It’s a wonderful world out there

THE wonderful world of South African creepy-crawlies, things that flit about and the slightly alarming bugs that you need to be wary of is well represented by the wealth of nature books currently on shelves.

Scientist Steve Woodhall details 250 of South Africa’s 670 butterfly species – from the most spectacular, enormous Swallow and Empress, to the tiniest Blue. Using this book you can “tick” the butterflies you see, from the most popular species to the most challenging to find. There are clear descriptions of their habits, when and where you are most likely to find them, and included are full colour photographs and a distribution map.

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned butterfly enthusiast, this pocket book of just 150 pages should prove a boon.

Then there are those so-called scary creatures, spiders. (Nowadays kids are fascinated by them because of the cult figure Spiderman!) Each spider family is described in terms of lifestyle, habitat, size and behaviour as well as, importantly, their venom potential. But don’t be too worried: though almost all spiders have venom glands, few are potentially dangerous as you would essentially have to actually eat it to be poisoned by it.

And, remember, they are generally timid and would rather hide from you. Some can cause nasty bites, however, and recommended treatment is discussed.

This new and revised edition features all 63 spider families that occur here.

There are full-colour photographs throughout, as well as diagrams of diagnostic features; a quick and easy guide for use in the field.

For those readers with a more general interest in insects, this book is recommended.

Herein lies a treasure trove of the insect world. It explains their fascinating behaviour and biology, from their mating behaviour, metamorphosis, sight, smell and hearing, and their adaptation to cold and heat.

In a special chapter on super-organisms, we learn about their social communities and the critical role they play in keeping the fine balance of life on our planet.

It’s available in English and Afrikaans.

CLEVER CREATURE: photographed by Philip Herbst is just one of a host of ants that feature in a book about these clever minuscule creatures by Peter Slingsby. See the reviews of nature books below.