Six-legged ghosts : the insects of Aotearoa / Lily Duval.

Includes bibliographical references.

Knowing insects. Te aitanga pepeke: insects in te ao Māori -- Creepy-crawly: the power of language -- Mechanical visions: looking at insect art -- Terrible grasshopper: the science of insect names -- Insects and us. The amateur entomologist: the life and work of George Hudson -- Pins, puns and pundits: insects in the museums of Aotearoa -- Insects in crisis. Six-legged ghosts: historic insect extinctions in Aotearoa -- Unseen, unsung, uncharismatic: understanding the insect apocalypse -- For the love of insects. Little bus, big picture: insect conservation in Aotearoa -- Metamorphosis: changing the conversation about insects.

"Why isn't Aotearoa famous for its insects? We have weta that can survive being frozen, weevils with 'snouts' almost as long as their bodies, and the world's only alpine cicadas. There is mounting evidence that insect numbers are plummeting all over the world. But the insect apocalypse isn't just a faraway problem - it's also happening here in Aotearoa. In recent years, we have lost a number of our native insects to extinction and many more are teetering on the brink. Without insects, the world is in trouble. Insects are our pollinators, waste removers and ecosystem engineers - they are vital for a healthy planet. So why don't more people care about the fate of the tiny but mighty six-legged beings that shape our world? 'Six-legged Ghosts: The insects of Aotearoa' examines the art, language, stories and science of insects in Aotearoa and around the world. From te ao Maori to the medieval art world, from museum displays to stories of the insect apocalypse, extinction and conservation, Lily Duval explores the lives of insects not only in Aotearoa's natural environments, but in our cultures and histories as well"--Publisher information.