Provides an introduction to more than 100 insects and arachnids, giving general information about family characteristics and habits, and more specific facts about some species.

An ... field guide to 350 species, with more than 1000 ... full-color illustrations.

An introduction to all kinds of birds from around the world, arranged in such groupings as game birds, seabirds, waterbirds, wading birds, owls and birds of prey, and songbirds.

An enthusiastic, witty, and informative introduction to the world of insects and why we—and the planet we inhabit—could not survive without them. Insects comprise roughly half of the animal kingdom. They live everywhere—deep inside caves, 18,000 feet high in the Himalayas, inside computers, in Yellowstone’s hot springs, and in the ears and nostrils of much larger creatures. There are insects that have ears on their knees, eyes on their penises, and tongues under their feet. Most of us think life would be better without bugs. In fact, life would be impossible without them. Most of us know that we would not have honey without honeybees, but without the pinhead-sized chocolate midge, cocoa flowers would not pollinate. No cocoa, no chocolate. The ink that was used to write the Declaration of Independence was derived from galls on oak trees, which are induced by a small wasp. The fruit fly was essential to medical and biological research experiments that resulted in six Nobel prizes. Blowfly larva can clean difficult wounds; flour beetle larva can digest plastic; several species of insects have been essential to the development of antibiotics. Insects turn dead plants and animals into soil. They pollinate flowers, including crops that we depend on. They provide food for other animals, such as birds and bats. They control organisms that are harmful to humans. Life as we know it depends on these small creatures. With ecologist Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson as our capable, entertaining guide into the insect world, we’ll learn that there is more variety among insects than we can even imagine and the more you learn about insects, the more fascinating they become. Buzz, Sting, Bite is an essential introduction to the little creatures that make the world go round.

Describes the major groups of marine animals, including fish, birds, mammals, and crustaceans.

As mammals ourselves, we have always been fascinated with this most advanced class of animals, and "Simon & Schuster's Guide to Mammals" describes 426 species worldwide. A long and thoughtful introduction to the evolution, characteristics, and orders of mammals is followed by the entries -- all illustrated in full color -- each containing the mammal's classification, description, and habitat as well as details on behavior, feeding habits, and reproduction. The entries also feature colorful symbols to illustrate habitat, color maps to show the distribution and rarity of each species, and line drawings to indicate unusual or notable physical features. With more than 500 color photographs, "Simon & Schuster's Guide to Mammals" is a superb and valuable reference.

Learning How to Draw Has Never Been Easier! Lee Hammond's All New Big Book of Drawing is the culmination of nearly forty years of teaching. No matter what your experience level YOU CAN DRAW by following along these easy step-by-step demonstrations. Whether you want to create drawings of flowers, learn how to draw animals or how to draw a person, these drawing techniques, all-new projects, and expert tips will show you how to get great results with both regular pencils and colored pencils. • Two books in one. The first half is a comprehensive course on using pencils to capture shape, form and likeness. The second half explores adding color using colored pencils • 88 step-by-step projects. You will learn to draw everything with this book! Starting with a simple sphere and working up to sea shells, sunsets, flowers, birds, horses, clothing, people--and so much more! • A lifetime of know-how! Lee covers it all--from big picture concepts (selecting tools, shading techniques, making sense of perspective) down to techniques for creating the look of feathers, capturing skin tones, and making surfaces look shiny or transparent. Using her straightforward, three-stage approach to lifelike drawings, Lee makes any subject approachable, from still life and landscapes to animals and even people. This project-driven tome will help you create realistic, frame-worthy artwork. Project by project and subject by subject, you will gain confidence and cultivate great joy in drawing.

Originally published in 2014 by Beach Lane Books.

Includes glossary and lists of biological equipment suppliers and entomological organizations.

A guide to selecting the right plants for an indoor environment explains how and when to feed, repot, and prune house plants, how to protect them from pests and diseases, and the best ways to arrange and support them.