1
of
1
Wasp
Series: Animal
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock
Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Wasp. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Latest News
A Seven Sharp Visit and a Huge Thank You!
It's been a busy last week at Rawiri Place before our big move, with a...
What I Read (and Played) in Bali
I always read more when I travel. There’s the flight over, the hotel breakfast where...
A Puzzle for Every Season: Why I Love Seasonal Puzzles
From spooky Halloween puzzles to floral spring scenes and Christmas favourites we bring out every...
The Book Briefing - September 16th
This week there are so many exciting new book announcements out and about with covers,...
Every crime/thriller Novel Lizzy has read this year (so far!)
Lizzy is sharing her crime and thriller reads for 2026 so far and giving you...
See moreLeading entomologist Richard Jones redresses the balance in this enlightening and entertaining guide to the natural and cultural history of these powerful carnivores. Jones delves into their complex nesting and colony behaviour, their unique caste system and their major role at the centre of many food webs.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Fear and fascination set wasps apart from other insects. Despite their iconic form and distinctive colours, they are surrounded by myth and misunderstanding. Often portrayed in cartoon-like stereotypes bordering on sad parody, wasps have an unwelcome and undeserved reputation for aggressiveness bordering on vindictive spite. This mistrust is deep-seated in a human history that has awarded commercial and spiritual value to other insects, such as bees, but has failed to recognise any worth in wasps.
Leading entomologist Richard Jones redresses the balance in this enlightening and entertaining guide to the natural and cultural history of these powerful carnivores. Jones delves into their complex nesting and colony behaviour, their unique caste system and their major role at the centre of many food webs.
Wasp invites readers to look beyond the stereotypes and discover the fascinating world of wasps, offering a fresh perspective that celebrates their ecological importance and complex social structures.
Series: Animal
View all-
Sloth
Sloths are perhaps the most recognised and loved Central and South American animals. Despite their renown and popularity as cartoon characters, toys, and memes, they are not well understood. This book offers a colourful, richly illustrated, and wide-ranging account of the biological and cultural history of these fascinating mammals. Alan Rauch explores sloths' gigantic prehistoric ancestors and their evolution into...Paperback$5600Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Squid
This book traces the many ways humans have thought about and pictured squids. In myths and legends, squids are portrayed as fearsome sea-monsters, lurking in the watery deeps waiting to devour humans. Even as modern science has tried to turn those monsters of the deep into unremarkable calamari, squids continue to dominate the nightmares of the Western imagination. Taking inspiration...PaperbackSold Out -
Hedgehog
A natural and cultural history of the hedgehog, an animal that has had a close connection with people since the dawn of civilisation. This book explores the symbolism of the animal, from Romans who regarded it as a weather prophet, to Sonic the Hedgehog and children's books today. Hedgehog also describes the evolution, behaviour, habitat, and diet of this beautiful,...PaperbackSold Out -
Human
What does it mean to be human? And what, if anything, does it have to do with being a member of the animal species Homo sapiens? This dazzling book gets to the very heart of our rather unscientific motivations and prejudices, showing how they are of great use in resolving the world's biggest problems. From beasts to aliens, widespread but...PaperbackSold Out -
Hyena
In almost every culture, hyenas are regarded as nasty, scheming charlatans, skulking in the back alleyways of the animal kingdom. Scorned as little more than scavenging carrion-eaters, vandals and thieves, since the earliest times hyenas have been both mistreated and misunderstood. In her new account, Mikita Brottman offers an alternative view, showing that the hyena is, in fact, a complex,...PaperbackSold Out -
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a sight to behold. The dash and verve of this cosmopolitan bird have been admired for millennia, appearing in creation myths, imperial regalia, and cultural iconography, and they were once valued as highly as gold. Artists used their iridescent feathers in Tian-tsui, an iconic style of Chinese fine art, for more than 2,400 years. The magnificent temples at...PaperbackSold Out -
Lion
Majestic, noble, brave lions, with their tawny coats and luminous eyes, have inspired countless stories, traditions, and beliefs. Whether we are seduced by their beauty or drawn to danger, we want to be near them. No other animal has had such an enduring symbolic resonance; lions have been painted on wood and canvas, chiselled in stone, cast in metal, and...PaperbackSold Out -
Mole
Though moles are rarely seen, they live in close proximity to humans around the world. Gardeners and farmers go to great lengths to remove molehills from their fields and gardens; mole-catching has been a profession for the past two millennia. Moles are also close to our imagination, appearing in myths, fairy tales and comic books as either wealthy, undesirable grooms...PaperbackSold Out -
Moth
Unlike their gaudy day-flying relations, moths are thought to reside in the shadows, as denizens of the night, circling around street lights or caught momentarily in the glare of car headlights on a country lane. There are, however, many more species of day-flying moths than there are of butterflies. As for colours and patterns, many moths rival or even exceed...PaperbackSold Out -
Nightingale
The nightingale holds a unique place in cultural history: the most prized of songbirds, it has inspired more poems than any other creature and is also the most mythologised of birds. Nightingale juxtaposes the bird of poetry, music, myth, and lore with the living bird of wood and scrubland, unpicking the entangled relationship between them. Covering a vast range of...PaperbackSold Out -
Owl
'The owls are not what they seem'. From ancient Babylon, to Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussycat and the grandiloquent, absent-minded Owl from Winnie the Pooh, to David Lynch's Twin Peaks, owls have woven themselves into the fabric of human culture from earliest times. Beautiful, silent, pitiless predators of the night, possessing contradictory qualities of good and evil, they...PaperbackSold Out -
Parrot
Parrot by Paul Carter is a fascinating natural and cultural history of parrots. It covers three broad areas: Parrotics — the historical, cultural and scientific classifications of parrots; Parroternalia — the association of parrots with the different languages, ages, tastes, and dreams of society; and Parrotology — the mimicry of parrots and what that can tell us about our own...PaperbackSold Out
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The book delves into the intriguing and often misunderstood world of wasps, exploring their biology, ecology, and representation in human culture. It challenges readers to reconsider their perceptions and argues for the importance of wasps in ecosystems. Richard Jones offers well-reasoned insights on why the persecution of wasps should end, contributing to an essential reeducation about these creatures.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781789141610
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 14 October 2019
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Illustration: 114 illustrations, 78 in colour
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 135.0mm
Height: 190.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 208
About the Author
Richard Jones is one of the UK’s leading entomologists. He is the author of numerous books on nature including Mosquito (Reaktion, 2012) Extreme Insects: Call of Nature: The Secret Life of Dung (2010) and Beetles (2018) in the New Naturalists series. He lives in East Dulwich, London.
Also by Richard Jones
View all-
An Anthology of Butterflies and Moths
A beautiful field guide featuring notes, photos, and illustrations of more than 100 species of butterflies and moths. Find out how to identify, where to spot, and what to know about different species of butterflies and moths with this beautiful field guide. Transportable in size and crammed with profiles of different species, An Anthology of Butterflies and Moths covers a...Hardback$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Safe at Last
A moving picture book about friendship and finding the courage to brave a dark and stormy night by an award-winning author-illustrator. James lives in a little wooden house beside the sea. Every day he rides his bike around the island, saying hello to all his animal friends: the otters in their mirror-bright pool, the birds in the trees, the bears...Hardback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Biggest Breakfast
This warm, utterly delightful new picture book from Richard Jones includes a fun count-along element, shout-along sound words and a jam-packed fold-out page. One day, a child meets a little bird and feeds it some breakfast. The next day, the little bird comes back with two pink-tailed mice, and the next day they are joined by four squirrels and then eight kind-eyed...Hardback$2899Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Where Have You Been, Little Cat?
This adorable tale from internationally acclaimed picture book creator Richard Jones encourages readers to explore their emotions and free their imaginations as they are invited into Little Cat's world... As a little cat rushes in from a day's adventuring, her owner asks her where she's been and what she's seen. Was she happy? Was she brave? Was she kind? The...Paperback$2099Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
One Amazing Story
A stunning new picture book celebrating the art of storytelling from acclaimed author-illustrator Richard Jones! At the foot of one magical tree, two kind children find a lost little moon dragon. They climb for three long days to try to reunite the little one with its family. Will they succeed? Find out in One Amazing Story! A simple but effective...Hardback$2899Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
An Anthology of Beetles
A beginner's guide featuring detailed notes, colourful illustrations, and striking photographs of the most remarkable beetles. Discover how to identify, where to find, and other details about more than 100 beetles that exist the world over. Did you know one in every four living things on our planet is identified as a beetle? Explore the fascinating world of these tough...Hardback$3500Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Buzz
Discover 15 bugs with extraordinary abilities, and uncover the secrets of their survival in nature. Try to spot the Indian stick insect and see how its remarkable camouflage helps it evade predators. Admire the vibrant colours of the monarch butterfly and learn how its wings support an incredible migration. And take a closer look at the emperor dragonfly's compound eyes...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Biggest Breakfast
This warm, utterly delightful new picture book from Richard Jones includes a fun count-along element, shout-along sound words and a jam-packed fold-out page. One day, a child meets a little bird and feeds it some breakfast. The next day, the little bird comes back with two pink-tailed mice, and the next day they are joined by four squirrels and then...Paperback$1999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Garbage Collection Handbook
Published in 1996, Richard Jones's Garbage Collection was a milestone in the area of automatic memory management. Its widely acclaimed successor, The Garbage Collection Handbook: The Art of Automatic Memory Management, captured the state of the field in 2012. Modern technology developments have made memory management more challenging, interesting and important than ever. This second edition updates the handbook, bringing...Hardback$25100Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
The Garbage Collection Handbook
Published in 1996, Richard Jones's Garbage Collection was a milestone in the area of automatic memory management. Its widely acclaimed successor, The Garbage Collection Handbook: The Art of Automatic Memory Management, captured the state of the field in 2012. Modern technology developments have made memory management more challenging, interesting and important than ever. This second edition updates the handbook, bringing...Paperback$20700Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Where Have You Been, Little Cat?
The adorable new picture book from the internationally acclaimed author of Perdu and Little Bear celebrates senses and emotions as readers are invited into Little Cat's world... As a little cat rushes in from a day's adventuring, her owner asks her where she's been and what she's seen. Was she happy? Was she brave? Was she kind? The richly imagined...HardbackSold Out -
Perdu
The moving, beautifully illustrated story of a little lost dog and his search for a place to call home. Poor Perdu is all alone as he journeys from the countryside to the city in search of a home. The city is a big place when you are very small, but is it possible that someone is looking out for Perdu?...PaperbackSold Out
More from Science & Nature
View all-
Raising Hare
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2025 SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE HATCHARDS AND BIOGRAPHERS' CLUB FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE HAY FESTIVAL, SUNDAY TIMES, THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, SPECTATOR AND iNEWS 'A beautiful book' - ANGELINA JOLIE 'I...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
What If? 10th Anniversary Edition
CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE MILLION-SELLING POP SCIENCE CLASSIC WITH A SPECIAL EDITION. THIS IS WHAT IF? . . . x10. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Nerd royalty' — BEN GOLDACRE 'Totally brilliant' — TIM HARFORD 'Required reading across the world' — NEW YORK TIMES From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, experience hilarious and informative answers to important questions...Hardback$4200Elsewhere:$5000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
The Anxious Generation
A powerful argument for reclaiming childhood—and all human relationships—from the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spaces—communities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...Paperback$2299Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
16% offUltra-Processed People
Launching the runaway bestseller with ambitions to be the biggest non-fiction paperback of the year IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S THE FOOD. "If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one" - Bee Wilson "You've got to get this book in your life . . . Completely compelling . . . Read a page...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Kitchen Confidential
The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. ‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ — A.A. Gill ‘Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ — Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Sapiens
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari is an extraordinary exploration of humanity's history from the dawn of our species to the present day. Harari delves into our evolution, offering insights into the cognitive revolutions that allowed Homo sapiens to rise above other animal species. Traversing through various stages of human development, he examines the Agricultural Revolution, the unification of humankind through...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Invisible Women
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez is a groundbreaking and meticulously researched exploration into the pervasive gender bias that infiltrates every aspect of our society. Through compelling case studies and thorough analysis, this book unveils the hidden ways women are systematically disadvantaged in a world predominantly designed by and for men. Perez's revelations stretch across various sectors including government policy,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Talk
A Harvard professor shows how we can become better talkers - and why effective conversation will help us all thrive. Conversation is at the heart of our relationships and decision-making, but the science behind our everyday interactions, and how to improve them, is little known. In Talk, Harvard Professor Alison Wood Brooks provides fascinating insights into the power of effective...Paperback$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
20% offClean & Green
Simple swaps and innovative ideas for cleaning and maintaining your home that won't cost the Earth. Learn how easy it is to make simple swaps in your cleaning and tidying methods for a more eco-friendly home. This beautifully illustrated black and white guide with 101 hints and sustainable, natural cleaning tips and hacks will help you take small steps that...Paperback$2400Usually:$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
The Genetic Book of the Dead
From one of the world’s great science writers, a book that explores the deepest principles of evolutionary history. In this groundbreaking new approach to the evolution of all life, Richard Dawkins shows how the body, behaviour, and genes of every living creature can be read as a book – an archive of the worlds of its ancestors. A perfectly camouflaged...Hardback$4900Elsewhere:$5499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
The Coming Wave
The instant Sunday Times bestseller from the ultimate AI insider - the only book you need to read on this subject. An Economist, Financial Times, Guardian, Prospect and Sunday Times Book of the Year Shortlisted for the FT and Schroders Business Book of the Year This is the only book you need to understand our new world - from the...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday -
Breath
Discover the transformative power of breathing in Breath by esteemed journalist James Nestor. This revolutionary book delves into the science and history of one of the most fundamental human activities - breathing. From the bustling streets of São Paulo to the serene temples of India, Nestor embarks on a global journey to uncover the secrets of ancient breathing techniques such...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips Monday
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
Science & Nature lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
