Nature underfoot : living with beetles, crabgrass, fruit flies, and other tiny life around us / John Hainze ; illustrated by Angela Mele.

9780300242782
9780300252682 (e-book)

New Haven ; London : Yale University Press, [2020]

2020

English

1 online resource (xvi, 254 pages) : illustrations.

GE42 .H356 2020

179.1

Fruit flies, silverfish, dandelions, and crabgrass are the bane of many people and the target of numerous chemical and physical eradication efforts. In this compelling reassessment of the relationship between humans and the natural world, John Hainze, an entomologist and former pesticide developer, considers the fascinating and bizarre history of how these so-called invasive or unwanted pests and weeds have coevolved with humanity and highlights the benefits of a greater respect and moral consideration toward these organisms. With deep insight into the lives of the underappreciated and often reviled creatures that surround us, Hainze's accessible and engaging natural history draws on ethics, religion, and philosophy as he passionately argues that creepy crawlies and unwanted plants deserve both empathy and accommodation as partners dwelling with us on earth.

Fruit flies, silverfish, dandelions, and crabgrass are the bane of many people and the target of numerous chemical and physical eradication efforts. In this compelling reassessment of the relationship between humans and the natural world, John Hainze, an entomologist and former pesticide developer, considers the fascinating and bizarre history of how these so-called invasive or unwanted pests and weeds have coevolved with humanity and highlights the benefits of a greater respect and moral consideration toward these organisms. With deep insight into the lives of the underappreciated and often reviled creatures that surround us, Hainze's accessible and engaging natural history draws on ethics, religion, and philosophy as he passionately argues that creepy crawlies and unwanted plants deserve both empathy and accommodation as partners dwelling with us on earth.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-242) and index.

Access limited to authorized users.

Description based on print version record.

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