Insects are everywhere around us, a part of our everyday lives. Did you know that insects are the world’s largest group of animals? And that we find them in arid deserts and meadows in bloom, in deep forest and freshwater pools, in dark caves and on the surface of the ocean?

Insects carry disease, but they also pollinate fields and orchards. While insect pests may harm the forest, an army of insect helpers protects it against them. Without pollinators, no flowers would grow on Earth. And without insects to feed on, songbirds would die of hunger. This book will take you into the realm of tiny creatures whose behaviour, shapes and colours will surprise you by their complexity. Fascinating written descriptions by leading Czech entomologist Jiří Kolibáč are complemented by similarly impressive illustrations by Pavla Dvorská and Pavel Dvorský. Read about complex rituals of courtship, touching care for offspring, organization of insect states, wars over food sources, plus scents, colourful wings and sharp mandibles. As you learn about the largest and smallest of them, you will begin to realize how important insects are – for humankind and for all life on our planet.