Give a moment's thought, if you will, to the planning and execution of a 21st Century building. Design, engineering, finance, construction, inspection, labour relations and myriad other functions need to be dealt with. Blueprints have to be created, meetings held, disagreements resolved, bruised egos mollified, schedules met, political interference resisted, scores of different trades integrated, bylaws complied with or skillfully skirted. Adherence to health and safety regulations is a major concern, labour relations are paramount. There is no end to it!
In the insect world construction is accomplished flawlessly every time in a manner intrinsic to the colony or individual insect, with dedication, harmony and unity of purpose. A loner creating a refuge for its larvae is as precise in its accomplishment as a huge colony of termites in their climate-controlled high rise tower. These wonders of nature are in fact frequently used as models for human endeavours. They generally represent the level of peak efficiency sought by human architects and planners - and never a corner is cut, never a low grade material used to save a few dollars. Witness below a modern (and very inviting) building emulating the efficiencies of a termite colony, with flowing lines and natural cooling.
This book is about as fascinating a read as you will ever have, even if you never gave a thought to the lives of insects before. So many organisms are covered, from solitary bees and wasps to those species which form colonies, from societies of ants creating fungus gardens below the earth to a Pearly Green Lacewing laying her eggs on a stalk!
You simply cannot fail to be impressed with it all and not a little gobsmacked along the way. Consider the fortress a humble Caddisfly larva builds on its own back, constructed entirely from the detritus all around it.
The book is peppered with fabulous (I do not use the word lightly) schematics that show the life cycle of different insects in exquisite detail; so precise, yet easy enough for a child to follow.
As one who values books above most things, this volume stands out. The text is both precise and concise, the illustrations make you stop and examine the detail.
Even the inside and back covers are impressed with a sort of subliminal illustration that I find incredibly pleasing and interesting. It adds both beauty and context.
I am grateful to the author and to the illustrator, to the consulting editor and the photographers.
It is a force majeure, a tour de force, a magnum opus, a repository of wonder. I will treasure it forever.
Insect Architecture: How Insects Build, Engineer and Shape Their World - Princeton University Press
Tom Jackson and Michael S. Engel
Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691275239
176 pages - 8 x 10 inches (20 x 25 cm) - 150 colour illustrations
Publication date: 09 September, 2025
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