Weird Insects

After a brief introduction extolling the diversity and anatomy that define and identifies insects, Worek gets to the task at hand, providing the common and Latin names of each subject before diving into short, factoid-laden paragraphs focused on the weirdest and most intricate insects found around the globe. There’s no table of contents or even definitive groupings for the sequence in which the bugs appear. The photographs, however, redeem the spare layout, displaying our creepy-crawlies in all their odd glories. Some are jeweled, others translucent, and some are outright menacing, but the bright photographic depiction of each manages to be mesmerizing–sharp, full-color close-ups showcase the knobby, extended neck of the giraffe-neck weevil and the textured red-and-black back of the red velvet ant (which–surprise!–is actually a wasp). Those fascinated by the lovely variety of the insect world will have plenty to dissect here.–Courtney Jones “Booklist” (12/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)

Amazing photographs of many beautiful and bizarre insects make this book a browsers delight.–Paula Wittmann “Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children’s and Young Adult Literature” (4/17/2014 12:00:00 AM)

This stunning array of spectacular bugs is a companion volume to Erich Hoyt’s equally eye-catching Weird Sea Creatures. A gallery of brilliantly clear, color photos gives intimate, close-up looks at just 59 of the millions of insects crawling, flying, scurrying, and burrowing on our planet, but Worek’s choices open up a visual treasure house of the class Insecta. From metallic armored beetles to lacy-winged flies to spiny caterpillars, the pictures glow on the crisp white pages… This is not a book for in-depth research, but for the curious of mind and those with an understanding of biological diversity and evolutionary differentiation, it’s a visual feast and–oh my–those pictures!–Patricia Manning “School Library Journal” (12/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)

Michael Worek is an editor and publisher with a lifelong interest in natural history.

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