Ants: A Visual Guide

by Heather Campbell, Benjamin Blanchard

A richly illustrated natural history of ants, covering their diversity, ecology, anatomy, behavior, and more

Plentiful and familiar, ants make up an estimated one-third of the world’s insect biomass and can be found in virtually every part of the globe, from rain forest canopies to city sidewalks. But their importance is about more than ants are fundamental species in a range of habitats and their interactions with plants, fungi, and other animals ensure the survival of many fragile and complex ecosystems. This beautifully illustrated book explores the extraordinary diversity of ants and offers insights into their elaborate social systems, investigating the key collective and competitive behaviors that operate within their varied colony structures.

Featuring exceptional close-up photographs and clearly organized thematic chapters, the book covers anatomy, evolution, life cycle, ecology, and other important topics. Each chapter also features profiles of standout genera, chosen for their fascinating characteristics, including Leafcutter Ants, who build nests containing up to 7,000 chambers; Pugnacious Ants whose colonies can destroy populations of crabs within hours; and Honeypot Ants whose worker caste store food in their stomachs for other colony members to consume. Drawing on current research, Ants offers an inviting and accessible introduction to these remarkable insects.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biology, Nature

224 pages, Hardcover

Published February 21, 2023

Reviews

[Ellen Schoener · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of insects.
Even as a kid, I have always loved insects and watched them and kept them and read up on them.
My very first pets were ants- I even took part in school science fairs with my ant farm.
I have read the great popular books in the field- "The Ants" and "Journey to the Ants".
These are unbeaten for information and exciting stories from the world of ants and their weird and wonderful behaviour.

So how does Ants- a Visual Guide compare?
It looks gorgeous.
Great pictures of many different species.
The text itself is on a smaller scope that the above mentioned books are.
This here is an overview, showing some of the most interesting facts about ants.
It also introduces many different genera of ant and mentions what makes each of these genera unique and what their special abilities are.
All accompanied by great pictures.

This book acts as a gateway drug, a nice little colourful introduction.
It is not meant to be as deep and detailed as some other, previous publications.

But for someone like me, who want to re-kindle their childhood excitement of these animals, it is a welcome distraction to lead me back.

[Ambrose Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all insects, ants are my favorite. It all started on a farm on Guam in 1973. There was a curious shed “painted black”, so I went down to inspect this building. I discovered this pump house to be completely covered with ants. Above this building was a breadfruit tree and it was dripping it nectar on the building and the ants were cleaning it up. I’m also a fan of breadfruit!

[Omen Cage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've thought ants were great since I was a boy. I was wrong—they're spellbinding.

It's rare that I read a nonfiction book. Rarer still that one ensnares me as tightly as any epic fantasy novel. But Heather Campbell's detailed guide on the many ant species found around the world transported me into a vibrant realm of wonderfully diverse ants, each just different enough from the others to never seem boring.

Ants: A Visual Guide, of course, gets five stars from me, and a glowing recommendation to anyone willing to enrich themselves with knowledge of these ubiquitous and resilient insects.