A new edition of this popular title. We are all fascinated by, and often wary of, the tiny creatures that creep and crawl in our gardens or lurk in the dark corners of our homes, but how much do we really know about insects and their relatives? For instance, could you identify the larvae of a ladybug, which each eat fifty aphids a day? And did you know that some species of snail are hairy?

This book aims to encourage our understanding of all types of bugs that can be found in our back gardens and beyond--worms, snails, ants, wood louse, centipedes, flies, grasshoppers, beetles, bees, wasps, spiders, and butterflies (to name but a few)--by offering practical information and fun activities for the whole family. Learn how to determine the sex of a spider, how to look after ants in a homemade formicary, and even how to rear your own dragonflies!

Packed with details on essential equipment for bug watching and collecting, clear annotated diagrams on bug anatomy, and amazing full-color close-up photographs, as well as astonishing facts on insect behavior and identification, this book is essential reading for budding entomologists of all ages.