Studia Entomologica


Book Description







The Ants


Book Description

From the Arctic to South Africa - one finds them everywhere: Ants. Making up nearly 15% of the entire terrestrial animal biomass, ants are impressive not only in quantitative terms, they also fascinate by their highly organized and complex social system. Their caste system, the division of labor, the origin of altruistic behavior and the complex forms of chemical communication makes them the most interesting group of social organisms and the main subject for sociobiologists. Not least is their ecological importance: Ants are the premier soil turners, channelers of energy and dominatrices of the insect fauna. TOC:The importance of ants.- Classification and origins.- The colony life cycle.- Altruism and the origin of the worker caste.- Colony odor and kin recognition.- Queen numbers and domination.- Communication.- Caste and division of labor.- Social homeostasis and flexibility.- Foraging and territorial strategies.- The organization of species communities.- Symbioses among ant species.- Symbioses with other animals.- Interaction with plants.- The specialized predators.- The army ants.- The fungus growers.- The harvesters.- The weaver ants.- Collecting and culturing ants.- Glossary.- Bibliography.- Index.




Manual of Central American Diptera


Book Description

While volume 1 includes several introductory chapters and treats 42 families of flies in the Lower Diptera, volume 2 covers the remaining 64 families of flies that make up the Higher Diptera (or Cyclorrhapha). These include families of house flies, fruit flies, bot flies, flower flies and many other lesser-known groups. The text is accompanies by over 1660 line drawings and photographs.




A Dictionary of Entomology


Book Description

"This book is a comprehensive, fully cross-referenced collection of over 28,000 terms, names and phrases used in entomology, incorporating an estimated 43,000 definitions. It is the only listing which covers insect anatomy, behaviour, biology, ecology, histology, molecular biology, morphology, pest management, taxonomy and systematics. The origin, etymology, part of speech and definition of each term and phrase are all provided, including the language, meaning or root of each term and constituent parts. Where meanings have changed, or terms have been borrowed from other disciplines, the most current usage is indicated. The common names of insects, their scientific binomen and taxonomic classification are provided, with diagnoses of pest species in many cases. All insect order, suborder, superfamily, family and subfamily names are given, together with the diagnostic features of orders and families. Names of deceased entomologists, or scientists from other fields who have contributed to entomology are included, with the citation for their biography or obituary. The list of names is global, including entomologists from Asia, whose research has often been neglected by western scientists. This book is an essential reference source for all professionals and students of entomology and related disciplines."--p. [4] of cover.




Agriculture Monograph


Book Description




Sociobiology


Book Description

When this work was first published it started a tumultuous round in the age-old nature versus nurture debate. It shows how research in human genetics and neuroscience has strengthened the case for biological understanding of human nature.




Studia Entomologica Forestalia


Book Description




Hymenoptera: Evolution, Biodiversity and Biological Control


Book Description

The Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of terrestrial arthropods and comprises the sawflies, wasps, ants, bees and parasitic wasps. Hymenoptera: Evolution, Biodiversity and Biological Control examines the current state of all major areas of research for this important group of insects, including systematics, biological control, behaviour, ecology, and physiological interactions between parasitoids and hosts. The material in this volume originates from papers presented at the Fourth International Hymenoptera Conference held in Canberra, Australia in early 1999. This material has been extensively rewritten, refereed and edited; culminating in this authoritative and comprehensive collection of review and research papers on the Hymenoptera. The authors include many world-leading researchers in their respective fields, and this synthesis of their work will be a valuable resource for researchers and students of Hymenoptera, molecular systematics and insect ecology.




Scuttle Flies: The Phoridae


Book Description

Phoridae are probably the insect family with the greatest diversity of larval habits, but the least studied of the large families of flies due to identification difficulties. This book collates what is known about the natural history of the Phoridae world. It reviews eggs and oviposition, larval habits (including saprophages, kleptoparasites, fungus breeders, plant feeders, predator, parasitoids, parasites and enemies), pupae and their enemies, development, adult habits (including feeding, special associations, courtship, mating, phoretic mites and enemies) and ecological aspects. There follows a new user-friendly and extensively illustrated key to world genera and a review of the identification literature for each of the 229 genera recognized. A review of methods and an extensive bibliography complete the work.