Six-Legged Ghosts The Insects of Aotearoa

About this book

Why isn’t Aotearoa (New Zealand) famous for its insects? The country has wētā that can survive being frozen, weevils with ‘snouts’ almost as long as their bodies, and the world’s only alpine cicadas.

There is mounting evidence that insect numbers are plummeting all over the world. But the insect apocalypse isn’t just a faraway problem – it’s also happening in Aotearoa. In recent years, the country has lost a number of their native insects to extinction and many more are teetering on the brink.

Without insects, the world is in trouble. Insects are our pollinators, waste removers and ecosystem engineers – they are vital for a healthy planet. So why don’t more people care about the fate of the tiny but mighty six-legged beings that shape our world?

Richly illustrated, and including more than 100 original paintings by the author, Six-Legged Ghosts: The Insects of Aotearoa examines the art, language, stories and science of insects in Aotearoa and around the world. From te ao Māori to the medieval art world, from museum displays to stories of the insect apocalypse, extinction and conservation, Lily Duval explores the lives of insects not only in Aotearoa’s natural environments, but in its cultures and histories as well.

Contents

Preface
Introduction: Talking gnats

Part I: Knowing insects
Chapter 1. Te aitanga pepeke: Insects in te ao Maori
Chapter 2. Creepy-crawly: The power of language
Chapter 3. Mechanical visions: Looking at insect art
Chapter 4. Terrible grasshopper: The science of insect names

Part II: Insects and us
Chapter 5. The amateur entomologist: The life and work of George Hudson
Chapter 6. Pins, puns and pundits: Insects in the museums of Aotearoa

Part III: Insects in crisis
Chapter 7. Six-legged ghosts: Historical insect extinctions in Aotearoa
Chapter 8. Unseen, unsung, uncharismatic: Understanding the insect apocalypse
Chapter 9. Vanishing beetles: Tales of loss

Part IV: For the love of insects
Chapter 10. Little bugs, big picture: Insect conservation in Aotearoa
Chapter 11. Metamorphosis: Changing the conversation about insects

Notes
Appendix: Insect orders
Glossary of insect terms
Glossary of Maori terms
References
Recommended reading
Image credits
Acknowledgements
Index
About the author

Customer Reviews

Biography

Lily Duval is an author and illustrator passionate about the natural world. She illustrated Critters of Aotearoa: 50 Bizarre but Lovable Members of Our Wildlife Community, which was chosen as a Storylines Notable Book in 2023. She writes and illustrates for a range of organisations, including the Department of Conservation, Forest & Bird and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand. Lily has been the researcher and writer for RNZ's Critter of the Week show since 2021 and is part of the organising team for the Bug of the Year competition. She has a Master of Arts (Distinction) in English Literature from the University of Canterbury. Lily lives in Ohinehou Lyttelton and spends her free time gardening and tramping.