The Lives of the Natural World¹¹

Spiders are dominant predators in virtually every terrestrial ecosystem on the planet. A marvel of evolution with species numbering in the tens of thousands, they have been walking the earth since before the dinosaurs. Spiders...

Existing at the intricate margins of life, lichens are the result of symbiotic relationships between fungi and photosynthesizing partners in the form of algae or cyanobacteria. Comprising more than twenty thousand species, lichens are...

The Lives of Bees provides a one-of-a-kind look at the life and natural history of bees. Blending stunning photographs and illustrations with illuminating profiles of selected species, this incisive guide takes readers inside the world...

There are more than fifteen thousand butterfly species in the world, fluttering through a wide variety of habitats. Bright and beautiful, butterflies also have fascinating life histories and play an important role in our planet’s...

As photosynthetic organisms, seaweeds and other algae transfer billions of tons of carbon globally from the atmosphere to the deep ocean each year. Coming in all manner of colors, shapes, and sizes, from bioluminescent single-celled...

Sharks are the top predators in many marine ecosystems. But tales of the killer instincts and fearsomely sharp senses of these hunters can obscure their full life histories. In fact, sharks are characterful, exhibit surprisingly complex...

Dive deep into the fascinating world of cephalopods—octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and the mysterious nautilus—to discover the astonishing diversity of this unique group of intelligent invertebrates and their many roles in the marine...

As parasites that are often hundreds of times smaller than bacteria, viruses exist in and on everything, everywhere. Rapidly evolving, they are highly opportunistic and relentlessly efficient. While some viruses are obviously agents of...

With some 400,000 species, beetles are among the largest and most successful groups of organisms on earth, making up one-fifth of all plant and animal species. No other animals exhibit such a dazzling range of size, form, and color....

We know fungi are important, for us as well as the environment. But how they live, and what they can do, remains mysterious and surprising. Filled with stunning photographs, The Lives of Fungi presents an inside look into their hidden...

Moths are among the most underappreciated insects on the planet, yet they make up the majority of some 180,000 known species of Lepidoptera. Filled with striking images, The Lives of Moths looks at the remarkable world of these amazing...