Insect Architecture: How Insects Build, Engineer, and Shape Their World

by Michael S. Engel, Tom Jackson

The essential illustrated guide to the ingenious techniques that insects use to construct an astounding array of natural structures, from nests to shelters to traps

Insect Architecture takes you inside the amazing structures that insects build, from the paper galleries of yellowjacket wasps to elaborate termite mounds complete with royal chambers and air-conditioning systems. Each chapter focuses on a group of insect architects, describing the materials and methods they use while exploring the structures themselves in detail. Blending spectacular illustrations with illuminating case studies of representative species from around the world, this is the ultimate guide to insect artistry and innovation.


Features a wealth of color photos, explanatory diagrams and blueprints, step-by-step sequences, and visual spreadsCovers all major groups of insect architects and the broad array of structures they buildExplains how anatomy, life cycle, and habitat are the ingredients to extraordinary creationsProfiles the insect world’s most accomplished builders—from beetles, bees, and cicadas to moths, wasps, ants, and termitesDiscusses the ecological impacts of insect architectureReveals how insect builders have inspired human design innovations

176 pages, Hardcover

Published September 9, 2025