Margins
Wicked Bugs book cover
Wicked Bugs
The Louse That Conquered Napoleon's Army and Other Diabolical Insects
2011
First Published
3.75
Average Rating
288
Number of Pages
In this darkly comical look at the sinister side of our relationship with the natural world, Stewart has tracked down over one hundred of our worst entomological foes—creatures that infest, infect, and generally wreak havoc on human affairs. From the world’s most painful hornet, to the flies that transmit deadly diseases, to millipedes that stop traffic, to the “bookworms” that devour libraries, to the Japanese beetles munching on your roses, Wicked Bugs delves into the extraordinary powers of many-legged creatures. With wit, style, and exacting research, Stewart has uncovered the most terrifying and titillating stories of bugs gone wild. It’s an A to Z of insect enemies, interspersed with sections that explore bugs with kinky sex lives (“She’s Just Not That Into You”), creatures lurking in the cupboard (“Fear No Weevil”), insects eating your tomatoes (“Gardener’s Dirty Dozen”), and phobias that feed our (sometimes) irrational responses to bugs (“Have No Fear”). Intricate and strangely beautiful etchings and drawings by Briony Morrow-Cribbs capture diabolical bugs of all shapes and sizes in this mixture of history, science, murder, and intrigue that begins—but doesn’t end—in your own backyard.
Avg Rating
3.75
Number of Ratings
5,134
5 STARS
23%
4 STARS
37%
3 STARS
33%
2 STARS
6%
1 STARS
1%
goodreads

Author

Amy Stewart
Amy Stewart
Author · 17 books

Amy Stewart is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen books, including Girl Waits with Gun, Lady Cop Makes Trouble, The Drunken Botanist, and Wicked Plants. She lives in Portland with her husband Scott Brown, a rare book dealer. Stay connected with Amy via her newsletter, where she offers cocktail recipes, creative inspiration, book recommendations, and more!

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