“At times this informative book turns wonderfully gross and lovely, reminding us that there’s an entire universe of largely unnoticed creatures all around us.”—Audubon All animals must eat. But who eats who, and why, or why not? Because insects outnumber and collectively outweigh all other animals combined, they comprise the largest amount of animal food available for potential consumption. How do they avoid being eaten? From masterful disguises to physical and chemical lures and traps, predatory insects have devised ingenious and bizarre methods of finding food. Equally ingenious are the means of hiding, mimicry, escape, and defense waged by prospective prey in order to stay alive. This absorbing book demonstrates that the relationship between the eaten and the eater is a central—perhaps the central—aspect of what goes on in the community of organisms. By explaining the many ways in which insects avoid becoming a meal for a predator, and the ways in which predators evade their defensive strategies, Gilbert Waldbauer conveys an essential understanding of the unrelenting coevolutionary forces at work in the world around us.
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Prologue Acknowledgments 1. Insects in the Web of Life 2. The Eaters of Insects 3. Fleeing and Staying under Cover 4. Hiding in Plain Sight 5. Bird Dropping Mimicry and Other Disguises 6. Flash Colors and Eyespots 7. Safety in Numbers 8. Defensive Weapons and Warning Signals 9. The Predators’ Countermeasures 10. Protection by Deception Epilogue Selected References Index
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780520383005
Publisert
2021-04-06
Utgiver
Vendor
University of California Press
Vekt
318 gr
Høyde
229 mm
Bredde
152 mm
Dybde
23 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet

Forfatter
Illustratør

Biographical note

Gilbert Waldbauer is Professor Emeritus of Entomology at University of Illinois. He is the author of eight books, including Fireflies, Honey, and Silk (UC Press), A Walk around the Pond, and What Good Are Bugs?