Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Orders of Insects viii
4. Family Tree of Arthropods and Insects x
5. Geological Periods and the Origin of Different Insects xi
6. Introduction 1
7. 1 Teeming Hordes The extraordinary diversity and abundance of insects 19
8. 2 Origins The long history of insects 57
9. 3 Hexapods How evolution gave insects a leg-up 91
10. 4 First in Flight How insects conquered the air 129
11. 5 Wings over the World Insect migration 169
12. 6 Flower Power The complex relationships between insects and plants 207
13. 7 The Mating Game How insects make more insects… and lots more insects 251
14. 8 The Next Generation Insects as caring parents 295
15. 9 Living Together Insects as social creatures 327
16. 10 For Queen and Colony Bees and wasps – the journey from solitary to social 367
17. 11 Superorganism Ants and termites – from colony to supercolony 411
18. Acknowledgements 450
19. Notes 453
20. Bibliography 473
21. Index 475