Book Review - Beetles of the World: A Natural History - Princeton University Press

 

     One look at the front cover and you know that this book is going to draw you in!

     There is something quite comforting in seeing another volume in the now familiar series by Princeton University Press (e.g. Spiders of the World, Bees of the World etc.) in a format that has become as familiar as an old and much-loved friend. The books are always clear, precise, easy to read, well illustrated and in every way an exciting companion to the exploration of a taxon.

     Two authors with impeccable credentials have pooled their considerable talents to produce an illuminating work, destined to become a "go-to" reference for amateurs and professionals alike. 

     The book begins with a brief introduction, where it seemed significant to me, that attention was drawn to the fact that Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, those legendary co-discovers of Evolution were both avid beetle collectors. Is there a connection here?

     There follows a complete examination of the Coleoptera, beginning with the simple question, "What are Beetles?" Throughout the pages of this book you will learn every facet of the anatomy, lifestyle and function of beetles; their origins in antiquity as revealed in the fossil record, and their key functions in the modern environment.  Beetles do not exist for the improvement of the human condition, yet without them our lives would be changed in ways that are hard to imagine, and frightening to contemplate.

     Beetles have for millennia captured the attention of humans in various ways - in mythology, as subjects for art and adornment, as agricultural pests, aggressors in the destruction of forests, important pollinators, sanitation crews, reservoirs of medical agency - and they continue to occupy a prominent place in popular culture.

     The four suborders of the Coleoptera - Archostemata, Myxophaga, Adephaga, and Polyphaga are presented with representative species from each family and subfamily.  Typical coverage includes a concise yet comprehensive description, a range map, several images and information on the number of known species, distribution, habitat, size, diet and "notes." These accounts are very well done, to say nothing of being visually appealing. 

     An excellent glossary is followed by a list of further resources.

     My summary: A first rate book that deserves a place on the shelves of every naturalist. But don't just leave it there; take it down and use it often. I know I will.

Beetles of the World: A Natural History - Princeton University Press

Maxwell V.L. Barclay and Patrice Bouchard

Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691240732

240 pages - 150+ coloured illustrations

6.75 x 9.5 inches (16.875 x 23.75 cm) 

Publication date: 15 August, 2023