This new edition remains largely unchanged in respect of area covered from the first edition, and I have generally kept to the same style and format. As stated in the first edition this is a student textbook on medical entomology; those interested more in reference books should consult the publications listed at the end of this Preface. I have revised the text where necessary and rewritten many of the sections on control as these can quickly become outdated. A number of new figures are included, and some previous ones have been redrawn or modified. A few of the older references under the headings ‘Further reading’ have been omitted and several new ones added. Finally I have added a Glossary, mainly entomological, that I hope will help students to understand better some of the entomological terms commonly used.