• Meet the Author
This retired professor and former head of the entomology department of the University of Pretoria has written a new book: And it’s way more than just a field guide…
Tell us about your entomology journey. I grew up in the Magaliesberg and insects have always been my hobby. During school holidays I worked at the Transvaal Museum (now the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History) under well-known entomologist Charles Koch. I also joined Charles in the Namib Desert for four years, researching desert ecology. Later I studied ecology and entomology at Tukkies and I worked at the National Collection of Insects (now the Biosystematic Institute). I eventually returned to the university to lecture and I ended my career as the head of the entomology department.
How did you research this book? It’s actually a record of a life’s worth of experience. This is not information you can find on the Internet! The book covers the physiology of insects and also what makes them interesting. I tried to write it as a narrative in parts. Some people say it’s their bedside reading! It’s not a textbook; it’s a reading book.
Who will enjoy it? Anyone who loves nature. I train eco-tourism guides and this book is ideal for them: If you see a dragonfly in the veld you can look up an interesting fact to tell your group. There’s also a field guide section at the back with photos and sketches for identification. The insects are classified according to the different families, so it will make sense to the layman.
As an academic, was it hard to write in a way that everyone can understand? Over the years I have participated in various radio programmes where experts answer questions from the public. This taught me how to communicate complex information in a simple way. I always found the teaching part of academia more fulfilling than the research part. I like to share my knowledge and involve others. There’s a chapter about superorganisms. What on earth is a superorganism? It’s a term for a colony of social insects like ants, termites and bees. When you study such creatures, you realise that the individuals don’t act as individuals – they serve almost as “cells” in a bigger organism. It’s so interesting!
was first published in 2008. What makes this edition different? The photos are much better and the information has been updated to include what I’ve learnt over the last few years. The design is also more accessible.
How can parents nurture a love of insects in their children? The wonderful thing about insects is that you can see about three quarters of all species in an urban garden. Take the time to look closely at the world around you. If you see an ant, for example, look it up in the book and tell your kids: Did you know that an ant can live as long as 10 years? And it can learn, too: As it gets older it remembers all the routes in your garden…
Your favourite species? The longhorn beetle is a fantastic insect. It has a bit of an attitude and it’s beautiful in shape and colour. The larva feeds on wood for about 10 years to gather enough energy to become a beetle. Once you know that, you gain new respect for the species.
What kind of books do you like to read? A little bit of everything, and not just about insects and ecology. I like fiction and read it in Afrikaans, English and German so I’ll never run out of books!
Your favourite book? The Soul of the White Ant by Eugène Marais. He was a real Renaissance man, who had 10 trades. I think he’s undervalued in South African literature, despite all the biographies written about him.
Any other projects? I work as an environmental consultant for the agriculture organisation ZZ2, and my hobby is restoring ox wagons. One day, I want to write a book about the ox wagon and transport rider industry and the effect it had on culture and language. Insectopedia ( Struik Nature) costs R290 in bookstores.