Dinosaurs, however toothy, did not rule the earth-and neither do humans. But what were and are the true potentates of our planet? Insects, says Scott Richard Shaw-millions and millions of insect species. Starting in the shallow oceans of ancient Earth and ending in the far reaches of outer space-where, Shaw proposes, insect-like aliens may have achieved similar preeminence-Planet of the Bugs spins a sweeping account of insects' evolution from humble arthropod ancestors into the bugs we know and love (or fear and hate) today.
Leaving no stone unturned, Shaw explores how evolutionary innovations such as small body size, wings, metamorphosis, and parasitic behavior have enabled insects to disperse widely, occupy increasingly narrow niches, and survive global catastrophes in their rise to dominance. Through buggy tales by turns bizarre and comical-from caddisflies that construct portable houses or weave silken aquatic nets to trap floating debris, to parasitic wasp larvae that develop in the blood of host insects and, by storing waste products in their rear ends, are able to postpone defecation until after they emerge-he not only unearths how changes in our planet's geology, flora, and fauna contributed to insects' success, but also how, in return, insects came to shape terrestrial ecosystems and amplify biodiversity. Indeed, in his visits to hyperdiverse rain forests to highlight the current insect extinction crisis, Shaw reaffirms just how crucial these tiny beings are to planetary health and human survival.
In this age of honeybee die-offs and bedbugs hitching rides in the spines of library books, Planet of the Bugs charms with humor, affection, and insight into the world's six-legged creatures, revealing an essential importance that resonates across time and space.
Shipping Details
We provide shipping to most Australian addresses (excluding some areas outside of our courier's delivery zone).
We use a combination of Australia Post, Aramex and Direct Freight Express to get your order to you.
For an accurate shipping cost, add the items you want to your cart and enter your shipping area.
Orders of multiple items may come in separate parcels.
All returns must be started within 30 days of delivery. We kindly request that you don’t try to return the item without letting us know as every situation can be resolved differently.
Damaged, defective or incorrect items
Sometimes items are damaged during delivery, or have manufacturing defects. If this is the case or you have received an incorrect item, get in touch with us as soon as possible and we will do our best to fix as soon as we know. Visit our contact page to send a query.
Change of mind returns
Change of mind returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery for most items in resellable and unopened condition. Most items are eligible for free returns however each item in your order may have a different return policy. Some items cannot be returned due to change of mind.
To check the return policy for your item look on each item page for the returns section. Please note that the few items that are not eligible for free returns may incur a re-stocking fee in addition to having to pay for shipping to return the item.
,gravity=Center,allowExpansion)
