From one of America's leading entomologists comes a buzz-worthy exploration of the many ways insects have affected human society, history, and culture
Insects surround us. They fuel life on earth through their natural biological functions as pollinators, predators, and prey, but they also play an often overlooked role in our culture. Their anatomy and habitats have informed how we live, how we build, how we create art, and how we take flight. In The Insect Epiphany, author Barrett Klein shares his expert insights into the outsize influence that insects have had on civilization. Our world would look very different without insects, not just because they are part of the food chain, but because they have inspired so many aspects of our cultural output.
Barrett Klein studied entomology at Cornell University and the University of Arizona and received a PhD at the University of Texas at Austin. He has fabricated natural history exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History and joined the University of Wisconsin La Crosse faculty in 2012.
"The Insect Epiphany has substantially broadened my appreciation of insects, with a fascinating dive into the services – beyond the ecological ones – that they perform. Indeed, this book has given me my own unexpected epiphany that insects have impacted human cultures and molded our lives in myriad ways I hadn't imagined."
– Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Nature's Best Hope
"The Insect Epiphany is exceptionally beautiful, deeply enlightening, and just a little bizarre. If you're a stranger to Barrett Klein, entomologist and artist extraordinaire, then this book is an ideal way to make his acquaintance and enjoy his special knowledge."
– Thomas D. Seeley, author of Honeybee Democracy
"Playful, erudite, endlessly imaginative, and written with exacting clarity, The Insect Epiphany is overflowing with fascinating information and deep scholarly knowledge. An enthralling ride, it will change how you think about insects and, perhaps more importantly, it will also change how you think about yourself."
– Hugh Raffles, author of Insectopedia