An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles

by Arthur V. Evans, Charles L. Bellamy

An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles is an authoritative reference in a breathtakingly beautiful volume, one that will leave every reader with a deeper understanding, appreciation, and--yes--fondness for these amazing creatures and their place in nature. In terms of numbers, beetles are the most successful creatures on about 350,000 species of beetles have been described since 1758. They range from tiny to gigantic, occupy sundry habitats, and eat everything--plants, animals, and their own remains. An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles provides an engaging look at these magnificent yet poorly understood creatures and highlights the absolutely essential role they play in the dynamics of nearly every terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. And, as this book beautifully demonstrates, the aesthetics of beetle design are amazing. The fantastic colors and shapes of these creatures warrant the gorgeous color photography lavished on them in this book.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Biology, Nature, Animals, Science Nature, Natural History

208 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 1996

Reviews

[Jessica Lowery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was nonfiction and technical but done in such a way as to be an easy and enjoyable read. The photos were gorgeous, and the text was engaging for anyone who loves insects I would highly recommend it.

[Richard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read the first few chapters of waffle from Alfred Russell Wallace and realised this wasn't really the beetle book I was hoping for. I didn't finish.

[Suzanne Kittrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book for awhile but picked it up again to read and to wonder over the photos of such gorgeous "bugs". Incredible barely begins to describe the variety and color combinations of these creatures. I went back to this book after having seen "Avatar". I was fascinated with the animal creations of James Cameron in this movie and had heard that he used many books such as these to take inspiration from for his world of "Pandora".

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

my friend Art wrote this book! yay!

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books ever.

[Jennifer B]

Phenomenal photographs of Beetles, and fascinating information about them.

[Megan Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in beetles (and you should be) this book is a must-read! The full-page, gorgeous, brightly colored photographs made me audibly gasp. The text provides both fascinating detail on specific insects (did you know lightening bugs can help us in the search for alien life?) and a good, foundational understanding of biological concepts such as taxonomy, evolution, and symbiosis. While designed as an appreciation of beetles from a biologist's standpoint, I would highly encourage artists to pick up this book as well. There is much inspiration to be found in the colors, shapes, and patterns of the most biologically successful animal on earth.