The Insects: An Outline of Entomology [Paperback]

Professor P. J. Gullan (Author), Peter Cranston (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0632053437 | ISBN-13: 978-0632053438 | Publication Date: March 15, 2000 | Edition: 2

This established textbook continues to provide a comprehensive and stimulating introduction to insects, a group of animals that represent over half of the planet's biological diversity.

• Long awaited second edition of an established and widely adopted text.
  
• Lots of courses in this important topic.
  
• "Students wanting a single book to give them the whole picture need look no further" from a review in Nature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Students wanting a single book to give them the whole picture need look no further ... Since receiving The Insects I have referred to it daily, my other standby reference texts meriting only an occasional glance. It is an extremely well written and thoroughly up-to-date text, amply and clearly illustrated with magnificent black-and-white drawings." (Review of the first edition in Nature)

From the Back Cover

This established textbook continues to provide a comprehensive and stimulating introduction to insects, a group of animals that represent over half of the planet's biological diversity. It commences with a review of the significance of insects, their immense diversity and their patterns of distribution. Insects influence all of our activities, and in seeking to understand their success, the key features of insect anatomy, physiology, behaviour, ecology, phylogeny and evolution are identified by the authors. The book is organized around major biological themes - the ecology and behaviour of living on the ground, in water, on plants, in colonies, and as predators, parasites and prey; a strong evolutionary theme is maintained throughout. The economic importance of insects is considered in chapters on medical and veterinary entomology, and pest management. A systematic synopsis of each insect order is given in the appropriate chapter, summarized in the end pages, and replaces the traditional taxon-by-taxon arrangement of other books. Methods of collecting, preserving and identifying insects are dealt with in a new final chapter, and the book ends with a tabular identification guide to insect orders. The authors maintain the tradition of clarity and conciseness set by the first edition, and the text is extensively illustrated with many newly-commissioned hand-drawn figures. A colour plate section has also been added to enhance the text and visually demonstrate essential points in the book. The illustrations and the informative text aim to encourage the scientific study of insects, either as a vocation or as a hobby. The book is intended as the principal text for students taking courses in entomology, as well as wider degree programmes in which the study of insects is important, such as ecology, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, palaeontology, zoology, and medical and veterinary science.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 470 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0632053437
• ISBN-13: 978-0632053438
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #993,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great advanced text on insects, June 7, 2005

By 

Hallstatt Prince (MA. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Insects: An Outline of Entomology (Paperback)

(Four and a half stars)
Although this is a fairly technical college text I recommend it to everyone with more than a passing interest in entomology.
The author goes into great detail into the subject and yet with a little work anyone should be able to make it through this text.
Do not be intimidated by the jargon as one will eventaully become familair with it.The illustrations are very helpful.

Aquatic and juvenile insects are not neglected here as they are so often in other texts.

So many children have a passing interest in entomology. Speaking from personal experience as a child for a long time after memorizing one of the Zim guides from cover to cover I thought I knew all that needed to be known about insects. A parent aware of one's child's intellectual development should know when it is time to give their kids more advanced books. There are certainly books that bridge the gap between the Zim guides ad this boo k (The Peterson Field Guide to Insects for example)and although I certainly do not recommend this book for a child the ambitious young adult should be able to get a lot out of this book.

Recommended

Jim Connell "Hallstatt Prince"

5.0 out of 5 stars insects, March 2, 2009

By 

J. Negrini - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Insects: An Outline of Entomology (Paperback)

It is not the latest edition of the book, but we knew that when we purchased it. This edition provides enough information for beginning entomology.