Reviewed by annieb123 on
How Insects Work is an adept and beautiful technical examination of insects and the mechanisms they have developed to interact with and survive in their various environments. Released 28th April 2020 by The Experiment, it's 224 pages and available in flexibound and ebook formats.
This isn't a field guide or just a collection of facts. Each of the entries contains isometric drawings and line art showing the engineering concepts and principles behind many of the functional physiological characteristics of different types of insects.
The layout is logical and easy to follow. The introductory chapter covers the ancient insect-like animals, the first arthropods with the family tree of modern day insects including a cool informative chapter on the carboniferous period 359 to 299 million years ago. The fossil arthropods represented include Arthropleura, a millipede that exceeded 7 feet (2m) in length! *Yikes* The following chapters "build up" structurally from the base up: the exoskeleton, movement, nervous system and sensory organs, feeding and digestion, respiratory and circulatory systems, reproduction, and more. Each is thoroughly represented, accurate, and very well illustrated and interesting. The photography and art are clear and beautifully rendered.
This would make a nice choice for all ages, entomology lovers, students of nature and biology, as well as artists and readers interested in technical drawing. Note: no drawing tutorials or instructions are included, but there are numerous well illustrated exploded drawings to study.
Five stars, very impressive.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 2 May, 2020: Finished reading
- 2 May, 2020: Reviewed