The Book of Beetles by Patrice Bouchard (Hardcover)

"When renowned British geneticist J. B. S. Haldane was asked what could be inferred about God from a study of his works, Haldane replied, "An inordinate fondness for beetles." With more than 350,000 known species, and scientific estimates that millions more have yet to be identified, their abundance is as indisputable as their variety. They range from the delightful summer firefly to the one-hundred-gram Goliath beetle. Beetles offer a dazzling array of shapes, sizes, and colors that entice scientists and collectors across the globe. In a new edition, The Book of Beetles celebrates the beauty and diversity of this marvelous insect. Six hundred significant beetle species are covered, each entry featuring a distribution map, basic biology, conservation status, and information on cultural and economic significance. The beetles appear both at their actual size and enlarged to show details, such as the sextet of spots that distinguish the six-spotted tiger beetle or the jagged ridges of the giant-jawed sawyer beetle. With updates to the classifications or photographs for nearly three hundred entries, this edition offers the most up-to-date science along with accessibly written, descriptive text that will appeal to researchers and armchair coleopterists alike. The humble beetle continues to grow in popularity, taking center stage in biodiversity studies, sustainable agriculture programs, and even the dining rooms of adventurous and eco-conscious chefs. The Book of Beetles is the authoritative reference on these remarkably adaptable and beautiful creatures"--