Fireflies, Honey, and Silk
eBook - PDF

Fireflies, Honey, and Silk

  1. 248 pages
  2. English
  3. PDF
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF

Fireflies, Honey, and Silk

About this book

The ink our ancestors wrote with, the beeswax in altar candles, the honey on our toast, the silk we wear. This enchanting book is a highly entertaining exploration of the myriad ways insects have enriched our lives–culturally, economically, and aesthetically. Entomologist and writer Gilbert Waldbauer describes in loving, colorful detail how many of the valuable products insects have given us are made, how they were discovered, and how they have been used through time and across cultures. Along the way, he takes us on a captivating ramble through many far-flung corners of history, mythology, poetry, literature, medicine, ecology, forensics, and more. Enlivened with personal anecdotes from Waldbauer's distinguished career as an entomologist, the book also describes surprising everyday encounters we all experience that were made possible by insects. From butterfly gardens and fly-fishing to insects as jewelry and sex pheromones, this is an eye-opening ode to the wonder of insects that illuminates our extraordinary and essential relationship with the natural world.

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Yes, you can access Fireflies, Honey, and Silk by Dr. Gilbert Waldbauer in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Biological Sciences & Zoology. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Illustrations
  4. Note
  5. Introduction
  6. 1. Insects People Like
  7. 2. The Silk We Wear
  8. 3.Dyeing the Cloth
  9. 4. Baubles, Bracelets, and Anklets
  10. 5. Candles, Shellac, and Sealing Wax
  11. 6. Paper and Ink
  12. 7. Butterflies in Your Tummy
  13. 8. Satisfying the Sweet Tooth
  14. 9. Cures and Nostrums
  15. 10. Insect Pets and Performers
  16. Epilogue: The Ecological Context
  17. Selected References
  18. Acknowledgments
  19. Index