Ants make up two-thirds of the biomass of
all the insects. There are millions of organisms and we know almost nothing at
all about them.
E. O. Wilson
Since making the statement above many years ago, E. O. Wilson, the pre-eminent myrmecologist of all time, would concede that knowledge about ants has expanded exponentially, and he would be mightily pleased with this book.
And so am I!
I remember as a child, probably around eight years of age, having an old glass fish tank, in which I had my own ant colony. Doubtless I did everything wrong in terms of keeping them, but they provided me with hours of fascination, and were a key component in my emerging love of nature. From so humble a beginning a life time of engagement with nature has ensued.
The subtitle of the book is A Visual Guide and it is all of that, with fabulous illustrations on every page. But it is much more. Chapter by chapter every aspect of the lives of ants is explored, beginning with the deceptively simple question, What is an ant? Read chapter one and you will know!
The authors, Heather Campbell and Benjamin Blanchard write impeccably well, with a literary style to explain scientific concepts if that is possible, but I find their prose quite lyrical, and the text is a pleasure to read. Often scientists can be pretty dry and fail to draw in their audience. Campbell and Blanchard will leave you begging for more.
Following the first chapter, the book is organized in subsequent chapters dealing with Evolution and Diversity, Life History, Reproduction and Development, Behaviour, Ecology, and finally Ants and People. At the end of each chapter are ant profiles that support the text you have just read. Each profile furnishes a full page image, a range map and salient facts about the species. Some of the pictures verge on mind-blowing, when you consider the diminutive size of these insects; the detail is incredible.
This is a book that will satisfy you page after page and you will absorb a great storehouse of knowledge, almost effortlessly.
The final section of the last chapter is titled Change Underfoot and deals with the status (and fate) of ants in the Anthropocene. Sadly, as in all books about extant species and global biodiversity, the message is grim. Homo sapiens (I am no longer convinced of the sapiens part), continues to alter the landscape in so many ways that are detrimental to wildlife of all taxa, and as the world population of humans continues to soar, increasingly more habitat is lost. The last sentence should be a wakeup call to us all, "If people fail to come together locally, nationally and internationally to address the many challenges facing ants, among other flora and fauna, then much of the fascinating and beautiful diversity detailed in this book could soon become a thing of the past."
Will we change our ways? History would suggest otherwise, but we can hope. Hope may be all that is left.
Ants: A Visual Guide - Princeton University Press
Heather Campbell and Benjamin Blanchard
Hardcover - US$32.00 - ISBN: 9780691228525
224 pages - 8.25 x 9.25 inches (20.625 x 23.125 cm)
215 Colour illustrations - 44 maps
Publication date: 21 February, 2023
...a part of nature that I know very little about.
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone, Tom.
DeleteI'm sure it's a great book, David. I live near a forest, and here we have very many ants. Some of them are quite aggressive when I dig in the ground.
ReplyDeleteHugs and kisses, Marit
It is certainly a fascinating book.
ReplyDeleteExcellent review, unfortunately I don't think man changes his behavior for the better.
Ants world is fascinating!
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI, too, had an 'ant farm' when a sprog, David - and have loved the insect/bug world ever since! Have added this tome to my Kindle wish list (I cannot add more physical books to life - indeed I must divest myself of many...) YAM xx
I got to hear E.O. Wilson speak once, maybe ten or 15 years ago. It was amazing. After that the teachers I went with kept calling him my boyfriend as I had so many things to say about his talk. One thing he said is that there were only around 10 -15 animal genuses that were truly social. I'm still trying to figure out what those are, but I bet ants are one of them. Thanks for sharing. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteI envy you your personal experience with E.O. Wilson, Erika. I am sure you will never forget it.
DeleteThe more I see of mankind, the less I believe that things will change. But we can still hope! Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteI have vivid memories of being bitten while working in the back. I don't think so. Good reference for those to whom it appeals!
ReplyDeleteAh! If a chipmunk bit you, wouldn't hold it against him would you?
DeleteThe beautiful universe of ants has a dedicated book.
ReplyDeleteI have never taken much of an interest in ants, David, although I have photographed the occasional Wood Ant nest when I've found one. However, I remember that, back in my school days about 60 years ago (I was at a boarding school) there was a lad name Timothy Dickinson there (in retrospect, I guess he was autistic) who spent all his free time out in the countryside looking for ants. Sadly, he was cruelly ridiculed by some. Whether he 'grew up' to be an authority on the subject, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteGood to see that you are safely back with us. Best wishes to you and Miriam - - - Richard
It's sad when kids who are "different" are ridiculed by others. It still happens, though.
DeleteSounds like a very interesting book.
ReplyDeleteExtremely so.
DeleteWhile I never took an overriding interest in ants, I have heard of E.O. Wilson and read about his studies of ants. From the admittedly little knowledge I have, ants are quite an most industrious of insects.
ReplyDeleteE.O. Wilson was one of the greatest Americans of all time in my opinion, and I guarantee you I am not alone in that assessment. If he had been able to hit a ball with a stick he would have made astronomical sums of money, but as an academic of the highest order he was paid a "regular" salary. Some of his work changed the course of biological thought, yet many don't even know his name. It is sad that a baseball player is valued more highly than one of the great minds of the 20th/21st century.
DeleteMuy buena tu reseña, querido amigo David y que al parecer estamos ante una obra muy intensa y apasionante sobre el fabuloso mundo de las hormigas. A buen seguro no dejará indiferente a nadie que quiera profundizar sobre estas increíbles criaturas.
ReplyDeleteLa foto que acompaña la portada es preciosa.
Un gran abrazo querido y admirado profesor de tu siempre amigo y compadre Juan.
Yo recuerdo, de cuando era pequeña y veía algunas por el campo, les ponía miguitas de pan y observaba como se la llevaban hasta su hormiguero.
ReplyDeleteLas hormigas siempre son interesantes. El libro me encantaría tenerlo. Un abrazo.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they will translate it into Spanish, Teresa,
DeleteExcellent review!
ReplyDeleteI must confess I don't know very much about ants, what I know can be written on a postage stamp in large writing.
ReplyDeleteHi David - I do hope this wasn't your reading material in Cuba?! Another fascinating book to read about and know that so much knowledge is available on ants - we do live in such a wonderful world ... which I sincerely hope we're not ruining. I suspect they will survive - we won't ... a hope - but not good if we believe we're pretty clever (though pretty may be an inaccurate adjective!) ... Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteMy reading material in Cuba, Hilary, was a fascinating account of the mosquito and its affect on humans and their conflicts. Great book!
DeleteAnother amazing book and fantastic review. Thank you David.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such interesting book!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for highlighting this book.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Sounds like an interesting book.
ReplyDeleteGreat review as always, David.
This seems like a very interesting book David.
ReplyDeleteGreetings Irma
Ants are fascinating creatures, Irma. Whenever I visit areas where leaf-cutter ants occur they fill me with endless wonder.
DeleteHello David, :=)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you arrived home safe and sound. :=) Ants are fascinating insects. My late husband's interest in them like you, began when he was about twelve year old. He had a small glass case where he could watch an ant colony which was hand held and he told me he spent hours watching them. There are many small ant hills on the farm, and whenever we went a walk he would take great delight in photographing the ants anywhere we went actually, and my curiosity was piqued also. The way they carry large twigs several sizes larger than themselves is amazing. I have great respect for these industrious insects and several books about them. Thank you for the review David, and welcome home, you were missed.
Warm Hugs.
Thank you, Sonjia.
DeleteHello David, thank you for your book review on this book. As so many other insects and animals will face the same 'end of story' with us keeping on as we do and did with destroying there habitat. I do not believe in miracles but nature sure could use some micales.
ReplyDeleteWarm regards,
Roos
Thank you for your respond on my last post.
And I forgot, welcome home David hope you had a great time!
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds so interesting
ReplyDeleteThe momentum for human change is in the wrong direction ... it will take something magnanimous or scary to bring the change that is needed. I hope for it, but I am dubious.
ReplyDeleteThe ant world is forever fascinatingly ... I have explored it on my own many times (once, unfortunately with fire ants in Florida) and I still marvel, even when they march in lines through my kitchen. I have learned that food cannot be left out, even the slightest crumbs don't go unnoticed. I have also learned that they can be enticed to go outside by leaving optional food ... most of the time. Sadly I admit to having used ant traps, though it haunts me to do it. If you know a better way of dealing with ants in the kitchen, I am all ears. I will no doubt buy this book. It seems way to interesting to pass on ... my FH is starting to think I have something on the side as I keep spending money on things unknown to him, Ha! Hope you are well ... you seem uncommonly quiet these last few weeks. Maybe it's just the weather keeping you inside ...
Andrea @ From the Sol.
Hi Andrea: I have been aaway in Cuba for almost two weeks without internet connection - fabulous birding though!
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