A Year of Garden Bees & Bugs


Book Description

A fascinating journey into the secret life of insects, with QR codes to video and audio to bring the creatures to life. Just as birds have yearly rhythms, so do insects, bees, beetles, and butterflies. Wildlife experts Dominic Couzens and Gail Ashton discover 52 minibeasts from around the world, every week of the year. They tell the story of what is happening week-by-week in the insect world, in our own backyards, and just outside our patio doors. We delve into the world of the lethal Sydney funnel-web spider in Australian gardens, the migratory mission of the Monarch butterfly in America, and the life of the backdoor scorpions in South Africa. Among the seasonal behavior, the authors have woven history and folkloric tales. These brilliant stories are complemented by wonderful, commissioned illustrations that bring out the beauty of the entomological world. A QR code for each entry takes you to a video or audio file to further explore the habits of these intriguing creatures. A book for any nature lover to reveal the true wonder of our insect neighbors.




A Year of Garden Bees and Bugs


Book Description

A fascinating journey into the secret life of insects, with QR codes linked to videos that bring every creature to life. Just as birds have yearly rhythms, so do bees, beetles, butterflies and other insects. Wildlife experts Dominic Couzens and Gail Ashton discover 52 minibeasts from around the world. They tell the story of what is happening week-by-week in the insect world, in our own backyards, window boxes and in hidden corners of our homes. From the daily grind of the house spider building a new web each morning, to the vast appetites of ladybirds, which can devour hundreds of aphids a day, and the glory of the Stag beetle's maiden flight. We delve into the world of the lethal Sydney funnelweb spider in Australian gardens, the migratory mission of the Monarch butterfly in America and the life of the backdoor scorpions in South Africa. In among the seasonal behaviour, the authors have woven history and folklore. These brilliant stories are complemented by wonderful illustrations by Lesley Buckingham that bring out the beauty of the entomological world. A QR code for each entry takes you to a video file to further explore the habits of these intriguing creatures. Revealing the true wonder of our insect neighbours, this book will appeal to all nature lovers.




Bugs, Bees, and Other Buzzy Creatures


Book Description

What's the buzz? Learn all about the insect world with fun activities and amazing facts in Bugs, Bees, and Other Buzzy Creatures. Discover why bees buzz and why ladybugs are red as you complete different fun craft activities. Each page has clear, engaging photographs with clear text and simple step-by-step instructions for young readers to follow along with as they complete each DIY craft. Filled with bees, bugs, worms, and more, this book is the perfect spring and summertime companion for children. Kids become explorers in the world around them in Bugs, Bees, and Other Buzzy Creatures.




Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies


Book Description

How to be a friend to bees, bugs & butterflies--an interactive guide to pollinators and their role in our gardens. This buzzing collection of exciting facts and activities will give you the inside knowledge on the power of pollination. Learn why pollination is so essential to the natural world through engaging projects and zany explanations--create characterful bug masks you can cut out and wear, play a game of Pollinator Pursuit (a fresh take on a traditional board game), and explore the menu at Predator Restaurant (who knew nematode nougat came in slug and vine weevil flavors?). By the end of Bees, Bugs & Butterflies you'll know how pollinators work and which creatures work with which flowers; you'll see how you can help pollinators by planting the right plants and creating safe homes for them; you'll learn about the amazing tricks plants play on insects; and you'll discover how to call nature's very own SOS team in to give our nectar-sipping buddies (and us) a helping hand.




The Bee Friendly Garden


Book Description

Bees are our most important pollinators and they are in decline the world over. They love to live in urban environments, where it's a short flight path from one type of plant to the next. But conventional gardens that favour lawns and pesticides over flowers and edible plants are scaring the good bugs away. The Bee Friendly Garden is a guide for all gardeners great and small to encouraging bees and other good bugs to your green space. Includes: - How bees forage and why your garden needs them - A comprehensive plant guide to bee friendly plants - Simple changes anybody can make - Ideas for gardens of all sizes - Natural pest control and companion planting advice




Wasps


Book Description

WASPS is the first full-color, illustrated guide featuring approximately 150 species of flower-visiting wasps that occur in eastern North America, and the specific native plants and habitat each species depends upon. Written with an ecological lens, this richly-illustrated book details wasp diversity and has full-page profiles for each wasp species that include identification tips, geographic range maps, biology, prey, natural history and habitat. Five introductory chapters cover wasp taxonomy, nesting biology, prey-hunting behaviors, diet, anatomy, as well as wasp habitat enhancement and management, and the ecosystem services provided by wasps-insect pest population control and pollination. Profiles of each wasp species comprise the major part of the book and are organized by family, showcasing twelve families and sixty-eight wasp genera. Also included are eastern North American regional native plant guides, tips on wasp observation, and over 1000 stunning photographs. This is an essential book for conservationists, naturalists, insect enthusiasts, biologists, nature photographers, native plant aficionados, and anyone interested in beneficial insects and pollinators.




Attracting Native Pollinators


Book Description

With the recent decline of the European honey bee, it is more important than ever to encourage the activity of other native pollinators to keep your flowers beautiful and your grains and produce plentiful. In Attracting Native Pollinators, you’ll find ideas for building nesting structures and creating a welcoming habitat for an array of diverse pollinators that includes not only bees, but butterflies, moths, and more. Take action and protect North America’s food supply for the future, while at the same time enjoying a happily bustling landscape.




Garden Insects of North America


Book Description

This second edition of Garden Insects of North America solidifies its place as the most comprehensive guide to the common insects, mites, and other “bugs” found in the backyards and gardens of the United States and Canada. Featuring 3,300 full-color photos and concise, detailed text, this fully revised book covers the hundreds of species of insects and mites associated with fruits and vegetables, shade trees and shrubs, flowers and ornamental plants, and turfgrass—from aphids and bumble bees to leafhoppers and mealybugs to woollybears and yellowjacket wasps—and much more. This new edition also provides a greatly expanded treatment of common pollinators and flower visitors, the natural enemies of garden pests, and the earthworms, insects, and other arthropods that help with decomposing plant matter in the garden. Designed to help you easily identify what you find in the garden, the book is organized by where insects are most likely to be seen—on leaves, shoots, flowers, roots, or soil. Photos are included throughout the book, next to detailed descriptions of the insects and their associated plants. An indispensable guide to the natural microcosm in our backyards, Garden Insects of North America continues to be the definitive resource for amateur gardeners, insect lovers, and professional entomologists. Revised and expanded edition covers most of the insects, mites, and other “bugs” one may find in yards or gardens in the United States and Canada—all in one handy volume Features more than 3,300 full-color photos, more than twice the illustrations of the first edition Concise, informative text organized to help you easily identify insects and the plant injuries that they may cause




Good Bugs for Your Garden


Book Description

Anyone who gardens knows how snails, aphids, scale insects, and caterpillars can damage vegetables, flowers, shrubs, and trees. But not many of us know that ground beetles eat caterpillars, not plants; that dragonflies feed on mosquitoes; that parasitic wasps prey on tomato hornworms. In this delightful guide to the world of beneficial insects, Starcher, an artist and avid gardener, shows us how to identify the "good guys" and encourage them to reside in our gardens. "Altogether delightful."--Newark Star-Ledger; "A fact-filled, charmingly illustrated guide."--American Bookseller. A GARDEN BOOK CLUB selection.




Bird, Bee & Bug Houses


Book Description

Includes specific information on habit requirements for different species. This title explains the information you need to know to create the perfect habitat for each chosen species. It covers materials needed to create the house, deciding on a location and choosing an appropriate design.