A Year of Garden Bees and Bugs

A fascinating journey into the secret life of insects, with QR codes to video and audio to bring the creatures to life. Just as birds have yearly rhythms, so do insects, bees, beetles and butterflies. Wildlife experts Dominic Couzens and Gail Ashton discover 52 minibeasts from around the world, every week of the year. They tell the story of what is happening week-by-week in the insect world, in our own backyards and just outside our patio doors. From the daily grind of the house spider building a new web each morning, to the vast appetites of ladybirds, which can devour hundreds of aphids a day, and the glory of the Stag beetle's maiden flight. We delve into the world of the lethal Sydney funnelweb spider in Australian gardens, the migratory mission of the Monarch butterfly in America and the life of the backdoor scorpions in South Africa. In amongst the seasonal behaviour, the authors have woven history and folkloric tales – from Cardinal Wolsey's fear of spiders to how flies can solve murders. These brilliant stories are complemented by wonderful, commissioned illustrations that bring out the beauty of the entomological world. A QR code for each entry takes you to a video or audio file to further explore the habits of these intriguing creatures. A book for any nature lover to reveal the true wonder of our insect neighbours.