“Count me in on this safari! … You need not leave your own yard … to find drama, beauty, and wonder in the insect world.”
—Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus
“Wonder bursts from these pages. Vivid prose and gorgeous photography celebrate the diversity and sophistication of insects…”
—David George Haskell, biologist and Pulitzer finalist
“Uncommonly well-researched, unusually well-written, and unexpectedly entertaining…”
—Doug Tallamy, entomologist and author
“Margie Patlak’s infectious enthusiasm for her topic made it all the more captivating...Read it yourself and you’ll never look at your backyard the same way again.”
—Jonathan Balcombe, biologist and author of Super Fly
You Don’t Need a Passport for a Safari
You don’t need to crisscross the globe to see extraordinary creatures. They are all around you—in your backyard, your neighborhood park, wherever the concrete gives way to green.
In Insect Safari, award-winning science writer Margie Patlak invites you to discover the astonishing lives of everyday insects. All you need to embark on this adventure is curiosity—and perhaps a cellphone camera.
Alien Life All Around You
What began as a close-up snapshot of a backyard bee became a years-long exploration of the many common tiny six-legged creatures hiding in plain sight.
Lavishly illustrated with Margie’s photography, Insect Safari reveals:
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Moths that navigate by starlight
Moths that navigate by starlight•Flies that can smell food from 10 miles away
Flies that can smell food from 10 miles away•Beetles that can survive being run over by a car
Beetles that can survive being run over by a car•Wasps that use tools
Wasps that use tools•Bees that play and do math
Bees that play and do math•Ants that farm and recognize themselves in mirrors
Ants that farm and recognize themselves in mirrors•Even fruit flies that mull over mating choices
Even fruit flies that mull over mating choicesRecent scientific discoveries show insects are far more capable, complex, and even intelligent than most of us ever imagined.
Big Questions from Small Creatures
Each chapter invites you on a journey of discovery as Margie explores the lifestyle of a specific insect she personally encounters. She even delves into some of the bigger questions these tiny animals raise, like whether maternal behavior is instinctual, or whether altruism is possible without tribal atrocities.
By doing a deep dive into the realm of small critters often ignored, Insect Safari opens up a whole new world for readers.
Join the safari—and discover the extraordinary world right outside your door!
