Goulson is a biologist with an inordinate fondness for insects ... This book is his attempt to educate us in their eccentric beauty and their absolute necessity ... The best advice is to do what Goulson does — look and wonder ... Insects are the most vivid expressions of the astounding fact of life in what may be a dead universe. Read this book, then look and wonder.
Terrific ... Goulson writes with urgency and affection ... A thoughtful explanation of how the dramatic decline of insect species and numbers poses a dire threat to all life on earth.
The grimmest section of the book is a fictional account of the travails of a family living in the inspect-sparse 2060s ... Goulson’s most outlandish suggestion is that we replace industrial agriculture with the more insect-friendly practices used on allotments, which are far more productive than pesticide-saturated fields, but also about 15 times more labour-intensive ... Keep dreaming, Dave Goulson. We’ll need more dreamers like you.
Striving to educate, he shows that while countless species are rapidly going extinct, there are glimmers of hope ... Although much of the information here will not be new or surprising to avid nature readers, the author’s enthusiasm and conversational tone drive home the need for change and create an inspiring reading experience ... A hopeful, scientifically lucid, and timely call to action.
Though Goulson makes a strong case, his haughty tone...and vague conjecturing...detract from his message’s urgency. Goulson’s enthusiasm for the insect world is evident, but it also unfortunately drowns out the science.
