For use in schools and libraries only. Easy-to-read text explains how these unique plants attract, capture, and ingest their meals.

Did you know that some plants eat special food? Sunlight is not enough for them and they lack the capacity to create their own food. That is why they prey on insects. They have a unique scent that attracts their small prey so they just sit and wait until they can gobble something up! Should you be afraid of these carnivorous plants too?

In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

The Study of Plants in a Whole New Light “Matt Candeias succeeds in evoking the wonder of plants with wit and wisdom.” ―James T. Costa, PhD, executive director, Highlands Biological Station and author of Darwin's Backyard #1 New Release in Nature & Ecology, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Trees, Biological Sciences, and Nature Writing & Essays In his debut book, internationally-recognized blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias celebrates the nature of plants and the extraordinary world of plant organisms. A botanist’s defense. Since his early days of plant restoration, this amateur plant scientist has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection. Using gardening, houseplants, and examples of plants around you, In Defense of Plants changes your relationship with the world from the comfort of your windowsill. The ruthless, horny, and wonderful nature of plants. Understand how plants evolve and live on Earth with a never-before-seen look into their daily drama. Inside, Candeias explores the incredible ways plants live, fight, have sex, and conquer new territory. Whether a blossoming botanist or a professional plant scientist, In Defense of Plants is for anyone who sees plants as more than just static backdrops to more charismatic life forms. In this easily accessible introduction to the incredible world of plants, you’ll find: • Fantastic botanical histories and plant symbolism • Passionate stories of flora diversity and scientific names of plant organisms • Personal tales of plantsman discovery through the study of plants If you enjoyed books like The Botany of Desire, What a Plant Knows, or The Soul of an Octopus, then you’ll love In Defense of Plants.

Plants that trap and eat animals: an amazing phenomenon that has inspired awe since before the days of Darwin. The victims may be flies and butterflies, small crustaceans, or even vertebrates the size of rats. Lured into the danger zone by optical, tactile, and olfactory strategies, the prey succomb to ingenious traps and face their doom. But unlike plants that temporarily catch insects for pollination, the true carnivores go considerably further: they digest them for the nutrients they need to survive in extremely inhospitable sites on land and in water. "Drosophyllum lusitanicum" can digest a mosquito within 24 hours. The common butterwort, "Pinguicula vulgaris," digests small snimals within two days; a whole fly will disappear in "Drosera anglica" in four days. This exquisite book, copiously illustrated with closeup photography, provides detailed descriptions--including trapping mechanisms, digestion, and prey--and cultivation information for key species in 17 genera and 10 families. Most notably, it includes the first comprehensive listing of some 630 known carnivorous plant species, described in fascinating detail, with identification history and geographic distribution species by species. Physiological and ecological wonders abound in clear and accessible explanations by four author-scientists who work at the leading edge of research. Anyone captivated by the unearthly beauty of the "flowers of evil" will treasure this stunning, encyclopedic exploration, which also includes animal-trapping mosses and fungi, as well as advice for growing and buying carnivorous plants and an extensive international bibliography. It is an essential reference for hobbyist, naturalist, and collector alike.

Describes the physical characteristics and habitat of carnivorous plants, including pitcher plants, venus fly traps, and cobra lilies.

Explains how and why pitcher plants, sundews, and other carnivorous plants trap insects for food.

An archaeologist and chef explains how to follow our ancestors' lead when it comes to dietary choices and cooking techniques for optimum health and vitality. "Read this book!" (Mark Hyman, MD, author of Food) Our relationship with food is filled with confusion and insecurity. Vegan or carnivore? Vegetarian or gluten-free? Keto or Mediterranean? Fasting or Paleo? Every day we hear about a new ingredient that is good or bad, a new diet that promises everything. But the secret to becoming healthier, losing weight, living an energetic life, and healing the planet has nothing to do with counting calories or feeling deprived—the key is re‑learning how to eat like a human. This means finding food that is as nutrient-dense as possible, and preparing that food using methods that release those nutrients and make them bioavailable to our bodies, which is exactly what allowed our ancestors to not only live but thrive. In Eat Like a Human, archaeologist and chef Dr. Bill Schindler draws on cutting-edge science and a lifetime of research to explain how nutrient density and bioavailability are the cornerstones of a healthy diet. He shows readers how to live like modern “hunter-gatherers” by using the same strategies our ancestors used—as well as techniques still practiced by many cultures around the world—to make food as safe, nutritious, bioavailable, and delicious as possible. With each chapter dedicated to a specific food group, in‑depth explanations of different foods and cooking techniques, and concrete takeaways, as well as 75+ recipes, Eat Like a Human will permanently change the way you think about food, and help you live a happier, healthier, and more connected life.

Provides brief information about each of the nine planets that makes up our solar system.

The seven genera of sticky-leaved insect-eating plants are uniquely beautiful and captivate the interest of all who behold them. Each produces shimmering leaves lined with glistening droplets of glue that attract, trap and kill insects and other small animals. Complimented by 279 spectacular images, this work examines all seven genera of sticky-leaved insect-eating plants (Byblis, Drosera, Drosophyllum, Ibicella, Pinguicula, Roridula and Triphyophyllum) and documents their wild ecology and natural diversity in full detail and in many cases, for the very first time. The first chapter of Glistening Carnivores focuses on the research of Charles Darwin and the implications of his findings relating to the carnivorous plants of the world. The next chapter, entitled The Sticky-Leaved Insect-Eating Plants, identifies all of the known sticky-leaved insect-eating plants and discusses their classification. The following chapters entitled The Evolution of the Sticky-Leaved Insect-Eating Plantsand Mutualistic Arthropods respectively handle the evolution of the seven genera and the known relationships with arthropod partners involving these plants. Each of the following seven chapters then individually focus on one genus of sticky-leaved insect-eating plants. Each genus is considered in terms of its taxonomy, botanical history, morphology and ecology. In the following chapter, entitled Habitat Loss and the Threat of Extinction, the book then moves to consider the conservational status and future outlook for these remarkable plants and examines their place in the 21st century in the context of changing landscapes across the world. The final chapter, entitled Cultivation and Horticulture considers the cultivation of the sticky-leaved insect-eating plants with recommendations of responsible and ethical nurseries where the reader may acquire responsibly and legally produced sticky-leaved insect-eating plants to grow and study at home. Glistening Carnivores is the first and only study of the sticky-leaved insect-eating plants and represents an unparallel source of information on the subject. The strengths of this book undoubtedly include (1) its uniquely detailed content; (2) the 279 spectacular figures including breath taking images and useful distribution maps and (3) the very first published images of dozens of species of sticky-leaved insect-eating plants. Glistening Carnivores is up-to-date, uniquely detailed, focused, and visually beautiful. It is technically written yet is accessible to specialist and non-specialist audiences and will be a valued source of information for all interested in the sticky-leaved insect-eating plants and carnivorous plants in general!