The abundant insect life of the rainforests of northeastern Costa Rica is the subject of this engaging book, first published over twenty-five years ago and now including two new chapters on the rise of ecotourism in the region.
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter One. Leeward into the Land of Clouds
Chapter Two. Windward across a Mountain Ridge and into Sarapiquí
Chapter Three. Natural History Studies of Morpho Butterflies
Chapter Four. Observing Butterfly Roosts on a Steep Mountainside
Chapter Five. Encounters with Cicadas and Other Forest Insects
Chapter Six. Along the Edges of the Rainforest: Pharmacological Butterflies and Orchid Bees
Chapter Seven. Personal Reflections
Chapter Eight. New Beginnings
Epilogue
Index
Allen M. Young is a curator emeritus of zoology at the Milwaukee Public Museum. He is also the author of many other books on natural history, most recently Tropical Rainforests and The Chocolate Tree: A Natural History of Cacao.
"Young [...] brings the trained eye of an entomologist and an unabashed admiration for the beauty of nature to this engaging and informative account of his experiences during twenty-one years of fieldwork in Costa Rica's rainforests."
– Publishers Weekly
"A splendid read. For newcomers to the moist tropics, and for any but the most sated old-timers, it can be commended for an entertaining account of a locality where life is lived to the full – by all species, including the human observer."
– Norman Myers, New Scientist
"Dr. Young tells the story of many of his experiences in the Sarapiquí of Costa Rica, a rainforest region of abundant animal species and natural beauty. His keen insight and lovely writing style bring the Sarapiquí to life throughout his book. It lifts my heart to read the story of a man who has come to Costa Rica to learn and grow in our country. A person who represents man and nature's ability to live in harmony. I am truly thankful I had the opportunity to read such a wonderful book."
– Oscar Arias, former president of Costa Rica and 1986 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize