"The Fire Ant Wars provides an excellent overview of attempts to eradicate
Solenopsis invicta. Moreover, Buhs has achieved a wonderfully effective synthesis between the history of science and environmental history that should serve as model for future studies of the fascinating dynamic between nature and culture."--Frederick R. Davis "Journal of the History of Biology" (12/1/2005 12:00:00 AM)
"Buhs had access to a vast amount of unpublished archival material in private and public collections, so that his book must be considered the definitive historical account of the 'fire ant wars'. . . . What really sets this book apart is the historical detail Buhs provides of interactions among federal bureaucracies, universities, individual scientists, and the American public. . . . All of us who work on fire ants should read this book and take its lessons to heart, as should anyone interested in the interaction between science and public policy"
--Donald H. Feener "Ecology"
"Joshua Blu Buhs's book is a major contribution to our understanding of the science and public policy that combined after World War II in making war on fire ants....The Fire Ant Wars is an excellent book that combines thorough research, careful writing, and a convincing argument."
--Pete Daniel "Agricultural History"
" In
The Fire Ant Wars Buhs has produced a clearly written, impressively researched, and fascinating account of the postwar campaign to eradicate what is perhaps the American South's most famous insect pest,
Solenopsis Invicta, the imported red fire ant. The human side of the story is especially interesting, and where
The Fire Ant Wars really shines is in its exploration of clashing scientific egos,
bureaucratic maneuvering, ruthless ecological management and the changing historical context that brought such management into question. . . .An excellent example of sophisticated environmental history, a book broad in its reach and full of nuance in its interpretations. In particular it serves as a focused yet inclusive case study for a number of topics--the history of pesticide use and risk, the evolution of federal environmental policy, the role of science and scientists in environmental advocacy."--Brian Allen Crake "H-Environment" (12/1/2005 12:00:00 AM)
"Buhs has written a fine book - interesting, accessible and one that ambitiously works to integrate the specific with the general....For those with an interest in the changing images of nature, Buhs should be applauded for untangling the history of the way one particular species has been 'constructed' according to political as well as scientific forces. For those with environmental sympathies, Buhs should be thanked for reminding us that the cure is often worse than the disease when dealing with alleged pests."--Alan Marshall,
Metascience--Alan Marshall "Metascience"
"Joshua Blu Buhs's very good
The Fire Ant Wars is valuable for historians of science and environmental
historians. The author uses the case of the fire ant in the United States to explore the broader theme of the intersection of nature, science, policy, and regional culture. . . . At almost every turn, he achieves his ambitious goals. . . . The tale told here is fresh, in large measure because Buhs is an engaging storyteller and an elegant writer. And the characters--Rachel Carson and E. O. Wilson, among others --are well known, charismatic, and treated originally.
The Fire Ant Wars merits a broad audience that should sweep across disciplinary boundaries."--Ari Kelman "Isis"
"Joshua Buhs has written an engaging history of the life and times of the fire ant (
Solenopsis invicta) in its invasion and conquest of
the USA. In doing so, Buhs offers a variety of 'books' within this one work: it is a natural history of fire ants, a case study of USA environmental policy and politics, an environmental history of the American South (with both regional and transnational aspects), a glimpse into the history of USA entomology, and a blend of agricultural history and the history of science and technology, all
based on impressive multi-archival research. . . . Author and publisher should be applauded for including such a wealth of useful figures, photographs, and illustrations. . . . A fine work of scholarship that I will enjoy using on classes in environmental and agricultural history. Others could find it useful for courses on environmental policy, history of science, and entomology, and the book will assuredly be warmly received by audiences within the general public."--Sterling Evans "Enivronmental Conservation" (12/1/2005 12:00:00 AM)
"Out of a simple story, Buhs has spun a complicated tale that has much to say about our relationship with an environment that our very existence transforms. This is a challenging and satisfying book that I would heartily recommend to anyone with an interest in that relationship."--Matt Bright "Environmental Politics" (11/1/2005 12:00:00 AM)
