Moths: Their biology, diversity and evolution - Softcover

David C. Lees And Alberto Zilli

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0565094572 ISBN 13: 9780565094577

Publisher: Natural History Museum, 2019

Synopsis

Moths is an accessible introduction to the stunning diversity, life habits and evolution of moths. This insect group encompasses 128 of the 135 families of the scaly winged insects (Lepidoptera), with some 140,000 known species.

Moths are among the most successful of the Earth's inhabitants, with an ancient history, some fossils being dated to 190 million years old. This book traces the structure and development of these winged insects and reveals some of their extraordinary adaptations, such as caterpillars that communicate with ants, as well as their ruthless survival tactics including blood-sucking, feeding on the tears of sleeping birds, and cannibalism of their own mothers. It also exposes their essential roles in ecosystems and manifold interactions with humans.

Often considered denizens of the night, hopelessly allured by light, and voracious destroyers of clothes, the book shines a spotlight on moths, illuminating the bright side of their astonishing diversity.

About this title

About the Author:

David C. Lees and Alberto Zilli are Curators of Lepidoptera at the Natural History Museum, London. Between them they are responsible for over four million specimens.

About this edition

• Publisher: Natural History Museum
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 0565094572
• ISBN 13: 9780565094577
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208