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Packed with hair-raising information about the bizarre comings and goings of creepy-crawlies, Insects and Spiders will either drive arachnophobes over the edge or cure them forever. A mere sampling of the utterly fascinating facts found within: A female spider eats her mate only if he's clumsy or if she gets distracted (an exception is the six-humped dome spider--you don't even want to k... More

Packed with hair-raising information about the bizarre comings and goings of creepy-crawlies, Insects and Spiders will either drive arachnophobes over the edge or cure them forever. A mere sampling of the utterly fascinating facts found within: A female spider eats her mate only if he's clumsy or if she gets distracted (an exception is the six-humped dome spider--you don't even want to know what she does to her partner). Some insects pretend to be other kinds of insects for self-preservation or to trap prey. There's even a beetle that communicates with wood ants to trick them into feeding it. Love the feel of silk? Consider this: it's made from caterpillar spit! Enjoy butterflies? Not all of them are the delicate flower-sipping lovelies we imagine. In this book, learn about the South American heliconiid butterfly, which sips urine. Or the vampire moth, which sucks the blood of its victims, including humans! There's still plenty of information on the more standard, garden-variety spiders and insects and their impact on the planet. But with features such as Inside Story, Hands On, Word Builders, That's Amazing, and Pathfinder, readers of all ages will satisfy their thirst for knowledge of the insect world, from the mundane to the remarkable.

Rather than being a comprehensive encyclopedia of insects and spiders, this book focuses on more generic features of these critters, while providing loads of specific examples. Sections on flying, defensive action, body language, and spiders versus insects give a terrific overview of the world at our feet (and in the air and underwater!). With its friendly text, up close and personal photos and illustrations, and glossary, Insects and Spiders makes a wonderful addition to the Reader's Digest Pathfinders series. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

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