The book of beetles

the long version

The Book of Beetles celebrates the beauty and diversity of this marvelous group of insects. Six hundred significant beetle species are covered, from the delicate featherwing beetles to the six-inch-long titan beetles. Each entry includes a population distribution map, a table of essential information, a listing of related species, and a description of the specimen's importance in terms of taxonomy, rarity, behavior, and scientific significance. Intermixed with the facts are surprising asides, such as Priacma serrata's undeniable attraction to laundry bleach, Manticora latipennis's role in Persian legends as "one who devours men," or the ability of Nomius pygmaeus - the co-called Stinking Beetle - to force the evacuation of an entire village.--INSIDE FLAP.