Dance of the Dung Beetles

Author: Marcus Byrne
Publisher: Wits University Press
ISBN: 1776144651
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 266

Book Description
The sweeping scientific and social history of the humble dung beetle The humble and industrious dung beetle is a marvelous beast: the 6,000 species identified so far are intricately entwined with human history and scientific endeavor. These night-soil collectors of the planet have been worshipped as gods, worn as jewelry, and painted by artists. More practically, they saved Hawaii from ecological blight, and rescued Australia from plagues of flies. They fertilize soil, cleanse pastures, steer by the stars, and have a unique relationship with the African elephant (along with many other ungulates). Above all, they are the ideal subject for biological study in an evolving world. In this sweeping history of more than 3,000 years, beginning with Ancient Egypt, scientist Marcus Byrne and writer Helen Lunn capture the diversity of dung beetles and their unique behavior patterns. Dung beetles’ fortunes have followed the shifts from a world dominated by a religion that symbolically incorporated them into some of its key concepts of rebirth, to a world in which science has largely separated itself from religion and alchemy. With over 6,000 species found throughout the world, these unassuming but remarkable creatures are fundamental to some of humanity’s most cherished beliefs and have been ever present in religion, art, literature, science and the environment. They are at the center of current gene research, play an important role in keeping our planet healthy, and some nocturnal dung beetles have been found to navigate by the starry skies. Outlining the development of science from the point of view of the humble dung beetle is what makes this charming story of immense interest to general readers and entomologists alike.

Doug's Dung

Author: Jo Rooks
Publisher: American Psychological Association
ISBN: 1433834200
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 20

Book Description
An uplifting story of a determined dung beetle who finds his unique strength in creating beautiful things inspired by nature, flowers, friends, and the garden. Doug has trouble lifting heavy balls of dung. He just doesn’t feel as strong as the other dung beetles. When Doug feels down that he isn’t tough enough, a passing butterfly helps him see things in a different light and he realizes that strength comes in many forms.

The Encyclopedia of Land Invertebrate Behaviour

Author: Rod Preston-Mafham
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 9780262161374
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 332

Book Description
Splendidly illustrated from nature, this encyclopedia describes with rigour and grace some of the most complex and bizarre behaviours in the animal world.

Beetle Bop

Author: Denise Fleming
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 0152059369
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 37

Book Description
Illustrations and rhyming text reveal the great variety of beetles and their swirling, humming, crashing activities.

Animal Weapons

Author: Douglas J. Emlen
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 0805094504
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Book Description
Emlen takes us outside the lab and deep into the forests and jungles where he's been studying animal weapons in nature for years, to explain the processes behind the most intriguing and curious examples of extreme animal weapons. As singular and strange as some of the weapons we encounter on these pages are, we learn that similar factors set their evolution in motion. Emlen uses these patterns to draw parallels to the way we humans develop and employ our own weapons, and have since battle began.

Wasps

Author: Eric R. Eaton
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691211426
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Book Description
The ultimate visual journey into the beautiful and complex world of wasps Wasps are far more diverse than the familiar yellowjackets and hornets that harass picnickers and build nests under the eaves of our homes. These amazing, mostly solitary creatures thrive in nearly every habitat on Earth, and their influence on our lives is overwhelmingly beneficial. Wasps are agents of pest control in agriculture and gardens. They are subjects of study in medicine, engineering, and other important fields. Wasps pollinate flowers, engage in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, and create architectural masterpieces in the form of their nests. This richly illustrated book introduces you to some of the most spectacular members of the wasp realm, colorful in both appearance and lifestyle. From minute fairyflies to gargantuan tarantula hawks, wasps exploit almost every niche on the planet. So successful are they at survival that other organisms emulate their appearance and behavior. The sting is the least reason to respect wasps and, as you will see, no reason to loathe them, either. Written by a leading authority on these remarkable insects, Wasps reveals a world of staggering variety and endless fascination. Packed with more than 150 incredible color photos Includes a wealth of eye-popping infographics Provides comprehensive treatments of most wasp families Describes wasp species from all corners of the world Covers wasp evolution, ecology, physiology, diversity, and behavior Highlights the positive relationships wasps share with humans and the environment

Seeds Move!

Author: Robin Page
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1534409165
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 36

Book Description
Discover the fascinating and surprising ways that seeds move and find a place to grow in this gorgeous picture book from Caldecott Honoree Robin Page. Every seed, big or small, needs sunlight, water, and an uncrowded place to put down roots. But how do seeds get to the perfect place to grow? This exploration of seed dispersal covers a wide range of seeds and the creatures that help them move, from a coconut seed floating on waves to an African grass seed rolled by a dung beetle, to a milkweed seed floating on the wind.

Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Dung Beetles

Author: C. H. Scholtz
Publisher: Andersen Press (UK)
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 578

Book Description
For a relatively small group of insects, dung beetles have attracted an inordinate amount of scientific interest over the years. This started with the work of the famous French naturalist Jean-Henri Fabre about 100 years ago, but it the work of Gonzalo Halffter of Mexico, and his colleagues, who first placed dung beetles on the scientific map by the publication of two important synthetic works. The first was published in 1966 ("Natural History") and this was followed by another in 1982 ("Nesting and Breeding Behaviour"). A multi-authored book on dung beetle ecology, edited by Ilkka Hanski and Yves Cambefort, was published in 1991. These volumes are long out of print and mostly unavailable. In the 18 years since the last book was published there has been a steady stream of research published on dung beetle phylogeny, biogeography, physiological ecology and conservation, fields that were not, or barely treated in the previous books. The current work synthesises and updates most of the major elements covered in those studies, but introduces several novel sections in a phylogenetic approach to the natural history of dung beetles. The aspects covered, in five sections, are the following: evolution and ecological success of dung beetles; physiological and behavioural ecology of dung beetles; phylogeny of the Scarabaeinae; historical biogeography of the Scarabaeinae and its physical and biotic drivers; and, conservation of dung beetles. The content of the book is balanced in such a way that the information contained in it should be of interest to general entomologists, research specialists on dung beetle natural history, insects systematists, students of entomology, agricultural scientists and insect conservationists.

Ecology and Evolution of Dung Beetles

Author: Leigh W. Simmons
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444333151
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 373

Book Description
This book describes the evolutionary and ecological consequences of reproductive competition for scarabaeine dung beetles. As well as giving us insight into the private lives of these fascinating creatures, this book shows how dung beetles can be used as model systems for improving our general understanding of broad evolutionary and ecological processes, and how they generate biological diversity. Over the last few decades we have begun to see further than ever before, with our research efforts yielding new information at all levels of analysis, from whole organism biology to genomics. This book brings together leading researchers who contribute chapters that integrate our current knowledge of phylogenetics and evolution, developmental biology, comparative morphology, physiology, behaviour, and population and community ecology. Dung beetle research is shedding light on the ultimate question of how best to document and conserve the world's biodiversity. The book will be of interest to established researchers, university teachers, research students, conservation biologists, and those wanting to know more about the dung beetle taxon.

Bugs on the Job

Author: Nancy Kelly Allen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781633330566
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Now reporting, Ian Sect, roving reporter for RBUG in Bugland, on location with breaking news: Firefly's newsflash tracks the spread of pollen.Queen Bee reveals secrets behind the colony's wiggle-waggle dance.Dung Beetle's super scoop saves the planet from piles of you-know-what.Bugs on the Job showcases decomposers, pollinators, and those who live and work together in colonies. This narrative nonfiction picture book enhances children's learning of our ecological interdependence with layered text and entertaining illustrations throughout. 'Fun facts about bugs' back matter included.