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Dr. Eleanor's Book of Common Ants [Print Replica] Kindle Edition

by Eleanor Spicer Rice (Author), Alex Wild (Author), Rob Dunn (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 74 ratings
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Did you know that for every human on earth, there are about one million ants? They are among the longest-lived insects—with some ant queens passing the thirty-year mark—as well as some of the strongest. Fans of both the city and countryside alike, ants decompose dead wood, turn over soil (in some places more than earthworms), and even help plant forests by distributing seeds. But while fewer than thirty of the nearly one thousand ant species living in North America are true pests, we cringe when we see them marching across our kitchen floors.



No longer! In this witty, accessible, and beautifully illustrated guide, Eleanor Spicer Rice, Alex Wild, and Rob Dunn metamorphose creepy-crawly revulsion into myrmecological wonder. Emerging from Dunn’s ambitious citizen science project Your Wild Life (an initiative based at North Carolina State University), Dr. Eleanor’s Book of Common Ants provides an eye-opening entomological overview of the natural history of species most noted by project participants—and even offers tips on keeping ant farms in your home. Exploring species from the spreading red imported fire ant to the pavement ant, and featuring Wild’s stunning photography, this guide will be a tremendous resource for teachers, students, and scientists alike. But more than this, it will transform the way we perceive the environment around us by deepening our understanding of its littlest inhabitants, inspiring everyone to find their inner naturalist, get outside, and crawl across the dirt—magnifying glass in hand.
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  1. Print length
    144 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    Not Enabled
  4. Publisher
    University of Chicago Press
  5. Publication date
    June 30, 2018
  6. File size
    5744 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Not Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“An elegant little book. Spicer Rice’s style is clear, fluid, and engaging. (I’m fond of the way she described winnow ants as ‘rusty ballerinas.’) What makes it especially lovely is the abundance of photographs by Alex Wild, the Ansel Adams of arthropods. I heartily recommend it to anyone who wants to appreciate the miniature beauty and complexity of ants. And I hope that Dr. Eleanor’s Book of Common Ants inspires other citizen science projects.” -- Carl Zimmer ― National Geographic’s “The Loom”

“Really cool. . . . With incredible pics from Alex Wild. . . . Definitely worth checking out.” -- Jonathan Eisen, University of California, Davis ― Tree of Life

“Entomologist Dr. Eleanor doesn’t make the mistake of humanizing ants, but she does elevate the tiny insects into a realm of fascination.” ― Los Angeles Times

“Ant genetics and reproduction are complex topics, but Spicer Rice makes it easy to understand with minimal jargon. The species descriptions seem like stories about eccentric and entertaining relatives, rather than ants.” -- Gwen Pearson ― WIRED

About the Author

Eleanor Spicer Rice (www.verdantword.com) is an entomologist and writer living in Raleigh, North Carolina, whose newspaper and magazine topics range from belly button biodiversity to blue crabs in bath tubs. She received her PhD in entomology from North Carolina State University. Alex Wild (www.alexanderwild.com) is a wildlife photographer and curator of entomology at the University of Texas, Austin. Rob Dunn is a biologist and writer at North Carolina State University. He is the author of Every Living Thing: Man’s Obsessive Quest to Catalog Life, from Nanobacteria to New Monkeys; The Wild Life of Our Bodies: Predators, Parasites, and Partners That Shape Who We Are Today; and The Man Who Touched His Own Heart: True Tales of Science, Surgery, and Mystery.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07ZRBPCX8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Chicago Press; Illustrated edition (June 30, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 30, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5744 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 74 ratings

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  1. Eleanor Spicer Rice

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
74 global ratings
but this book delivers funny stories, interesting tidbits
5 Stars
but this book delivers funny stories, interesting tidbits
I can't say I've ever had a burning desire to know more about ants, but this book delivers funny stories, interesting tidbits, and fun party facts! I can't wait to share the book with my nephews and host ant-identifying picnics together! This book is a great way to explore nature in our backyards and encourage kids to engage in science! Can't wait to explore more books from Dr. Eleanor!
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Top reviews from the United States

Carol Doeringer
5.0 out of 5 stars I wish I’d read this book decades ago
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
I love watching ants, especially now with this book at hand to help me understand what I’m seeing. It’s entertaining to read and full of fun facts and explanations of ant biology and behavior. Great for inquisitive kids in middle grades on up, and for adults. Highly recommend.
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nonasaur
5.0 out of 5 stars Ants are important
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2023
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Increased my knowledge about ant. A fun read.
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Lady Z.
5.0 out of 5 stars Yes it’s great information. Yes it’s a good reading level for juniors
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a wonderful book!! I got it for my little brother since he plans to become a myrmecologist. I wanted a book that would teach him something he doesn’t already know about ants, “ which pretty much a lot of the basics he knows”
and not be boring to him. At first like any other kid he was like 😶… a book. But once I let it simmer with him he started reading it and he loves it!! He first told me about the ants on Trees that come around and eat termites….which fun fact helped us realize we had termites on one of the trees outside our house since there were ants all over it. We had a pest control come out and sure enough there they were.😩 anyway this book is AH MA ZING! I encourage anyone to buy it for their middle school kids. My bro is 11 so I also wanted to get a book That added a good level for his reading. It’s not too advanced with great big words, but not too kiddy either. Highly recommend 😌🙌🏽 Really anyone who wants to learn about Ants should read this book. Dr Eleanor is wonderful!😊
2 people found this helpful
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Lesley Haynie
4.0 out of 5 stars Informative but cute-sy!
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2022
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Wanted serious info on ants, but did not care for silly personal analogies. Plus, found it confusing to describe one ant species by its common name and link it to only one taxonomic species when at least three species fit the description...the trap jaw ant.
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Carolina Scribe
5.0 out of 5 stars Ants, Anthromorphized
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
I'm not an ant-lover per se, but I'd had my antennae up for an ant anthology. I ordered Dr. Eleanor's Book of Common Ants and awaited its arrival with anticipation. I got so antsy waiting that my stomach began to hurt. I took my antianxiety medication and an antacid and then looked in the mailbox. There it was! Dr. Eleanor's Book of Common Ants! With the television on in the other room - someone was watching a baseball game, but it had started yet. Both teams were standing on the foul lines and they were playing the national anthem - I entered an antechamber and began reading.

What joy! This book is full of antecdotes about the ants that populate our world and the kingdoms that they construct in our yards. There are anthromorphized ants - protagonists and, of course, antagonists. Dr. Eleanor has a lovely way of writing that hooks the reader, like an ant following a trail of breadcrumbs. Her writing is approachable and nonthreatening, ant gives us a new understanting of our world. Who knew that almost all of the ants that we see are female? Who knew that there were so many different types of ants at our feet? Well, I know that now.

I haven't completed reading the book, but I know however it ends, it won't be anti-climactic. After I finish, I'll definitely be passing this book along to someone who'll love it, like my dad's sister.
16 people found this helpful
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Jaymee
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2023
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It’s a gift for my 11 yr old nephew for Christmas! He loves learning about ants and a lot of the books I found was too kiddish. He loves this book and learned new facts about ants that he didn’t know! Very satisfied
One person found this helpful
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Auston Cherry
5.0 out of 5 stars her book is an amazing look into a world we take for granted and ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017
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who knew ants were so much a part of our world and who knew there were so many different kinds of ants! her book is an amazing look into a world we take for granted and ignore. it certainly has made me look at ants in a totally different light and has made me want to go out into my yard and see if I can find any of the ones described in her book. and maybe even discover one she didn't mention. I will think twice before I try to get rid of the ants as they are such a huge part of our environment. the author's enthusiasm and joy for her work is contagious. it was a pure delight to read and at the same time get educated. thank you for this look into a world unknown to me.
4 people found this helpful
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Dr Marion Rollings, PhD
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for adults and younger
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2021
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Inspirational and filled with facts and tips. Good resource section too. If you are at all curious about ants this is a great place to start. Highly recommended.
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