George McGavin studied Zoology at Edinburgh University, followed by a PhD in entomology at Imperial College and the Natural History Museum in London. After 30 years as an academic, mostly at Oxford University, he became an award-winning television presenter. He is an Honorary Research Associate of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and an Honorary Principal Research Fellow at Imperial College, a Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Royal Geographical Society, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, and an Honorary Life Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. In 2019 he became the President of the Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Leonidas-Romanos Davranoglou studied Zoology at Imperial College London. He then undertook his PhD thesis in entomology at the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, UK, funded by the prestigious Oxford-Natural Motion and the Onassis Foundation scholarships. In 2021, Leonidas was honoured with a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History to study the evolution of insect communication and morphology using both living species and their extinct relatives preserved in 100-million-year-old Cretaceous amber. He joins George McGavin as co-author for the new edition of this classic work.

• SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO INSECT EVOLUTION AND BIOLOGY


• SECTION 2: THE INSECT ORDERS


• ARCHAEOGNATHA (Bristletails)


• ZYGENTOMA (Silverfish and Firebrats)


• EPHEMEROPTERA (Mayflies)


• ODONATA (Dragonflies and Damselflies)


• HAPLOCERCATA (DERMAPTERA and ZORAPTERA) (Earwigs and Angel Insects)


• PLECOPTERA (Stoneflies)


• ORTHOPTERA (Grasshoppers and Crickets)


• DICTYOPTERA (BLATTODEA and MANTODEA) (Cockroaches, Termites, and Praying Mantids)


• XENONOMIA (GRYLLOBLATTODEA and MANTOPHASMATODEA) (Ice Crawlers and Heel Walkers)


• EUKINOLABIA (PHASMATODEA and EMBIOPTERA) (Stick Insects, Leaf Insects, and Webspinners)


• PSOCODEA (Barklice, Booklice, and True Lice)


• HEMIPTERA (True Bugs)


• THYSANOPTERA (Thrips)


• RAPHIDIOPTERA (Snakeflies)


• MEGALOPTERA (Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies)


• NEUROPTERA (Lacewings, Antlions, and Mantidflies)


• COLEOPTERA (Beetles)


• STREPSIPTERA (Strepsipterans)


• MECOPTERA (Scorpionflies)


• SIPHONAPTERA (Fleas)


• DIPTERA (Flies)


• TRICHOPTERA (Caddisflies)


• LEPIDOPTERA (Butterflies and Moths)


• HYMENOPTERA (Bees, Wasps, and Ants)


• SECTION 3: FIELDWORK