Super bug encyclopedia _ the biggest fastest, deadliest creepy-crawlies on the planet

Air cavity Tymbal muscle contracts to vibrate tymbal. Tymbal SINGING BUGS Male cicadas are equipped with sound-makers called tymbals. They are like tiny drums in each side of the cicada’s body. Special muscles pull the tymbals in and then release them to generate a rapid stream of clicks, which is heard as a loud buzzing song. This attracts female cicadas to mate with the males. The long forewings “The songs of have stout veins for reinforcement and male cicadas are a waxy surface that repels water. among the loudest insect sounds Each foot has sharp claws for a firm in the world.” grip on tree bark. LIKE CLOCKWORK 1 2 3 LIFE STORIES While some periodical cicadas BURROWING NYMPH BREAKING OUT STARTING AGAIN develop underground for 17 years, The cicada nymph spends its long The dark-colored nymph climbs The new adult has a soft body with others take 13 years. The nymphs life underground, feeding on the sap on to a tree or plant for its final pale skin. But the skin soon hardens grow at the same rate. Eventually, from tree roots. When the time transformation. It slides out of its and turns black. The wings expand, they emerge and clamber onto finally comes to see daylight, the old skin for the last time, emerging enabling the cicada to fly and trees. The males fill the air with nymph digs its way to the surface. as a winged adult. search for a partner. sound to attract females, which lay their eggs on the trees. When the eggs hatch, the nymphs drop to the ground and burrow out of sight for the next 13 or 17 years. 199

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NEW BEGINNING A cicada nymph is stoutly built. When it climbs a tree to shed its skin for the last time, the adult that emerges is very similar apart from color, and even this will darken with time. But the adult cicada has wings, unlike the nymph. The wings are small and crumpled at first, but this cicada will soon start pumping fluid into the wing veins to make them unfurl and expand. 201

PATERNAL PROTECTION GIANT WATER BUG Most insects abandon their eggs once they are laid. But some giant water bugs are different, because the female carefully glues her eggs to the back of the male. He then carries the eggs until they hatch to ensure predators do not eat his offspring. Each young water bug turns into a fierce predator that attacks insects, frogs, and fish. Using its powerful, grasping front legs to impale the victim, the bug stabs it with its sharp beak to inject a paralyzing, flesh-dissolving saliva so that it can suck up and digest the meal. AT A GLANCE • SIZE Up to 4 in (10 cm) from head to tail • HABITAT Lakes, rivers, and other fresh waters • LOCATION North America, South America, Africa, Australia, India, and Southeast Asia • DIET Any freshwater animals they can catch ABOUT STATS AND FACTS 160 EGGS DEFENSE SPECIES A female lays If threatened, Giant water bugs 100 or more the defensive mainly live in warmer eggs in one strategy is bite parts of the world, batch. back or play but some live as far dead. north as Canada. LIGHT BUGS FOOD LIFE-SPAN LIFE STORIES Also known as In some parts of electric light Southeast Asia, bugs because water bugs are they are attracted considered a to night-lights. delicacy. UP TO 1 YEAR 202

BIRTH OF A BUG After the male water bug has carried the eggs on his back for two weeks, they start to hatch. Here, a tiny infant is pulling itself out of the eggshell, and the dark eyespots in the other eggs show that they are also ready to hatch.

GLOSSARY ABDOMEN CHITIN EXOSKELETON HONEYDEW The rear part of an animal’s body, The substance that forms the tough The tough external skeleton of an A sweet-tasting, sticky waste produced containing the digestive organs. external skeleton of an arthropod. animal such as an insect. Also known by some insects that feed on sugary as the cuticle. plant sap. ANAESTHETIC COCOON A substance that numbs pain. A protective enclosure made by FANGS INSECT Some insects inject an anaesthetic an animal, typically using silk. Sharp, hollow toothlike structures. An arthropod that has three pairs of when they bite, so the victim Many arthropods, including spiders, legs when adult, and often has one feels nothing. COLONY inject venom through their fangs to or two pairs of wings. A group of animals or other organisms kill or paralyze their prey. ANTENNAE that live together. Ants and bees are INVERTEBRATE A pair of long, movable sense organs bugs that live in large colonies. FERTILIZE An animal that does not have a jointed (feelers) used to detect movement To bring male and female cells internal skeleton. and chemicals in the air. COMPOUND EYES together so that they develop into The main eyes of adult insects and seeds or eggs. Many insects play an IRIDESCENT AQUATIC some other animals, made up of important role in plant fertilization Glittering with color created by the Living in water. Aquatic bugs include hundreds of elements, each with by carrying pollen from the male to way sunlight reflects from a textured water beetles and water spiders. its own tiny lens. the female parts of flowers. surface. The effect may be seen on a Some insects, such as dragonflies and butterfly’s wings or a shiny beetle. mayflies, are aquatic in their early COURTSHIP FORCIPULES stages but surface and fly as adults. Behavior designed to attract the Sharp-tipped, clawlike front limbs LARVA attention of a breeding partner, such used by centipedes to inject venom The young form of an insect, which ARACHNID as showing off colored wings. and kill prey. looks very different from the adult. An animal such as a spider or scorpion Larvae (plural) include moth and with pincer-like mouthparts and four CROP FOREWINGS butterfly caterpillars, fly maggots, pairs of legs. Part of the digestive system, used An insect’s front pair of wings. and beetle and wasp grubs. for storing food that has just ARTHROPOD been swallowed. FOSSIL LIFE CYCLE An animal with an external skeleton, The remains or traces of any The stages through which an animal jointed legs, and no backbone. CUTICLE living thing that survive decay passes to reach its adult form and be Arthropods include insects, spiders, The outer protective skin of an and are often preserved by being capable of reproducing. and crustaceans like lobsters and crabs. arthropod. It is typically made of turned to stone. a tough material and forms an MALPIGHIAN TUBULES CAMOUFLAGE exoskeleton. GLAND Small tubes that gather waste chemicals Colors or shapes that make something A small organ in the body that from the body fluids of arthropods. hard to see against its background. DORMANT makes and releases a chemical Camouflage provides protection from Inactive, as though sleeping. Many substance, such as hormones, MANDIBLES predators, but it can also hide a hunter. bugs have a dormant period in their saliva, or silk. Sharp jaw-like structures used for biting Some insects look just like the leaves, development stage. This saves their and chewing. flowers, or twigs that they live on. energy and helps them survive GRUB very cold or dry weather. A soft-bodied insect larva. MEMBRANE CARRION A thin sheet of material, such as the The dead and rotting flesh of an ELYTRA HABITAT wing of a flying insect. animal, which is important food for Adapted forewings that form the tough A place where wildlife lives. many bugs. wing cases of a beetle. Elytra provide MICROBE protective covering for the delicate HALTERES A microscopic living thing. CATERPILLAR hind wings that are used for flying. Tiny drumstick-shaped organs seen The soft-bodied, wingless, and in all true flies. They beat with the MIGRATION immature form of a butterfly or moth. ENZYME wings and help the insect to stay The movement of a population from A protein substance that accelerates balanced in flight. one place to another. Many animals CHELICERAE a chemical reaction, such as the migrate at certain times of year to find The jaw-like mouthparts of a spider, digestive enzymes a spider injects into HIND WINGS warmer weather, more food, or the scorpion, or similar arachnid. its prey to break down the body tissues. Rear pair of wings. right breeding conditions.

MOLECULE POLLINATION STYLET Abbreviations used in this book A tiny particle of something formed The process of delivering pollen to A slender blade with a sharp tip that from a fixed number of atoms. the female structures of a flower. forms part of the mouthparts of some / per—for example, Many insects are useful pollinators. bugs and is used for piercing. km/h means kilometers MOLT °C per hour The shedding of a bug’s cuticle. A new PREDATOR SUBTROPICAL cm degrees Celsius soft cuticle beneath expands and An animal that kills other animals Describing zones where the climate dB centimeter hardens. This lets the animal grow, for food. is not as hot and wet as in tropical °F decibel which is impossible inside a hard case. regions but warmer than in temperate ft degrees Fahrenheit Molts may be repeated several times. PREY (moderate) zones. g foot An animal eaten by another animal. in gram MYRIAPOD THORAX kg inch An animal such as a centipede or PROTEIN The central part of an insect’s body, to km kilogram millipede with nine or more pairs An organic, nitrogen-containing which its legs and wings are attached. lb kilometer of legs. compound. Proteins are essential to m pound all living organisms, and are used for TISSUE min meter NECTAR making enzymes and body tissues. In an animal or plant, a collection mm minute Sugar solution produced by flowers of cells that together form living mph millimeter to attract animals. PUPA material such as muscle and skin. oz miles per hour The stage during the life cycle of sec ounce NOCTURNAL some insects when a larva such as TOXIN sq second Active at night. Bugs that come out a caterpillar turns into an adult such Another word for poison. square after dark include moths, fireflies, as a butterfly. (Plural: pupae.) cockroaches, mosquitoes, and spiders. TRACHEAE QUEEN A network of tubes that carry air to NUTRIENTS An egg-laying female in a colony of the muscles and organs of the body. Substances obtained from food that social insects such as bees or ants. living things use for energy and growth. A queen is bigger and longer-lived TROPICAL than her companions. Describes a region close to the NYMPH equator. A tropical climate is typically A young form of an insect that is RAIN FOREST very hot and humid. similar to the adult, but wingless. A forest in a warm region of the world Nymphs molt several times before where there is high annual rainfall. TRUE BUG becoming fully mature. A scientific term for a group of insects SALIVA with special features, including OCELLI Fluid produced by salivary glands that mouthparts for stabbing and sucking. Simple eyes that are used to detect starts the process of digestion. Pondskaters, cicadas, and froghoppers light intensity. are all true bugs. SCRUBLAND OVIPOSITOR An area of land where there is a VENOM A tube or hollow blade used for mixture of low-growing plants such Poison that a biting or stinging animal laying eggs. as bushes and grasses. uses for hunting or defense. PALPS SILK WORKER Short limb-like structures near the A strong, elastic material produced A non-reproducing member of mouth, usually for handling food. by spiders to make webs and by an insect colony, usually female. some insects to make cocoons. Workers perform specialized tasks, PARASITE such as gathering food and A living thing that lives on or inside the SPECIES nest-building. body of another live organism, feeding A scientific grouping of animals that on it without killing it. all look alike and can mate with one GLOSSARY another to produce young. Animals PHEROMONE of different species cannot pair up. A special scent that carries a message to other animals of the same species. SPINNERET This may be used for such purposes as A nozzle on a bug’s body that marking a trail or attracting a mate. produces silk. Spiders have several spinnerets. POLLEN Tiny grains produced by flowers. SPIRACLES These contain the male cells needed Breathing holes in a bug’s outer to fertilize female cells and make skeleton through which air is taken them develop into seeds. in and carbon dioxide is expelled. 205

INDEX A butterflies diet feeding 45, 76, 92, 109, 132, 141, 144, glasswing 54–55 animals 21, 25, 31, 35, 36, 45, 52, 57, 149, 150, 158, 187, 190 anaesthetic 145, 150 large blue 178–179 59, 64, 67, 78, 87, 89, 97, 99, 104, 106, antennae 12, 13, 27, 36, 46, 47, 48, 52, monarch 16–17, 74–75 109, 111, 115, 116, 119, 120, 122, feet 9, 34, 63, 99, 140, 168 morpho 26–27 125, 126, 131, 133, 135, 136, 157, fireflies 36–39 60, 64, 79, 86, 88, 106, 107, 120, 127, Queen Alexandra’s birdwing 32–33 158, 163, 183, 184, 195, 202 fleas 77 132, 148, 153, 157, 159, 171 blood 9, 77, 144, 150 flies 56–57, 78–79, 109, 140–141, 188 ants 167, 168, 178, 179 C fungi 57, 165 flowers 32, 68, 69, 79, 85, 95, 122, 171 army 182–183 honeydew 67 fluorescence 137 honeypot 44–45 camouflage 7, 27, 40–41, 42, 63, 69, 81, leaves 27, 30, 41, 42, 47, 62, 69, 70, 75, flying insects 12, 51, 55, 66–67, 69, 75, leafcutter 188–189 104, 114–115, 122, 147, 195 85, 124, 180, 191 trap-jaw 134–135 nectar 32, 45, 55, 67, 68, 75, 78, 85, 94, 78, 79, 85, 94, 97, 126, 129, 132, aphids, pea 168–169 caterpillars 16 120, 125, 149, 156, 170, 178, 184 140, 148, 191 arachnids 144 see also scorpions; spiders butterflies 16, 27, 32, 55, 75, 178–179 pollen 94, 95, 157 food see diet arthropods 8, 9, 10–11, 16 moths 7, 13, 47, 60, 69, 85, 142–143, roots 97 fossils 6, 29 assassin bugs, bee 116–117 180–181 sap 7, 9, 76, 77, 120, 168, 189, 198, 199 froghoppers 76–77 trees 60, 62 B centipedes 10, 52–53, 86–87 vegetation, rotting 21, 27, 49, 57, 78 G chitin 8, 9, 12, 20, 48, 107, 132, 156 beaks 9, 35, 109, 116, 145, 198, 202 cicada, periodical 198–199, 201 diseases 7, 11, 140, 144, 148, 149, 150 glowworms 36 bees 94–95, 117, 157, 170–173 claws 9, 34, 59, 63, 86, 93, 99, 107, 115, dragonflies 6, 13, 17, 109, 126–127, 129 grasshoppers 13, 111, 190–191 beetles dung beetles 160–161 growth 16–17, 23, 30, 34, 47, 48, 60, 64, 180, 199 African bombardier 20–21 cockroaches 152–153 E 79, 152, 157, 161, 180, 181, 197, 199 cockchafer 12–13 colonies 29, 39, 44, 45, 94, 135, 164–165, grubs 16, 67, 120, 125, 161 darkling 174–175 eggs 21, 52, 87, 92, 93, 106, 144 dung 160–161 167, 170, 171, 173, 178, 179, 183, 185, arachnids 59, 98, 99, 104, 122, 125, H fireflies 36–39 188–189 131, 144, 146, 176, 195 golden chafer 70–71 colors 7, 26, 63, 70, 78, 80, 156, 157 insects 7, 13, 16, 30, 32, 34, 41, 45, 47, habitats Goliath 48, 49 changing 41, 122, 191 49, 57, 60, 62, 67, 75, 77, 79, 85, 114, caves 52, 87, 99, 153 great diving 132–133 iridescence 26, 33, 63, 88, 156 120, 124, 140, 146, 148, 150, 152, deserts 9, 45, 59, 125, 147, 174–175, 191 green tiger 88–91 metallic 26, 70 153, 158, 161, 164, 178, 180, 189, gardens 78, 85, 94, 104, 142, 146, 168, Hercules 48–51 warning 22, 27, 125, 142 190, 197, 198, 199, 202, 203 170, 184 red flat bark 162–163 communication 30, 49, 97, 150, 198, 199 grasslands 21, 29, 37, 45, 59, 75, 78, 85, scarabs 48, 70 crickets 30–31, 96–97, 111 elytra 12, 20, 37, 49, 64, 133 94, 97, 98, 111, 125, 136, 142, 144, sexton 158–159 crustaceans 10 endangered 26, 30, 32, 70, 179 150, 158, 160, 165, 168, 170, 184, Titan 48, 49 evolution 7, 21, 41, 107, 167 191, 195 violin 64–65 D exoskeletons 7, 8, 16, 17, 53, 106, 156 houses 86, 99, 131, 150, 152 weevils 7, 62–63 eyes 8, 9, 29, 36, 56, 57, 79, 81, 83, 86, moorlands 144 brain 9, 98, 136, 137 defenses 42, 94, 168, 176, 184, 195, 202 rainforests 25, 26, 32, 49, 55, 63, 64, 70, breathing 53, 132, 137, 145, 149, 176 body armor 9, 12, 20, 22, 48, 70, 91, 104, 109, 114, 126, 127, 131, 132, 115, 183, 189 breeding 98, 144, 146, 153, 168, 183, 152, 156 136, 157, 171, 178, 180, 187, 196, 198 scrublands 29, 59, 98, 104 196, 199 color and patterns 22, 27, 47, 125, 142 underground 45, 52, 94, 97, 198 attracting a mate 33, 47, 48, 49, 57, 63, hairs 27, 124 F water 15, 67, 34, 126, 132–133, 149, smell 22, 26, 42, 64, 150 176, 197, 202 80, 115, 195 sound 30, 150 fairyflies 66–67 wetlands 37, 57, 106, 176 burrowers 12, 21, 23, 25, 49, 59, 60, 63, spraying 20, 21, 59, 133, 167, 174 fangs 8, 9, 24, 52, 98, 118, 123, 131, 133, woodlands 21, 29, 30, 37, 41, 42, 52, threat displays 59, 114, 115, 146 60, 62, 69, 75, 78, 85, 94, 104, 106, 71, 97, 119, 137, 146, 157, 160, 161, 199 toxic taste 32, 36, 55 146, 147

120, 131, 135, 136, 142, 144, 146, leaf-cutter ants 188–189 PQ trapdoor 118–119 INDEX 150, 153, 158, 163, 168, 170, 184, leaf insects 40–41 wandering 147 189, 195, 198 legs palps 52, 53, 132, 147, 148, 191, 195 wasp 110, 111, 113 hairs 15, 24, 27, 34, 63, 66, 99, 133, paper wasps 184–187 water 176–177 143, 170 arachnids 6, 25, 29, 58, 80, 81, 98, parasites 144, 156 wolf 194–195 halteres 79 122, 146, 149 pests 62, 63, 152, 190, 193 spines 114, 132, 142, 143 harvestmen 28–29 pheromones 47, 171 stick insects 42–43 heart 8, 99 insects 9, 13, 34, 41, 49, 63, 71, 77, 96, pincers 11, 29, 136, 137 stings 11, 16, 94, 125, 135, 136, 137, 184 heat, sensing 144, 148, 150 109, 116, 126, 127, 132, 133, 156, pollinators 7, 68, 79, 95, 170 swarms 29, 143, 165, 182, 191, 193, 199 hibernation 176 160, 171, 198, 202 pond skaters 34–35 honey 170, 171, 173 pupae 16, 17, 149, 161, 163, 179, T horns 48, 49, 51, 142 myriapods 52, 86, 87 hover flies 78–79, 123 velvet worms 106, 107 181, 184 tardigrades 92–93 humans 10, 140, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, life cycles 16–17, 36, 149, 163, 179, queens 44, 46, 94, 164, 165, 170, 171, taste 32, 36, 55, 132, 140, 191 149, 150, 170 181, 184 termites 164–167 hunters 15, 25, 52, 81, 86, 89, 91, 104, locusts, desert 16–17, 190–193 179, 183, 184, 187, 189 ticks 144–145 106, 109, 122, 126, 129, 132, 137, 183, tongues 68, 69, 84, 85, 171, 178 185, 187, 195, 202 M S treehoppers, oak 7 tropical bugs 21, 25, 26, 28, 32, 41, 45, 49, I mantids 114–115 saliva 35, 53, 98, 109, 116, 141, 148, 149, mayflies 196–197 150, 191, 202 52, 55, 63, 69, 70, 106, 115, 135, 136, insects 6, 7, 8–9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16–17, microscopic bugs 92–93 142, 148, 150, 153, 180, 183, 189 53, 78, 79, 142, 168, 170, 180, 202 migration 55, 74–75, 85, 183 scorpions 11, 17 true bugs 9, 35, 76, 116, 198–199 millipedes 10, 22–23 African golden 137 ancient 6, 197 mimicry 7, 36, 40, 41, 42, 60, 61, 79, emperor 136–137 V biggest 48–49 whip 58–59 fastest 88–89 115, 179 velvet worms 106–107 flattest 64–65 mites 145 sight venom 8, 10, 11, 15, 24, 53, 80, 86, 98, heaviest 30 mosquitoes, anopheles 148–149 arachnids 81, 83, 104 longest 42 moths insects 57, 91, 114, 126, 187 100, 105, 109, 116, 118, 123, 124, 131, most dangerous 149 centipedes 86 137, 142, 143, 146, 147, 176, 187 shortest lifespan 196 emperor 46–47 vinegaroon 58–59 smallest 66–67 hornet moths 60–61 silk 10, 52, 80, 81, 99, 100, 104, 111, hummingbird hawkmoth 84–85 119, 146, 180–181 W see also ants; aphids; bees; beetles; Morgan’s sphinx moth 68–69 butterflies; cockroaches; flies; silk 180–181 silkworms 180, 181 waggle dance 171 locusts; mosquitoes; mantids; vapourer 7 slime 106, 107, 164 wasps 8–9, 142 mayflies; moths; termites; true bugs; moulting 16–17, 30, 34, 132, smell 9, 21, 27, 29, 33, 47, 48, 144, wasps; water bugs; weevils 152, 199 fairyflies 66–67 invertebrates 8, 9 muscles 8, 9, 25, 48, 76, 77, 79, 158, 189 ichneumon 120–121 98, 107, 135, 136, 148, 190, soldiers 164, 165, 167, 182, 183, 188 paper 184–187 JK 198, 199 speed 21, 35, 55, 79, 87, 89, 98, 119, ruby-tailed 156–157 myriapods 10 tarantula hawk 124–125 jaws see also centipedes; millipedes 126, 140, 183 water boatmen 13 arachnids 29, 145 spiders 10, 17, 98–99, 147 water bugs 202–203 insects 9, 31, 36, 43, 64, 91, 114, 126, NO webs 81, 98, 99, 100, 104, 105, 111, 132, 134, 135, 142, 180, 182, 187, biggest 24–25 113, 146 189, 191 nerves 8, 37, 98, 137, 181, 191 bird dropping 7 weevils 7, 62–63 nests 44–45, 77, 80, 94, 156, 157, black widow 147 weight 25, 30, 45, 48, 49, 152, 165 jumping 76, 77, 80, 81, 83 Chilean recluse 147 weta, giant 30–31 kissing bugs 150–151 164–165, 170, 179, 183, flower 122–123 wings 6, 12, 17, 26, 32, 51, 55, 60, 66, 184–185, 189 funnel-web 146–147 77, 78, 85, 94, 129, 170, 171, 191, L nocturnal bugs 25, 29, 31, 36, 41, giant house spider 98–99, 100 197, 199, 201 43, 52, 58, 59, 64, 68, 69, 70, 86, Goliath 24–25 woodlice 10 larvae 13, 16, 36, 49, 63, 64, 78, 79, 156, 104, 106, 107, 109, 119, 131, jumping 80–83 workers 44, 45, 94, 95, 164, 165, 157, 158, 161, 163, 173, 179, 180, 183, 132, 136, 146, 149, 150, 153, 158, net-casting spider 104–105 167, 170, 171, 173, 183, 184, 185, 184, 197 161, 174 orb web 111 188, 189 nymphs 17, 77, 97, 144, 153, 197, peacock 80 198, 199, 201 raft 14–15 207 ovipositors 120, 156 six-eyed sand 147 spitting 131 tarantulas 25, 124

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Library: Konrad Wothe (cr). 191 The Nicky Bay: (ftl, tl, tc, tc/soft cuticle). 80 Dreamstime.com: 143 Alamy Images: imageBROKER (bc/ American Association for the 21 naturepl.com: Nature Production Earlydawnphotography (clb). Jurgen Otto: Burnet moth). FLPA: Photo Researchers Advancement of Science: Steve Rogers (cra). 22-23 Dreamstime.com: (br). Warren Photographic Limited: (cl). (br). Getty Images: Danita Delimont (bl). (cla); Tom Fayle (tc). Warren Mgkuijpers. 23 Corbis: Wolfgang Kaehler 80-81 123RF.com: Noppharat Mark Moore, Moore Live Images: (tr). Photographic Limited: (bc). 192-193 (cr). 24-25 Dreamstime.com: Mgkuijpers. Prathumthip. 81 Alan Henderson: (tc). Science Photo Library: Dr Jeremy naturepl.com: Mike Potts. 194-195 Nicky 25 naturepl.com: MYN/Andrew Snyder 82-83 Thomas Shahan. 84-85 naturepl. Burgess (bc). 144 Alamy Images: Bay. 195 Getty Images: David Chambon (cr). 26 Science Photo Library: Jerzy com: Rolf Nussbaumer. 85 FLPA: Cisca Photographie (cr). 196-197 Rex Gubernator (cb). 27 FLPA: Ingo Arndt/ Photosampler (crb); Scott Camazine (cl). Shutterstock: F1 Online. 197 Nicky Bay: Minden Pictures (bc). Photoshot: Adrian Castelijns, NiS/Minden Pictures (cr). 144-145 MacroscopicSolutions. 145 (c). 198 Alamy Images: Jim Lane (cl). Hepworth (cra). Science Photo Library: 86 Corbis: Nicky Bay/National Corbis: David Scharf (tc). Science Photo 198-199 Alex Wild/myrmecos.net. Dirk Wiersma (tc). 28-29 naturepl.com: Geographic Creative (clb). 86-87 Library: Cloud Hill Imaging Ltd. (crb); 199 Alamy Images: B. Mete Uz (bc, bc/ Philippe Clement. 29 Dreamstime.com: Dreamstime.com: Sergej Kondratenko. Breaking Out). Corbis: Mitsuhiko Henrikhl (cr). 30 Masterfile: Minden 87 123RF.com: Song Qiuju (tr). Ashok Natural History Museum, London (cra); Imamori/Minden Pictures (br). 200-201 Pictures (c). 30-31 Rod Morris Captain: (c). 88-89 Roy Anderson. Power and Syred (br). 146 Alex Wild/ Thomas Marent. 202-203 naturepl.com: Productions. 32 Dorling Kindersley: 89 naturepl.com: Kim Taylor (cr). myrmecos.net: (cl). 146-147 Alex Wild/ Nature Production. 204 Corbis: Alex Natural History Museum, London (cb). 90-91 Svatoslav Vrabec. 92 Science myrmecos.net. 147 Alamy Images: age Hyde/Nature Picture Library (tr). 32-33 naturepl.com: Steven David Miller. Photo Library: Eye of Science (tl, bc); fotostock (tr). Michael Doe: (tl). Rodrigo 206 Alamy Images: Living Levels 34 Corbis: Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Steve Gschmeissner (tc). 92-93 Science Viveros Agusto: (crb). SuperStock: Photography (tr). FLPA: Â © Biosphoto, Inc./Visuals Unlimited (cl). 34-35 Nicky Photo Library: Eye of Science (c). 93 Animals Animals (cra). W. Wuster: (br). 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Gschmeissner (crb). 100-101 Alamy 152-153 123RF.com: Mr.Smith Images: Brian Hewitt. 104 Nicky Bay: (cl). Chetanachan. 153 FLPA: Gerard Lacz