects of Britain and North-West Europe. She lives in Hertfordshire.
ISBN: 9781849947954.
Publication Date: March 2024.
Format: Hardback.
Pages: 224.