Metamorphosis: Astonishing insect transformations

Most have had the experience of witnessing, either in person or through photographs, the beautiful metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, but few have seen or even thought about the process for other insects, though many have a similar journey. Some are quite beautiful in this process, but others are strange or even terrifying in these stunning close-up, highly magnified photographs. These creatures have fangs and pincers and strange antennae and weird eyes. They are armored or hairy or translucent or pitted or polka dotted. This incredible book will give anyone interested in insects, or in biology in general, a view of these creatures not easily found. The accompanying text is quite thorough without being daunting in any way. The information is very accessible for non-scientists, yet it’s very complete and never talks down to the reader. But it is the photographs that really carry this book. The glory of nature is front and center in every photograph of these strange, mysterious little animals. Broken into two main sections — insects that undergo partial metamorphosis through molting, and those that undergo a complete metamorphosis such as butterflies — this is a satisfyingly complete study of this process.