{"product_id":"ants-richard-jones-9781472964861","title":"Ants: The Ultimate Social Insects","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA clear introduction for the novice naturalist to all things ant.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAnts are everywhere, though they are small, secretive, easily overlooked and usually misunderstood. But these seemingly puny insects have a superpower that makes them amongst the most important organisms on the planet - what they lack in size and individual strength, they more than make up for in sheer numbers and sophisticated, coordinated activity. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this book, impassioned entomologist Richard Jones reveals the bizarre and sometimes poorly studied behaviours of ants. Their aggregation in large (often mind-bogglingly huge) nests is a complex mix of genetics, chemistry, geography and higher social interaction. Their forage trails, usually to aphid colonies but occasionally into the larder, are maintained by a wondrous alchemy of molecular scents and markers. Their social colony structure confused natural philosophers of old and still taxes the modern biologist today. And flying ant days regularly make national news as airborne swarms interfere with international tennis matches. Despite being tiny, ants are special because they and their complex colonies are amenable to scientific interrogation beyond that offered by most other insect groups. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eStarting with a straightforward look at ant body structure, Jones then explores the ant species found in the British Isles and parts of nearby mainland Europe, their foraging, nesting, navigating and battle instincts, how ants interact with the landscape, their evolution, and their place in our understanding of how life on earth works. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eClear, concise and thoroughly entertaining, this is an extraordinary insight into all things ant.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Richard Jones\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1472964861\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781472964861\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Bloomsbury Wildlife\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/14\/2022\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 368\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 2.49lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.76h x 6.82w x 1.16d","brand":"Richard Jones","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":43993694699775,"sku":"9781472964861","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_4057b244-1ae4-4c6a-aa56-6c47466689b1.jpg?v=1683325784","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/ants-richard-jones-9781472964861","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}