BEES
"On a hot day in the middle of the summer, bees are buzzing, mosquitoes whining, butterflies flitting, and houseflies and dragonflies darting here and there. It’s easy to believe that insects are taking over the world. And indeed, of all the animal species on Earth, more than eight out of every ten are insects. Insects are divided into 31 orders, or categories. Bees (and wasps) belong to the..."

ECOLOGY
"That's the first step in ecology-- looking around. Your house, for instance, is an ideal place to start. It's perfect for a big mammal like you. Yet, it's also home to spiders, insects, and maybe the occasional mouse. Just outside are birds, squirrels, frogs, grasses, trees, flowering plants, rocks, dirt, and even more insects. When you look around at living things and their environment, you are. . . "

BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS
"Butterflies and moths are the movie stars of the insect world. Most other six-legged creatures seem drab compared to these colorful, graceful aviators. Though they may look fragile, butterflies and moths are actually quite tough and not entirely harmless. The distinctive colors of some tell predators: Warning! I'm poisonous to eat. The acrobatics of others keep them away from hungry jaws and beak. . . "

SPIDERS
"Talk about creepy. You're walking along, and suddenly you feel a spiderweb stretch across your face. Wiping frantically, you try to get it all off while looking for the spider. Is it down your shirt? Is it crawling up your neck? Is it big? Many people are afraid of spiders. Yet it's hard to understand why. Most spiders are helpful. They eat insects, such as locusts and mosquitoes, that damage crop. . . "

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

• Insects, by Robin Bernard. National Geographic Society, 2001.
• Eyewitness Insect, by Laurence Mound. DK Publishing, Inc., 2004.
• Insects, by Sarah Wilkes. Gareth Stevens Audio, 2006.
• Insects, by Anna Claybourne. Milkbook Press, Inc., 2000.
• It's a Good Thing There Are Insects, by Allan Fowler. Scholastic Library Publishing, 1991.

ADULT BOOKS

• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders (National Audubon Society Feild Guide Series), by Lorus Johnson Milne & Margery Milne. Knopf Publishing Group, 1980.
• Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs, by Whitney Cranshaw. Princeton University Press, 2004.
• Secret Weapons: Defenses of Insects, Spiders, Scorpions, and Other Many-Legged Creatures, by Thomas Eisner, Maria Eisner & Melody Siegler. Harvard University Press, 2005.
• For Love of Insects, by Thomas Eisner. Harvard University Press, 2003.
• Insects: A Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press, by Herbert Spencer Zim, Herbert Spencer Spencer Zim & Clarence Cottam. Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press, 2001.

WEBSITES

• Insects on the Web: http://www.insects.org
• Iowa State University Entomology Image Gallery: http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegallery/
• Insecta Inspecta World: http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

• American Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
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