A water strider darts across a pond, its feet dimpling the surface tension; a giant water bug dives below, carrying his mate's eggs on his back; hidden among plant roots on the silty bottom, a dragonfly larva stalks unwary minnows. Barely skimming the surface, in the air above the pond, swarm mayflies with diaphanous wings. Take this walk around the pond with Gilbert Waldbauer and discover the most amazingly diverse inhabitants of the freshwater world.
In his hallmark companionable style, Waldbauer introduces us to the aquatic insects that have colonized ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers, especially those in North America. Along the way we learn about the diverse forms these arthropods take, as well as their remarkable modes of life-how they have radiated into every imaginable niche in the water environment, and how they cope with the challenges such an environment poses to respiration, vision, thermoregulation, and reproduction. We encounter the caddis fly larva building its protective case and camouflaging it with stream detritus; green darner dragonflies mating midair in an acrobatic wheel formation; ants that have adapted to the tiny water environment within a pitcher plant; and insects whose adaptations to the aquatic lifestyle are furnishing biomaterials engineers with ideas for future applications in industry and consumer goods.
While learning about the evolution, natural history, and ecology of these insects, readers also discover more than a little about the scientists who study them.
Industry Reviews
Aquatic and semiaquatic insects far outnumber the other organisms that share their freshwater habitat, yet most of us are unaware of them. Waldbauer, a retired professor of entomology, hopes to rectify this ignorance as he explores the always interesting lives of aquatic insects. In the same conversational style that he has used in previous works, he presents the fascinating array of adaptations, the diverse forms, and the myriad ways of life of these water dwellers...While telling of the hidden lives of these insects, Waldbauer also reveals evolutionary and ecological details, moving the book beyond the 'gee whiz' level. Readers will be inspired to take a closer look at their favorite pond or stream. -- Nancy Bent Booklist 20060415 An entertaining yet highly accurate and informative account of the lives of aquatic insects. Familiar as they are, their lives take bizarre turns unknown to most laypeople. In 11 engaging chapters, Waldbauer conducts a broad survey of aquatic insects, from giant water bugs that lay their eggs on their mates' backs to minute parasitic wasps that swim with their wings and lay their eggs on other aquatic insects...This book is sure to fascinate not only interested lay readers but also entomologists. -- Annette Aiello Library Journal 20060601 In North America alone, there are more than 10,000 aquatic and semiaquatic insect species that live parts of their lives in fresh water. How did they evolve to survive both on land and in water? Waldbauer, professor emeritus of entomology at the University of lllinois, attempts to explain the feat while providing a who's who of these remarkable insects, including mayflies, dragonflies, true bugs, beetles, and mosquitoes. Science News 20060624 Well balanced and well written...A good read for the committed naturalist anywhere in the world. It also provides excellent source material for life-science students wishing to enrich their entomological knowledge, and contains an extensive bibliography and excellent index...A Walk around the Pond is a masterly treatise from the hand of an enthusiast. -- Gaden S. Robinson Times Literary Supplement 20060630 Almost a story, A Walk Around the Pond: Insects in and over the Water is an easy read with many interesting facts about the interaction of insects with the aquatic environment interspersed with anecdotes from the author's professional and personal experiences. For readers wanting a bit more, the book ends with a bibliography broken up into the chapter headings for easy reference. -- Dr. Garry Levot General and Applied Entomology In his latest book, Gilbert Waldbauer deals in his usual easy-to-read, informative style with my favorite group of insects, those that spend at least part of their lives in water...He clearly has a special interest and immense knowledge of this varied group. -- Rex Kenner Discovery 20060901
