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Our highly seasonal world restricts insect activity to brief portions of the year. This feature necessitates a sophisticated interpretation of seasonal changes and enactment of mechanisms for bringing development to a halt and then reinitiating it when the inimical season is past. The dormant state of diapause serves to bridge the unfavourable seasons, and its timing provides a powerful mechanism for synchronizing insect development. This book explores how seasonal signals are monitored and used by insects to enact specific molecular pathways that generate the diapause phenotype. The broad perspective offered here scales from the ecological to the molecular and thus provides a comprehensive view of this exciting and vibrant research field, offering insights on topics ranging from pest management, evolution, speciation, climate change and disease transmission, to human health, as well as analogies with other forms of invertebrate dormancy and mammalian hibernation.
This second edition of Natural Enemies will give students, professionals, and anyone wishing to learn the basics of biological control a fully updated and thorough introduction. The book discusses the huge diversity of organisms used in the control of pests, weeds and plant pathogens, and compares the many different strategies referred to as 'biological control': the introduction of exotic natural enemies, application of predators, parasitoids, and microorganisms as biopesticides, and manipulation of the environment to enhance natural enemy populations. The authors present the ecological concepts which form the bases of biological control and discuss recent changes to make biological control safe for the environment. Case studies are included throughout, providing in-depth examples of the use of different organisms and strategies in a variety of ecosystems. A new chapter covers the current challenges; the impact of climate change, the problem of invasive species, and how biological control can aid sustainability.
Ants are probably the most dominant insect family on earth, and flowering plants have been the dominant plant group on land for more than 100 million years. In recent decades, human activities have degraded natural environments with unparalleled speed and scale, making it increasingly apparent that interspecific interactions vary not only under different ecological conditions and across habitats, but also according to anthropogenic global change. This is the first volume entirely devoted to the anthropogenic effects on the interactions between these two major components of terrestrial ecosystems. A first-rate team of contributors report their research from a variety of temperate and tropical ecosystems worldwide, including South, Central and North America, Africa, Japan, Polynesia, Indonesia and Australia. It provides an in-depth summary of the current understanding for researchers already acquainted with insect-plant interactions, yet is written at a level to offer a window into the ecology of ant-plant interactions for the mostly uninitiated international scientific community.
Biological control is the suppression of populations of pests and weeds by living organisms. These organisms can provide important protection from invasive species and protect our environment by reducing the need for pesticides. However, they also pose possible environmental risks, so biological control interventions must be undertaken with great care. This book enhances our understanding of biological control interactions by combining theory and practical application. Using a combination of historical analyses, theoretical models and case studies, with explicit links to invasion biology, the authors cover biological control of insects, weeds, plant pathogens and vertebrate animals. The book reflects increasing recognition of risks over the past 20 years, and incorporates the latest technological advances and theoretical developments. It is ideal for researchers and students of biological control and invasion biology.
The Coccinellidae are a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds or ladybugs. In Britain alone, some 46 species belong to the Coccinellidae family, although only 26 of these are recognisably ladybirds. Composed largely of Professor Michael Majerus' lifetime work, and updated by two leading experts in the field, this book reveals intriguing insights into ladybird biology from a global perspective. The popularity of this insect group has been captured through societal and cultural considerations, coupled with detailed descriptions of complex scientific processes, to provide a comprehensive and accessible overview of these charismatic insects. Bringing together many studies on ladybirds, this book has been organised into themes, ranging from anatomy and physiology to ecology and evolution. This book is suitable for interested amateur enthusiasts, and researchers involved with ladybirds, entomology and biological control.
Despite numerous scientific investigations on vector-borne human infections such as malaria, Lyme disease and typhus these diseases continue to threaten human health. Understanding the role of vectors in disease transmission, and the most appropriate control strategies, is therefore essential. This book provides information on the recognition, biology, ecology and medical importance of the arthropods that affect human health. The fifth edition of this popular textbook is completely updated and incorporates the latest strategies for controlling insects, ticks and mites. Numerous illustrations, with new colour photographs of some of the most important vectors, aid recognition. A glossary of entomological and epidemiological terms is included, along with a list of commonly used insecticides and their trade names. Clearly presented in a concise style, this text is aimed at students of medical entomology, tropical medicine, parasitology and pest control. It is also essential reading for physicians, health officials and community health workers.
Wood ants play an ecologically dominant and conspicuous role in temperate boreal forests, making a keystone contribution to woodland ecosystem functions and processes. Wood ant taxonomy and global distributions set the scene for this text's exploration of wood ants as social insects, examining their flexible social structures, genetics, population ecology, and behaviour, from nest-mate recognition to task allocation. Wood ants' interactions with their environment and with other organisms are essential to their success: competition, predation and mutualism are described and analysed. Bringing together the expertise of ecological researchers and conservation practitioners, this book provides practical and theoretical advice about sampling and monitoring these insects, and outlines the requirements for effective conservation. This is an indispensable resource for wood ant researchers, entomologists, conservationists and ecological consultants, as well as anyone interested in social insects, keystone species and the management and conservation of forest ecosystems.
First published in 1948 as the second edition of a 1931 original, this book deals with the main types of insects found on British farms, the damage they can cause and the various weeds that can harbour them. The text is richly illustrated with photographs and drawings of the insects, their eggs and the symptoms of their attack on common farm plants. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of entomology.
Originally published in 1940, this book examines the Fabrician coleopteran specimens in the Hunterian Collection at Glasgow University. In this second of two volumes, Staig describes examples of the endomychidae, coccinellidae, helodidae, buprestidae, elateridae, tenebrionidae, oedemeridae, rhipiphordae, meloidae and pyrochroidae found in the collection, with drawings of specific beetles in their then-current state of preservation. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in entomology.
This classic work by F. W. L. Sladen (1876–1921) was published in 1912. Captivated by the bees in the grounds of his home, he produced his first essay on them in 1892, and later began to keep bees and produce honey as a livelihood, at the same time studying and breeding honeybees. Moving in 1912 to Canada, he eventually received the title of Dominion Apiarist, but unfortunately his work was cut short by his sudden death in 1921. When this book was published, there were no detailed accounts of the life cycles of the humble-bee (or bumblebee) species. Sladen provides these, with a guide to distinguishing the different British species (with colour plates which can be viewed at http://www.cambridge.org/9781108075725), and instructions on how to domesticate these important pollinators. Combining the enthusiasm of a naturalist with the precision of a scientist, this work is of continuing interest and importance in environmental studies.
Arthropod vectors of human infections, such as malaria, filariasis, West Nile virus, Lyme disease and typhus, are a continuing threat to human health. Medical Entomology for Students provides basic information on the recognition, biology, ecology, and medical importance of the arthropods that affect human health. The fourth edition of this popular textbook is completely updated, and now incorporates the latest strategies for controlling insects, ticks and mites. Extensive illustrations, with new colour photographs of some of the most important vectors and pests, will assist readers in recognizing arthropods such as mosquitoes, flies, and myiasis causing larvae. With a clear presentation and concise style, this text is specifically aimed at students of medical entomology, tropical medicine, parasitology, and pest control. It will also be essential reading for physicians, nurses, health officials, and community health workers
Insects such as cockroaches, mosquitoes and bed-bugs are usually not highly sought amongst travellers or recreationists, yet each year, collectors, butterfly enthusiasts, dragonfly-hunters and apiarists collect, visit, document and raise insects for recreational purposes. Illustrating a range of human-insect encounters from an interdisciplinary perspective, this book provides the first insight into the booming industry of insect recreation. Case studies and examples demonstrate the appeal of insects, ranging from the captivating beauty of butterflies to the curious fascination of locust swarms, and challenge the notion that animals lacking anthropomorphic features hold little or no interest for humans. Throughout the book, the emphasis is on the innovators, the educators, the dedicated researchers and activists who, through collaboration across fields ranging from entomology to sociology and anthropology, have brought insects from the recreational fringes to the forefront of many conservation and leisure initiatives.
The Insects has been the standard textbook in the field since the first edition published over forty years ago. Building on the strengths of Chapman's original text, this long-awaited 5th edition has been revised and expanded by a team of eminent insect physiologists, bringing it fully up-to-date for the molecular era. The chapters retain the successful structure of the earlier editions, focusing on particular functional systems rather than taxonomic groups and making it easy for students to delve into topics without extensive knowledge of taxonomy. The focus is on form and function, bringing together basic anatomy and physiology and examining how these relate to behaviour. This, combined with nearly 600 clear illustrations, provides a comprehensive understanding of how insects work. Now also featuring a richly illustrated prologue by George McGavin, this is an essential text for students, researchers and applied entomologists alike.
Spiders are often underestimated as suitable behavioural models because of the general belief that due to their small brains their behaviour is innate and mostly invariable. Challenging this assumption, this fascinating book shows that rather than having a limited behavioural repertoire, spiders show surprising cognitive abilities, changing their behaviour to suit their situational needs. The team of authors unravels the considerable intra-specific as well as intra-individual variability and plasticity in different behaviours ranging from foraging and web building to communication and courtship. An introductory chapter on spider biology, systematics and evolution provides the reader with the necessary background information to understand the discussed behaviours and helps to place them into an evolutionary context. Highlighting an under-explored area of behaviour, this book will provide new ideas for behavioural researchers and students unfamiliar with spiders as well as a valuable resource for those already working in this intriguing field.
Despite numerous scientific investigations on vector-borne human infections such as malaria, Lyme disease and typhus these diseases continue to threaten human health. Understanding the role of vectors in disease transmission, and the most appropriate control strategies, is therefore essential. This book provides information on the recognition, biology, ecology and medical importance of the arthropods that affect human health. The fifth edition of this popular textbook is completely updated and incorporates the latest strategies for controlling insects, ticks and mites. Numerous illustrations, with new colour photographs of some of the most important vectors, aid recognition. A glossary of entomological and epidemiological terms is included, along with a list of commonly used insecticides and their trade names. Clearly presented in a concise style, this text is aimed at students of medical entomology, tropical medicine, parasitology and pest control. It is also essential reading for physicians, health officials and community health workers.
The Insects is about how insects function as animals; it brings together basic anatomy and physiology and relates this to behavior. It emphasizes the roles of different functional systems in the context of the whole organism, using studies of many different species as illustrations. Unlike other texts, it does not dwell on classification, but takes an in-depth look at physiology. As such it will provide all biologists with a basic understanding of how insects work. A long-awaited update of a well-established standard text and respected reference work for students and researchers in zoology, entomology and physiology, it has been rewritten throughout, whilst retaining the successful structure of the earlier editions. Improved illustrations have been augmented with electron micrographs, and expanded reference sections will make it a valuable addition to all biologists' bookshelves.
Insects are the most diverse and abundant animals that share our world, and conservation initiatives are increasingly needed and being implemented globally, to safe guard the wealth of individual species. This book provides sufficient background information, illustrated by examples from many parts of the world, to enable more confident and efficient progress towards the conservation of these ecologically indispensable animals. Writing for graduate students, academic researchers and professionals, Tim New describes the major ingredients for insect species management and conservation, and how these may be integrated into effective practical management and recovery plans.
Combining breadth of coverage with detail, this logical and cohesive introduction to insect ecology couples concepts with a broad range of examples and practical applications. It explores cutting-edge topics in the field, drawing on and highlighting the links between theory and the latest empirical studies. The sections are structured around a series of key topics, including behavioral ecology; species interactions; population ecology; food webs, communities and ecosystems; and broad patterns in nature. Chapters progress logically from the small scale to the large; from individual species through to species interactions, populations and communities. Application sections at the end of each chapter outline the practicality of ecological concepts and show how ecological information and concepts can be useful in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Each chapter ends with a summary, providing a brief recap, followed by a set of questions and discussion topics designed to encourage independent and creative thinking.
The great French zoologist Lamarck (1744–1829) was best known for his theory of evolution, called 'soft inheritance', whereby organisms pass down acquired characteristics to their offspring. Originally a soldier, Lamarck later studied medicine and biology, becoming particularly interested in botany; his distinguished career included admission to the French Academy of Sciences (1779), and appointments as Royal Botanist (1781) and as professor of zoology at the Musée Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle in 1793. Acknowledged as the premier authority on invertebrate zoology, he is credited with coining the term 'invertebrates'. This work, published in Paris in 1801, expands on Linnaeus' classification system, introducing seven sub-categories, creating finer divisions along lines of the species' inherent physical traits, and describing their natural characteristics and organisation. Also included is Lamarck's museum lecture, delivered in 1800, in which he first set out his ideas on evolution.
The function of insect blood cells has long puzzled scientists. This much-needed volume, first published in 1979, attempts to explain the forms and functions of insect hemocytes, creating a solid basis from which work in the field may proceed. Insect Hemocytes had its origins in a symposium held at the XV International Congress of Entomology (1976). It is a coherent presentation whose contributors were some of the most eminent specialists in the field.