They make up three-quarters of the world's living creatures, and that's counting only the 800,000 types we know. In fact, no one has the remotest idea exactly how many species of insects walk, crawl, slither, run, and fly just about everywhere, except to the sea--and some have even made great strides in that direction. Many people, of course, feel we're already too well acquainted with them. But you'll realize that insects not only have incredible resiliency (they alone could survive a nuclear holocaust), but that they're actually beneficial to humans: they pollinate our plants, produce honey and silk, and act as monitors of pollution. This illustrated introduction explains classification; describes their anatomy, life cycles, and migratory patterns; and details the diversity and reproduction of all main insect groups. Diagrams and photographs present armies of ants, magnificently hued butterflies, shining silverfish, huge goliath beetles, colorful tree-hanging moths, jumping grasshoppers, fierce yellow assassin bugs, blue weevils, and many more in this thriving, active world. 224 pages (65 in color), 79 b/w illus., 6 x 9 1/4.