Amazon.com

This book works from an ingenious, unstated premise: birds eat insects of every conceivable description, but most birders know surprisingly little about those insects. Waldbauer, a retired professor of entomology at the University of Illinois, offers an accessible, well-written primer on bird-bug ecology, concentrating on "context"--the role of birds in the lives of insects, and of insects in the lives of birds. Among other things, he touches on the evolution of different beak shapes and sizes; on insect defense systems such as stinging or the production of noxious chemicals; and even on the curious turnabout whereby some insect species, such as certain kinds of ants and spiders, feed on birds. This lively book belongs in every birder's library. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Here's the web of life for you
This is a very informative, easy to read book that talks about the interrelationships of bugs and birds, how they've evolved together, how bugs try to deter birds, how birds work to overcome the defenses, and how people are playing a role. It goes into detail that is just enough for someone like me who doesn't have a science background but want to know more than tjust the basics. Its got a lot of fun (and not so fun) facts that make you think and simply broaden your perspectives. I'm glad I bought it ... Read more

Book Description

This is a new addition to Glassberg's celebrated Butterflies through Binoculars series of field guides. As such, it rivals his earlier--and highly popular--Field and Finding Guide to Butterflies of the Boston-New York-Washington Region by providing an intensive focus on the butterflies and best butterflying sites for another highly populated and heavily traveled region. This time, the terrain in question is the state of Florida--one of the leading tourist destinations in the world.

Butterfly enthusiasts, nature lovers, and curious general readers will perhaps be surprised to learn that Florida's butterfly fauna is unique--and that, until the appearance of this volume, there has been no adequate field guide for the butterflies of this region. This guide simplifies identification by illustrating only species found in Florida--using superb photographs of live butterflies coupled with detailed range maps and identification data. It also offers, with unprecedented detail, much information on flight times and abundances for each of five Florida subregions, including reports on seventy localities in which to find butterflies. Lastly, discussions of the foodplants for each species along with suggestions for attracting these species to one's garden make this work invaluable for all Florida gardeners interested in butterflies. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Simply Superb
This is one of the best presented field guides I have ever seen. Each and every species of Florida butterfly is pictured and described. Most butterfly guides I've seen use pictures of preserved specimens in a collection. This can be confusing because parts of the wings normally hidden are exposed when the collected specimen is mounted. This book avoids this problem by using only pictures taken in the wild (except for a few rare species). No more unnatural poses!

The text is easily readable without extensive knowledge of obscure scientific words and has enough humor to keep it from getting dry and technical, but not so much that it overpowers the book.

This book deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in Florida butterflies.

Best field guide for butterflies of the northeast
If you are looking for a filed guide to the butterflies of the northeastern United States, this is THE book to get. Written for a relatively small geographical area, the book contains only those butterflies likely to be seen in the regioon...unlike other guidebooks which offer many photos of butterflies not native to the regioon you are in. Excellent photos and the reduced subject area result in quick identifications. Although written for the northeast, the book is useful over a wider range...I have even used it in Texas to great effect. Don't put too much stock in the information about flight period and abundance, though. And don't expect much info on larval hostplants, etc ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a comprehensive, fully cross-referenced collection of approximately 35,000 terms, names and phrases used in entomology. It is the only listing which covers insect anatomy, behavior, biology, ecology, histology, molecular biology, morphology, pest management, taxonomy and systematics. The origin, etymology, part of speech, plural forms and definition of each term and phrase are all provided, including the language, meaning or root of each term and constituent parts. Where meanings have changed, or terms have been borrowed from other disciplines, the most current usage is indicated. Names of deceased entomologists, or scientists from other fields who have contributed to entomology are included, with the citation for their biography or obituary. The list of names in this magnificent reference is global, including entomologists from Asia, whose reserach has often been neglected by Western scientists. ... Read more

Book Description

From exploring the basic principles of entomology to starting a collection, The Practical Entomologist is the perfect introduction to the world of insects.

Beginning with the basics, the text describes what characterizes an insect, including anatomy and the life cycle. It takes an order-by-order look at insects, explaining how each group differs from another and why certain types of insects have been classified together.

The book shows you not only what to look for but how and where to look for it -- from capturing and keeping live insects to ways of making a collection and taking photographs. Tips on keeping a field notebook are also included.

Packed with more than 200 full-color illustrations, this comprehensive guide is a valuable reference tool for nature enthusiasts. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Amazing photos...made a college entomology class interesting
I purchased this book to be used as a text for a lower div entomology class....amazing. Simple descriptions and GREAT photos. A must have for any amateur entomologist.

If you know a beetle's not a bee...you've outgrown this one
The book may be useful for an extreme novice in bug collection and identification, or for helping youngsters. It superficially treats any given group of insects, with less detail than I had anticipated. Most of the insects illustrated are foreign, which was disappointing. This is a book that will sit on the shelf until I decide which nephew to give it to.

The Practical Entomologist
This book was the first one I ever bought and it was very helpful.It is just loaded with useful information, and helpful diagrams. However, if you like hands on experiences, its loaded with all kinds of easy to do experiments that are fun and educational. However, due to the amount of scientific words and phrases, I would not recommend this book to children under seven.

A Great Book for the Budding Entomologist
Back when I first began my fascination with insects, I picked up a copy of this book hoping it would help me with a project. I was impressed with the way it presents information order by order in true entomologist fashion. The pictures are great and the text informative. I would recommend this book to anyone who is just beginning in entomology and is looking for a great overview of insects and their lives.

A Great Book for the Buddin Entomologist
Back when I first began my fascination with insects, I picked up a copy of this book hoping it would help me with a project. I was impressed with the way it presents information order by order in true entomologist fashion. The pictures are great and the text informative. I would recommend this book to anyone who is just beginning in entomology and is looking for a great overview of insects and their lives. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive work is the first single-volume book of the 20th century to review the biology of this important group of insects, includinga complete list of Collembola genera together with more than 2,500 references as well as the discussions of springtail behavior, physiology and evolution. ... Read more

Book Description

This book isn't just a guide to beekeeping or a honey cookbook; it's both. No other book on the market provides an in-depth review of beekeeping and what honey is good for and how to use it.

Beautifully illustrated, the Backyard Beekeeper is perfect for the health-conscious person who wants to sweeten up their life by saying no to processed sugars and yes to eating organic, healthy food.

This book is the complete "honey bee" resource with general information on bees; a how-to guide to the art of bee keeping and how to set up, care for, and harvest your own hives; as well as tons of fun facts and projects that are bee related. The second half of the book is the complete guide to honey. It reviews the different types of honey and their health effects as well as provides hundreds of ideas and recipes for using honey in recipes, cosmetically in facemasks and shampoos, and for medicinal uses. ... Read more

Book Description

Throughout their evolution, living creatures have developedsystems to attach themselves to a variety of substrate textures. As isthe case in many technical systems, animals use friction and adhesionto generate an attachment force for overcoming drag. In recentdecades, our knowledge of such systems has greatly increased. This volume summarizes more than 10 years of ultra structural andexperimental studies on insect attachment systems and presents anup-to-date overview of this subject. Many examples are presented andthe general rules of the interrelationship between the construction ofattachment systems and the function are outlined showing theprinciples of morphology and ultra structure of such systems. The principles of design involved in the attachment systems describedmay inspire new ideas relating to the biomimetics of newsurface-active materials. Audience: This volume provides an excellent introduction tobiological attachment and will be of interest to biologist, zoologist,materials scientists and engineers. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Impressively good, but not an introduction
Compared to "Swarm intelligence" by James Kennedy, this one is not introductive but gets quite deep into the working of applying the "swarm" paradigm to optimization problems. I would rather recommmend for a person not used to meta-heuristics and optimization to first go to the book by Kennedy. Only if one is interested in using swarm for solving real optimization problems reading this one is a good idea.

This book illustrates several features of swarm behavior that can be leveraged for optimization. The authors writing style is equivalent to technical papers, so be prepared...this is no easy book.

A first milestone in the study of Swarm Intelligence
The book of Bonabeau, Dorigo, and Theraulaz is an excellent example of synergetic work between a physicist, an engineer, and a biologist. The Swarm Intelligence principles are first described and understood through models in natural systems and then translated in optimization algorithms, distributed algorithms for robotic control, and so on. Even if the book does not completely succeed in linking all three disciplines together - computer science, engineering, and biology - under a sound, common formalism, it represents an extremely up to date collection of work carried out worldwide in the field of Swarm Intelligence. I strongly believe in the future of this field and of its applications to problems hard to tackle with classical techniques. This book summarizes in an very equilibrated way the early, promising steps of Swarm Intelligence.

Algorithms inspired by social insects
A good synthesis of studies on swarm intelligence. It is fascinating to see how complex intelligent behavior can emerge from simple rules and numerous interactions without any plan or centralized coordination. Algorithms inspired by social insects can be applied in many disciplines. It is a book easy to understand but difficult to read through for those who don't love algorithms. It includes a very neat introduction to the subject with many clear examples. Everyone should read that part and at least throw a glance at the rest of the book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This slender, elegant volume presents a series of brief natural history essays by Frenchentomologist Jean Henri Fabre (1823-1915), who delighted in observing such things as the mating behaviorof scorpions and the hunting techniques of grasshoppers. Linda Davis, who edited The PassionateObserver, selected passages that reflect Fabre's careful, painstaking study of the natural world, whichhe undertook "to increase by one atom the general mass of knowledge, the incomparable treasure ofmankind." (And so he did, for which we must all be thankful.) Bright, warm watercolors by MarleneMcLoughlin complement Fabre's work and impart the feel of his native Provence. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Pleasure to Read and Ponder
Except for a short teaching job in Corsica, Jean Henri Fabre (1823-1915) spent his life in a tiny area of western Provence. When his teaching duties and family responsibilities permitted, he studied everything in the small world around him with such careful attention and clear vision that he became one of the greatest natural historians of his time. Charles Darwin called Fabre "an incomparable observer" and Victor Hugo dubbed him "the insect's Homer." For over forty years, he scrimped to afford a piece of fallow land - L'Harmas - where he could observe native plants, birds, animals and insects in their own habitat; where, as he wrote, "I could ...engage in that difficult conversation whose questions and answers have experiment for their language." The essays in "A Passionate Observer" date from the happy period of his residence at L'Harmas. He writes poetically of the song and life of the cicada, the weeds and the insects attracted to them, the life teeming in and around a small pond. Like other scientists born before the invention of photography, Fabre perfected the art of verbal description, and his writings provide models of exact and evocative prose. The essays "My Schooling" and "Heredity" reminded us of Marcel Pagnol's memoirs of his childhood in Provence.

We read this book before one of our visits to Provence, and found our way to the site of Fabre's home and garden, now a national museum still called L'Harmas. (In the Rhone Valley, take the D976 road northwest of Orange to Serignan-du-Comtat. The route to L'Harmas is well-marked once you get close to Serignan. Avoid Orange if possible as it's unfortunately a constant traffic jam.) We stood at the gate in the wall and rang the bell to alert the caretaker of our arrival. As with many Provencal museums, the caretaker and his wife are local folk, happy to answer questions about their local hero. We visited Fabre's study, on the second floor of his home, which doubled as his herbarium, pleased to tiptoe around the workroom and laboratory of this great scholar. Floor-to-ceiling glass cases house his exhaustive natural history collections of local birds and their eggs, insects, mineral specimens, his library and his collections of antiquities. We studied the 19th century globe on his mantel, on which "Californie" is a remote and apparently unexplored territory and our own Oregon unmarked. An annex displays over a hundred delicate watercolors of mushrooms and fungi of Provence that Fabre painted, and the modest child's paintbox that he used, as well as Fabre's coin collection and local archaeological finds, including much Roman material. We most enjoyed reading an original letter from Charles Darwin, one of Fabre's correspondents. The French government unfortunately turned the wild area outside - L'Harmas - that Fabre so eagerly sought for his study of native species into an arboretum full of exotics; we would have much preferred to see Fabre's native plants. As our daughter Anne put it: "Why go around the world to see incense cedars, when they grow in our backyard?" Nevertheless, the arboretum encourages a pleasant walk through interesting plants from around the globe, and is home to local birds. Many of the plant contributions to the arboretum are from Japan, where Fabre inspires almost as much reverence as he does in his native France. In this garden we enjoyed visiting with a few other pilgrims to L'Harmas, including folks from Paris, Scotland, England and Japan.

Any student of natural history will enjoy Fabre's essays on the development of a naturalist's sensibility, and any reader who wants to visit Provence prepared to appreciate the landscape that they will encounter should pick up this treasure of a book. It's beautifully bound, artfully designed and illustrated. (Our copy would be tidier if my ethnobotanist husband hadn't stuck so many post-it notes in it as page markers, but that's a tribute to the value of the text.) Marlene McLoughlin's charming watercolors of perched villages, Provencal birds and insects, flowers, fruits, fields and village streets - found on almost every page - are alone worth the price of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Completely revised and updated, ERP: Tools, Techniques, and Applications for Integrating the Supply Chain, Second Edition describes, from the perspective of a business manager, concepts and tools for enterprise planning, management, and execution. The text is written in an easy-to-read format, with many real examples from a variety of industries that illustrate key points. This book can be used over and over, as a quick reference to obtain insight into ERP topics. The Second Edition introduces many new topics, including:·Supplier relationship management (SRM)·Strategic sourcing·Throughput supply chain measures such as inventory dollar days and throughput dollar days·Product Life Cycle Management (PLM)·Technology architecture choices·Customer relationship managementWith the help of a supplemental CD containing a Management Interactive Case Study System (MICSS), this volume explains the application of ERP tools and techniques to different types of businesses, and enables you to test the concepts in a computer simulation model. You can control the dynamics of handling an ERP program within a virtual company, and learn from the resulting analysis of how to guide to this company to financial success. This simulation package allows you to test your newly acquired knowledge before implementing your chosen ERP system. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

What is it? Pull everything and call it ERP?
I should believed Jim (another reviewer of this book). This book does not focus on ERP. Rather, it's a basic operation management book. There are only 2-3 chapters that really talk about ERP but only introduction. If you look for the introduction, "Daniel E. O'Leary" book is much more valuable (Enterprise Resource Planning Systems : Systems, Life Cycle, Electronic Commerce, and Risk). Although I am an IE, I don't think this book will be interesting other IE too. Like I said in subject, the author(s) try to pull everything, e.g., SCM, OM, and ERP and call it's an integration. The simulation game does not capture neither "fundamental" or "application". I still don't understand why APICS publish this book in the market.

Mile wide-inch deep
This book provides a good overview of ERP and its integration with supply chain planning. However, it appears targeted at the lay person with little experience in manufacturing planning and operations. The examples have little to do with real-world issues (although that makes them easier to understand perhaps.) If you're a manager and want to be able to use the lingo correctly, this might be a good book to buy. If you are really interested in gaining a working knowledge of the subject area, give it a pass.

Excellent guide for ERP users and providers
As an almost novice in ERP systems, I found it interesting to follow up all the chapters of this book: "ERP; tools, techniques, and applications for integrating the supplu chain". The book starts with the history of ERP and descriptions of every aspect of enterprise production systems. Chapters on backgrounds for operations management and each module of ERP systems follow this introductory part. At the end, real-world application issues and implementation problems are discussed. Examples and attached simulator (MICSS, contained in a CD-ROM) provide further demonstration of real case studies. I recommend this book to the intermediate level of ERP users of developers. ... Read more

Book Description

This insidiously charming book teaches readers about the place of lepidoptery in the life sciences and the kinds of questions that natural scientists seek to answer....Like Nabokov himself, this volume exemplifies some of the virtues shared by art and science: wit, intelligence, and, above all, meticulousness.---The New Yorker

Charming...In a world that often separates science and culture like church and state, this book reminds us that, for Nabokov, butterflies helped shape ‘a habitual way of looking at the world' that was ultimately conducive to great literature and to great lepidoptery alike.---New York Times Book Review

...a grand book: erudite, generous, and wise. It is written with a grace and intelligence worthy of its eponymous subject.---Boston Globe

Readers with a taste for science and literature will love this book, which is both entertaining and polymathically informative--rather like the English/Russian, naturalist/novelist/scholar/artist Nabokov himself.---Publishers Weekly (starred review) ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A Fascinating New Account
What is intriguing about this book is that it has taken an entire volume of previously untapped material-- Nabokov's scientific work and the stories of and from the scientists who have studied and completed Nabokov's pioneering work in science and woven an entirely new story about a personage who might have been considered previously well-known. Who would have known this story was around? It reminds of Sobel's Galileo's Daughter which also uses the same tack-- takes the correspondence with his daughter, previously untapped, and weaves a whole new story about Galileo! The authors of Nabokov's Blues have extra luck in that, since they are demonstrating for the first time Nabokov's acumen in two very different fields, science and literature, they can take the opportunity to interweave these two worlds, which they do in a fascinating and intriguing way. What is so compelling about this book is that its story has just not been told before. Just when you thought you knew something about Nabokov, here comes his science! and, with gusto. A great book.

Fascinating and Delightful Account
The authors have created an absolutely perfect and delightful work on Nabokov's butterflies and all the resulting interfaces. Nabokov has always preoccupied me and, fortunately, I also have a deep interest in nature - particularly in butterflies and birds. Thus, this book, which develops everything from Nabokov's biography and literary use of butterfly and other nature motifs to their place in modern science and today's biodiversity crisis, was wonderfully eye-opening and informative. It's my bet that few people appreciate how big a story Nabokov's science actually is. It is not only a major part of his biography, previously untold, but also a linkage of his life's scientific work to major questions confronting scientists today. As with his literature, Nabokov turns out to have been a pioneer. It is only a pity that Nabokov did not have two lifetimes, one for literature and one for science.

Beauty and Science
At first blush this book appears to be a footnote to a writer who had an eccentric hobby. Since Professor Boyd's definitive biography some may consider that there was little else to explore. The scientific achievements of Vladimir Nabakov were not lost but perhaps overwhelmed in the literary story.
Nabakov's Blues does more than just dust off the lepidoptry papers. The book is in the final assessment a celebration of how science and research are never a sterile academic exercise but a reflection of greater issues of the beauty and elegance of intellect at work.
During the course of shedding light on the under recognized research we are reminded that the mundane work of classifying and sorting often underpins more glamorous tasks, but are also given insight into the many quiet achievers in science, who often take considerable personal risks to complete research which is part of a greater whole and leaves them only as a name in a arid catalogue.
We are too prone to identify the heros and not those who without clamor or boasting actually do the work.
Nabakov himself never "promoted" his science although he made it clear that his butterflies were an integral part of his life. We grow to specialise and those who can travel in literary circles as well as science are rare. The authors Johnson and Coates do themselves demonstrate that they too can travel the literary salons and the research laboratories, and write an elegant supplement to Professor Boyd that transcends that status to become a commentary on the man who was in many ways a true renaissance figure.

A Wonderful Little Book
I picked up the paperback of this book because I'd heard about it when it was in hardback. For anyone who is fascinated by science, literature, history, sociology and much more, they will find the blend of story, information and insight in this book satisfying and enlightening. Its never gets dull because you're reading about a historical literary figure, and his biography, tons of information about science and exploration, the scientists who completed the formative work Nabokov began at Harvard before becoming famous after Lolita, and how this all fits together in todays biodiversity crisis and squabbles over whether Nabokov was really a bona fide scientist or just an boyish aficionado. I felt I had learned a great deal from this book but also enjoyed it. It is a great blend of historical fact, new stories, and insight the into world's environmental dilemmas. I also had no idea of the complex ways in which Nabokov interwove butterflies and their images and symbols into his novels.

A very interesting and entertaining book!
This book is a fun read for anyone with an interest in the personal histories that shape authors, in biology and/or in the environment and ecology. It provides great insight into the scientific passion that moved one of the more interesting figures in literature, and nicely weaves the tale of Nabokov's first passion, lepidoptery, providing many interesting biographical details (including his wonderful sense of humor!), and the modern day story of the scientists who continued his work and discovered that his scientific legacy was truly as important and inventive as his literature. It discusses the science in a way that is interesting and easily understood by the non-scientist, but does not diminish the nature of the scientific information conveyed. In addition, it shows how the science impacted the literature. How interesting that a butterfly-gathering trip would provide the backdrop for Lolita! I found this book to be very interesting, informative and entertaining, and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

Fine-line images of roses, butterflies, tulips, caterpillars and other specimens of plant and insect life in elegant full-page compositions. These plates are considered among the finest achievements of a great age of floral painting and the engraver’s art. Reprinted from the classic, influential works of the famed artist/entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717). New English captions. Copyright-free.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

Flowers Butterflies and Insects
I bought this book to use as clip art for graphic design projects. I was pleased to see that there were many "usable" insect representations. Unfortuantely, there were fewer pieces of "usable" flower art (for my project anyway) because most of the leaves have been eaten by the insects! ... Read more

Book Description

This popular handbook for the captive husbandry and breeding of tarantulas, originally published in the German language, is now available in English.The taxonomy has been updated by the author, Peter Klaas.The text is in two sections. The first is an introductory section discussing tarantula anatomy and life history, the relationships of tarantulas to other arthropods, and general information on vivarium setup and special requirements of tarantulas in captivity.Problems arising in captive care--such as disease and parasites--are discussed, as is the problem of tarantula bites to humans.The second section consists of individual accounts on 40 of the more commonly kept species from around the world.These are illustrated in the book's 123 color photographs.Peculiarities of each of these species are discussed, with special attention to their requirements in captivity.Tarantulas are becoming increasingly popular as vivarium and zoo specimens.This book, based upon the author's extensive personal experience, will become an important reference on the topic, and will add greatly to the small amount of published information about them. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What a great book!
this book is amazingly helpful. i was a new owner of a Mexican Redknee and had NO CLUE how to handle her! she was so sweet, but i was just too afraid to handle her. then i found this book. Princess now has 2 brothers and 1 sister: Paris, Ricky and Jake. they are very sweet animals and the breeding part was helpful as i am getting prepared for my spiderlings :-D

Pairs excellent color photos with practical advice
This specific guide is a 'must' for any involved in the captive breeding of tarantulas. It originally appeared in German and here enjoys an English translation and an update, providing a blend of introductory details on the tarantula's life and natural history and specific requirements of keeping tarantulas in captivity. From bites to tarantula diseases and accounts of 40 of the more commonly kept species, Tarantulas In The Vivarium pairs excellent color photos with practical advice. ... Read more

Book Description

Parasitoids lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other species of insect, and the parasitoid larvae develop by feeding on the host, causing its eventual death. Known for a long time to applied biologists for their importance in regulating the population densities of economic pests, parasitoids have recently proven to be valuable tools in testing many aspects of evolutionary theory. This book synthesizes the work of both schools of parasitoid biology and asks how a consideration of evolutionary biology can help us understand the behavior, ecology, and diversity of the approximately one to two million species of parasitoid found on earth.

After a general introduction to parasitoid natural history and taxonomy, the first part of the book treats the different components of the reproductive strategy of parasitoids: searching for a host, host selection, clutch size, and the sex ratio. Subsequent chapters discuss pathogens and non-Mendelian genetic elements that affect sexual reproduction; evolutionary aspects of the physiological interactions between parasitoid and host; mating strategies; life history theory and community ecology. A special effort is made to discuss the theoretical background to the subject, but without the use of mathematics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It is a great book -- lots of tidbits about insects
It is a great book, lots of tidbits about insects. Little things you wouldn't know otherwise. The illustrations are funny too. I am an entomologist and it is a great source for presentations, because people are always wanting to know little tidbits about insects. The book has info about SEX and DEATH among the insect world. Dr. Berenbaum is a serious scientist, but this book shows that serious scientists can have a sense of humor too. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Love 'em, hate 'em, laugh at 'em.
Buzzwords, a compilation of humor columns written for American Entomologist by May Berenbaum from 1991-1999, combines science and wit with a little bit of everyday life to come up with some pretty funny - and interesting - stuff for entomologists and entomologist wanna-bes.
While these essays were written for the scientific community and there are occasional lapses into research methods or Latin syntax, for the most part the essays are in common English and provide some great information on insects in a much lighter format than the average scientific texts.
For example, essays like "Putting on Airs," in which Berenbaum documents the years of research scientists have spent calculating exactly how much methane gas termites are responsible for producing (i.e.: how much termites fart), and "Inquiring Minds Want to Know" which details how often cockroaches make the pages of tabloid magazines, there is much for the non-entomologist to enjoy.
Of course Berenbaum deals with the more serious side of entomology as well, such as in the essay "Just Say Notoclontid?" that details the former president George Bush's plan to raid coca fields by dropping caterpillars from helicopters as part of his efforts on the "war on drugs," she just does it a little tounge-in-cheek.
Overall, Buzzwords is an educational book with a dose of humor, fun to read and, best of all, it won't leave you itchy all over!

Think insects are boring? Think again.
Let's start simply. This is a great book. It's not a great book in the way 'War and Peace' is a great book. It's great in the way 'Calvin and Hobbes' was a great comic strip, or 'Monty Python' was a great TV show. It's about insects - wait, don't run away. Buzzwords looks at our world's bugs, and those who study them, from a different point of view than you're used to. This is no high-school science class book. This is a high-school locker room book. Its topics range from calculating termite farts to what educators could learn from porno titles. It does have a few more standard scientific parts, but no chapter will leave you without several good laughs. If you're at all into insects, so much the better. Not only can you steal a few good jokes from Ms Berenbaum (I'm a fan of her puns, like the chapter titled 'Supoenas Envy), but you can show everyone that entomology can be very cool indeed. A must have for fans of either laughter or bugs.

A scientist muses on sex, bugs, and rock
A scientist muses on sex, bugs, and rock in a humorous entomology title which will invite many non-bug fans to read. From how entomologists see insects (as opposed to the rest of the world) to reflections on pets and internet culture, Buzzwords creates a lively survey of the worlds of man and insect.

Excellent books for anyone, not just entomologists!
M.R. Berenbaum, who regularly contributes a column to the journal American Entomologist and an entomologist herself, presents insects and entomologist in a accurate and humorous way that anyone can appreciate. It's nice to find a good science book that is easy to read and comprehend. I use the articles in my high school biology class and my students think they are hilarious! ... Read more

Book Description

Biology of Disease Vectors presents a comprehensive and advanced discussion of disease vectors and what the future may hold for their control.This edition examines the control of disease vectors through topics such as general biological requirements of vectors, epidemiology, physiology and molecular biology, genetics, principles of control and insecticide resistance.Methods of maintaining vectors in the laboratory are also described in detail.

No other single volume includes both basic information on vectors, as well as chapters on cutting-edge topics, authored by the leading experts in the field.The first edition of Biology of Disease Vectors was a landmark text, and this edition promises to have even more impact as a reference for current thought and techniques in vector biology.

Current - each chapter represents the present state of knowledge in the subject area
Authoritative - authors include leading researchers in the field
Complete - provides both independent investigator and the student with a single reference volume which adopts an explicitly evolutionary viewpoint throuoghout all chapters.
Useful - conceptual frameworks for all subject areas include crucial information needed for application to difficult problems of controlling vector-borne diseases ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Correction! [number of stars a required field, please ignore
One reviewer thought that the author did not provide reasons for disagreeing with someone else's view that the two harvester ant genera should be seen as only one genus instead of two. In reality, it is this book that provides the only analysis of the problem. It was an unfair criticism.

Great discovery on Pogonomyrmex taxonomy
Dr. Taber has come up with a practical and informative narrative style that told me everything I couldn't find elsewhwere in a straight forward, convincing manner. I am persuaded that the chromosone distinction he has drawn between the Pogos and Ephobos is a conclusive evidence of different genera and a more scientific key than the often jumbled attempts to describe morphological characteristics which leave much to be desired.

I am curious who did his excellent ant drawings? If one were to focus in on the gasters depicted, and could use these reliably and with ease under a microscope, it would certainly be a lot quicker to identify specimens than looking for offset teeth, non-concentric rugae or trying to differentiate amongst verbal descriptions of epinotal armature when a single species may have more than one variety of worker in the same colony.

Mr. Taber's book is a must for any serious myrmecologist or wanna-be scientist. My own work on the diet and nutrition of horned lizards (Phrynosoma) led me to this excellent book. I would like to talk to and/or meet Dr. Taber and commend him personally for opening the door to my better understanding of Neartic harvester ants.

Buy this book. Don't even think about it. It is positively the latest thinking and best for its manageble size on the market.

R. Joseph Collet JD Horned Lizard Study Center 2330 Guardian Circle St. George, UT 84790 FAX (435) 628-4492

Excellent book for naturalists interested in ants.
**Strengths: distribution maps for species in North and South America, good history of early researchers, nice cladograms, nice drawings of all species, brief descriptions of behavior and habits of ants in North and South America, fun to read. **Weaknesses: not comprehensive, keys are difficult, does not directly address Bolton's synonomy of Pogonomyrmex and Ephebomyrmex

Great book!!!
Great book for the pogo fans. A concise overview we have been long awating!! ... Read more