Bugs Britannica

AswithFloraandBirds,Bugsisnotabiologicalguidebutarichly-illustratedculturalone,seenthroughtheeyesofwriters,musicians,artistsandnaturalists-fromthegreatTudornaturalist,ThomasMuffet(fatherofLittleMissMuffet)toIrvineWelsh'stalkingtapeworminFilth-aswellascontributionsbyordinarymenandwomenwhoarefascinatedbycreepy-crawliesofallkinds.Thebookisstructuredalongaroughlyevolvingpath,fromsimplecelllife-forms-amoeba,worms,crustaceans(proof,saytheauthors,of'justhowfaryoucangoonverylittle')-tobugsweallmightrecognise-spiders,butterflies,bees-andbackintothewatertomeetmolluscsand'almost-fish'...ThebookworkssotriumphantlybecauseauthorPeterMarrenhasexaminedbugsinthedustycornersofourhousesandgardensaswellastraversingmountains,lakesandfields.Inadditiontothefascinatinghabitsofthebugworld,healsoincludestheeccentricbehaviourofthebugobsessivesthemselves.Butofcourse,thetrueheroesofthebookarethebugsthemselves:thenimble-dicks,clockladiesandcoffin-cutters.FromtheBoringSponge(itsofficialname!)totheMermaid'sGloveandPenisWorm,viatheglamourousDarkCrimsonUnderwingandRuby-TailedWasp-thisrichcompendiumofbugsisamustnotonlyfornaturalistsbutforanyonewhocaresaboutthecrawling,buzzingswarmsatourfeet.