Insect Stories

Growing up in a New Jersey factory town in the 1980s, Daisy Hernández believed that her aunt had become deathly ill from eating an apple. No one in her family, in either the United States or Colombia, spoke of infectious diseases, and even into her 30s, she only knew that her aunt had died of a rare illness called Chagas. But as Hernández dug deeper, she discovered that Chagas - or the kissing bug disease - is more prevalent in the United States than the Zika virus.

One bite is all it takes. From the forests of South America to suburban backyards, Medical Mysteries – Bitten uncovers 20 shocking, real-life medical cases triggered by venomous bites, infected wounds, and creatures hiding in plain sight. Discover the terrifying aftermath of tick bites that cause paralysis, mosquito-borne brain infections, and animal attacks that unleash rare, sometimes fatal diseases. What happens when a flea bite leads to a modern-day case of the plague? How does a tiny tick turn someone allergic to meat for life? Can a spider bite really rot your flesh to the bone? And...

Human beings are abundant. Yet for every person on Earth, countless insects thrive, chewing through the roots and underpinnings of nature. This year, it will be a very good year for bugs! An ocean of insecticide cannot suppress their demonic hordes. They could easily dominate the planet. Why not?

Welcome to the warm, wild savanna—home to towering elephants, cheeky monkeys, and one remarkably determined dung beetle named Donald J. Dungbuster. With a heart as big as his favorite poop ball and a family that rolls right along beside him, Donald shows us that life, love, and legacy can all be built on even the messiest of foundations. From monsoon floods to beetle bake-offs, elephant encounters to poop-powered parades, this is a story of resilience, laughter, and one quirky beetle’s quest to feed his family, win big, and always roll with purpose. Perfect for young readers with ...

Andy the Adventurous Ant: A Charming Tale of Independence, Courage, and Coming Home. Tired of marching in line and following orders, young Andy the Ant dreams of freedom and adventure beyond his busy colony. One brave morning, he decides to explore the vast jungle all by himself! But the world outside is bigger—and more dangerous—than Andy ever imagined. From narrowly escaping a spider's sticky trap to nearly drowning in a mighty river, from hiding from a hungry lizard to an unexpected ride on an elephant's muddy foot, Andy's exciting journey quickly becomes a series of heart-pounding ...

Sebastian Snail is a very bored snail, and has always wanted to be famous. At Halloween, after throwing a big party for all his friends and neighbours, he decides to go ghost hunting with his best friend, Caruthers Caterpillar. At dead-of-night, they set off into the dark, in search of witches and ghosts, and things that go bump in the night! And they're headed for Halloween House - a house that is said to he haunted.....!

"She was the best partner I ever had.” In this short, poignant story, excerpted from an earlier novel, you will meet a California Gold Rush miner and his...unusual...partner.

Now in audio - a fascinating work of popular science from a world-renowned expert on mosquitoes and a prize-winning reporter. In this lively and comprehensive portrait of the mosquito, its role in history, and its threat to mankind, Spielman and D'Antonio take a mosquito's-eye view of nature and man. They show us how mosquitoes breed, live, mate, and die and introduce us to their enemies, both natural and man-made.

It begins with an ordinary horsefly biting Samantha Moon in her garden—except Sam isn’t exactly ordinary. She’s an energy vampire, and her cold, supernatural blood does something very strange to the hungry insect. Soon the fly feels faster, stronger, smarter, with a gnawing new hunger for blood. As her instincts warp and evolve, she fights for survival against a spider’s web, her own primal needs, and the creeping awareness of what she is becoming. Vampire Fly is a weird, darkly atmospheric, and surprisingly moving tale that turns the natural world on its head—told from the point ...

Adjustable text for any device — great for read-aloud, dyslexia-friendly formatting, and screen readers. Celebrating 20 years of Bugville Critters! Buster Bee dreams of big adventures... and one nap later, he gets the biggest one of all. When Buster nods off in front of an explorer movie, he wakes up in a buzzing, booby-trapped dreamscape—as Buster Buzzstone, bug archaeologist extraordinaire! In this action-packed, imagination-fueled dream adventure, Buster must: • Navigate ancient ruins and honey-slick hallways • Dodge traps (and rival treasure hunters!) • Outwit the sneaky Wasp ...

To get his mind off of a pandemic that has taken place, a young man agrees to go mountain climbing with his two overconfident friends. But what they discover on the mountain is far more shocking than anything they had expected, and they soon realize that their troubles are far from over.

Like many of us, Maggie is navigating her path through a complex world—except, her world is the stream. Having lost her home to changes in the current, Maggie, a mayfly, is searching the stream for the richest of foods with which to nourish her brief flight in the world of air. But the stream, with its ever-changing currents, seems a confusing array of possibilities. Where are the richest of foods? How might she find them? And what are the qualities that makes one’s forage truly rich? As Maggie travels the stream, she meets other streamlings—some malevolent, some benign—who offer ...

Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find he has been transformed into a gigantic insect. This extraordinary tale of imagination was written by Kafka against the backdrop of increasing turmoil in central Europe and remains not just an affecting tale but a disturbing allegory.

A wonderful collection of spine-tingling ghost stories and thought-provoking essays on insects. This new version has an introduction "Hearn and Japan", which details the continuing influence of Hearn on contemporary Japan.

The queen of the ants is throwing a bug ball to mark the first day of summer and every insect in the garden from the largest to the lowest has been asked to the party. But will this bash end in disaster? Can ants and grasshoppers and beetles all get along? The illustrated book includes the bonus poem In The Meadow.

What do insects eat? Do insects have bones? Buzz through the chapters of this book to learn all about insects.

The WaldoVille Series consists of Children's Stories and Tutorials which relate to things the author experienced growing up in the 1960's as a Baby Boomer Child and Teenager. One of the events which happened in school classrooms back in the 1960's was Story-time Readings, when the teacher sat down in a chair and began to read stories to the class. The story of Monty Mantis is a story about friendships between a young Praying Mantis and his insect friends, and important lessons that they learn together.

A journey into the weird, wonderful and truly astonishing lives of the small but mighty creatures who keep the world turning. Out of sight, underfoot, unseen beyond fleeting scuttles or darting flights, insects occupy a hidden world, yet are essential to sustaining life on earth. Insects influence our ecosystem like a ripple effect on water. They arrived when life first moved to dry land, they preceded – and survived – the dinosaurs, they outnumber the grains of sand on all the world’s beaches, and they will be here long after us.

Love is love... no matter what! Emily was born with a rare condition that has given her bunny ears. She's bullied at school and comes home most days in tears. However, her best friend, Amanda, is the light in the darkness for her. Receiving a ferret named Spring for her birthday is also a bright spot for Emily, until tragedy strikes. When Emily is attacked by a pack of vicious butterflies, more secrets are revealed, and Emily begins to fear for her life. The threats don't end there. A boy at school, Luke, vows to hurt Emily. When he finally acts on his promise, will Emily and Amanda ...

Dive into a world of wonder and delight with "Bedtime Bites"! This enchanting collection of 8 short stories will captivate young listeners ages 8-10 and spark their imagination before bedtime. Each chapter introduces a different magical creature—from a sleepy sloth with the power to put people to sleep, to a dazzling dancing firefly, to a color-changing chameleon and more! Through these whimsical tales, children will discover fascinating facts, develop empathy and problem-solving skills, embrace the joy of listening, spark imagination and wonder, and also enjoy quality family time!