The Secret World of Slugs and Snails


Book Description

Do you think that you could lessen or overcome your feelings of depression if only you had the right tools? Are you ready to help yourself stop feeling depressed? If so, then you've found a powerful resource. The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Depression is a complete, comprehensive, step-by-step approach you can use, on your own or working w...




Oh, La La!


Book Description

The Pacific Northwest’s most beloved and esteemed gardening expert shares charming stories and practical wisdom from his decades-long career. With heart and humor, Ciscoe Morris regales us with stories from the gardens he has tended; the wildlife he has encountered; the dogs who have joined him on his travels; the secret lives of insects; and his endeavors as head gardener at Seattle University. Each story will make you smile but also contains a nugget of gardening wisdom or a practical, helpful tip that home gardeners will be able to put to use in their own gardens.




Maybe They're Not So Bad After All - Another look at some of the less popular animals in Newfoundland & Labrador


Book Description

These are stories of animals in Newfoundland and Labrador that are often disregarded, disliked, or even feared. The stories weave together information about their biology with elements of the folklore and traditional knowledge that brings these creatures to life.




Field Guide to the Slug


Book Description

Explore the secret world of slugs in forest, fields, and gardens from Southeast Alaska to California.




A Slow Passion


Book Description

One woman's investigation into the whys and wherefores of snails.




Rarest Blue


Book Description

For centuries, dyed fabrics ranked among the most expensive objects of the ancient Mediterranean world, fetching up to 20 times their weight in gold. Huge fortunes were made from and lost to them, and battles were fought over control of the industry. The few who knew the dyes’ complex secrets carefully guarded the valuable knowledge. The Rarest Blue tells the amazing story of tekhelet, or hyacinth blue, the elusive sky-blue dye mentioned 50 times in the Hebrew Bible. The Minoans discovered it; the Phoenicians stole the technique; Cleopatra adored it; and Jews—obeying a Biblical commandment to affix a single thread of the radiant color to the corner of their garments—risked their lives for it. But with the fall of the Roman Empire, the technique was lost to the ages. Then, in the nineteenth century, a marine biologist saw a fisherman smearing his shirt with snail guts, marveling as the yellow stains turned sky blue. But what was the secret? At the same time, a Hasidic master obsessed with reviving the ancient tradition posited that the source wasn’t a snail at all but a squid. Bitter fighting ensued until another rabbi discovered that one of them was wrong—but had an unscrupulous chemist deliberately deceived him? Baruch Sterman brilliantly recounts the complete, amazing story of this sacred dye that changed the color of history.




Insectopedia – The secret world of southern African insects


Book Description

Insectopedia uncovers the fascinating and infinitely varied world of insects. It explores their intriguing behaviour and biology – from mating and breeding, metamorphosis and movement to sight, smell, hearing and their adaptations to heat and cold. A chapter on superorganisms probes the curious phenomenon of social communities among insects; another covers the critical role that these creatures play in maintaining the fragile balance of life on our planet. The book concludes with a 60-page illustrated field guide, describing most insect orders and their main families. Previously published as Insectlopedia of Southern Africa, this fully revised and redesigned edition includes up-to-date information throughout, an expanded ID section, and several hundred new photographs. Sales points: more than 700 photographs, many depicting seldom photographed insect behaviours, clear, easy to read text, and a range of feature and fact boxes that add a lively touch, includes an ID section with photographs and line illustrations, the author is well known for his radio talks on insects.




SLIMY SLICK


Book Description

Many people find slugs to be unattractive, but this story turns ugly into amazing. This charming children's book details the nighttime adventures of Slimy Slick, our favorite banana slug, as he glides into danger on his way to devour the tasty treat he has been dreaming about. Along the way, he encounters an earthworm, a shrew, and a boy and his dog. This story is written for the 6-13 age group but appeals to adults as well through humor and fascinating facts. Readers will learn about the clever design of this gastropod and see how Slick uses his natural gifts to protect himself and to help him navigate through life in the wild. The ecological benefits of the banana slug are highlighted through the voice of a scientist, and slug anatomy and function are woven into the story to provide further educational value about these amazing creatures. The main character, a young boy, learns about life in the natural forest and garden as his feelings range from joy to anger and back again. The story, written by a retired teacher and chiropractor, provides 'reach' for readers to help maintain their interest and to promote higher learning. When read alongside an adult, magic can happen; this is a fabulous way to connect with the young reader. The emotional component builds as the story progresses and engages the reader even further. It's an endearing story that promotes environmental wisdom, creates tension when our hero's life is threatened, and provides humor and enjoyment for all readers. Humor counterbalances the factual information presented, and the cartoon illustrations provide a wonderful sense of fun. This is truly a story that is both educational and fun, as well as being visually engaging. SLIMY SLICK is a story that will be read over and over again and passed on to generations, as it is a timeless tale.




The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook, Revised


Book Description

With its stylish new package, updated information on the health and environmental benefits of insect eating, and breed-your-own instructions, this new edition of The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook is the go-to resource for anyone interested in becoming an entomological epicure. For many Americans, eating a lowly insect is something you’d only do on a dare. But with naturalist and noted bug chef David George Gordon, bug-eating is fun, exciting, and downright delicious! Now you can impress, enlighten, and entertain your family and friends with Gordon’s one-of-a-kind recipes. Spice things up at the next neighborhood potluck with a big bowl of Orthopteran Orzo—pasta salad with a cricket-y twist. Conquer your fear of spiders with a Deep-Fried Tarantula. And for dessert, why not try a White Chocolate and Wax Worm Cookie? (They’re so tasty, the kids will be begging for seconds!) Today, there are more reasons than ever before to explore entomophagy (that’s bug-eating, by the way). It’s an environmentally-friendly source of protein: Research shows that bug farming reduces greenhouse gas emissions and is exponentially more water-efficient than farming for beef, chicken, or pigs. Mail-order bugs are readily available online—but if you’re more of a DIY-type, The Eat-A-Bug Cookbook includes plenty of tips for sustainably harvesting or raising your own. Filled with anecdotes, insights, and practical how-tos, The Eat-A-Bug Cookbook is a perfect primer for anyone interested in becoming an entomological epicure.




Spirals in Time


Book Description

The beautifully written story of shells and their makers, and our relationships with them. Seashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet. But watch out. Some molluscs can kill you if you eat them. Some will kill you if you stand too close. That hasn't stopped people using shells in many ways over thousands of years. They became the first jewelry and oldest currencies; they've been used as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. Spirals in Time is an exuberant aquatic romp, revealing amazing tales of these undersea marvels. Helen Scales leads us on a journey into their realm, as she goes in search of everything from snails that 'fly' underwater on tiny wings to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards that were supposedly the source of Jason's golden fleece, and learns how shells have been exchanged for human lives, tapped for mind-bending drugs and inspired advances in medical technology. Weaving through these stories are the remarkable animals that build them, creatures with fascinating tales to tell, a myriad of spiralling shells following just a few simple rules of mathematics and evolution. Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. Some species have been overfished, others poisoned by polluted seas; perhaps most worryingly of all, molluscs are expected to fall victim to ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that may soon cause shells to simply melt away. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.