INTRODUCTION 



We start by explaining what we mean when we speak of an 'insect', 

 and how insects fit into the Animal Kingdom. Then we tell you the 

 names of the Orders, the big groups into which insects are divided, 

 their common names if they have one, and a little about each Order. 



Chapter II is mainly pictorial, and illustrates a number of technical 

 names that have to be used when insects are being discussed and 

 compared with each other. 



The rest of the book is an attempt to explain, very briefly, how insects 

 Hve and behave, in relation to the world around them, and in relation to 

 ourselves. To understand this we have to try to put ourselves in their 

 place. This does not mean thinking of them as little human beings, with 

 hopes and fears like our own. Exactly the opposite, in fact. We have to 

 try to imagine how much, or how httle, of the outside world they can be 

 aware of with an insect's eyes, an insect's brain, and an insect's powers 

 of movement. 



Of an insect's brain-power we have hardly any idea. On the face of 

 it, it would seem unHkely that such a small brain could have much 

 memory, or conscious awareness, as we know them; on the other hand, 

 the highly organised behaviour and social life of the ant and the bee are 

 impressive, and we have yet to give a really satisfactory explanation of 

 them. 



We can only keep an open mind on the matter of an insect's brain- 

 power, but we do know something about its simpler senses, and how it 

 tackles the everyday problems of breathing, feeding, seeing, moving about, 

 and so on. Chapters III, IV and V give an elementary idea of these. 

 Chapter VI says a litde about the insect's behaviour, how it deals 

 with more comphcated problems, and how it gets along with other 

 insects. This is a very difficult field of study. It is hard enough to 

 explain human behaviour, when we can question the people con- 

 cerned ; you cannot ask an ant why it is going off in that particular direc- 

 tion, and the most ingenious and beautiful theory may be completely 

 untrue. So in this kind of book the most we can do is to mention a few 

 elementary facts, and leave the explanations alone. 



Few people who have not studied insects have any idea how tre- 

 mendously varied they are. People generally think of insects — with a 

 few exceptions — as rather mean and grubby things, fit only to be trodden 

 underfoot. When you look at one under a microscope you will realise 



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