It's no wonder Justin Schmidt is known as the 'Connoisseur of Pain' and 'The King of Sting.' As an entomologist who has savored the stings of insects from all over the world, from the bullet ant to the yellow jacket, Schmidt serves as the perfect guide to these tiny and exquisitely painful creatures. A fascinating blend of science, storytelling, and adventure, Sting of the Wild is a must-read for anyone who has ever looked at a wasp with wonder, but not dared to get too close. Justin Schmidt dared to get close, and, fortunately for us, he lived to tell the tale. -- Amy Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Bugs: The Louse that Conquered Napoleon's Army and Other Diabolical Insects It is impossible to read this book without feeling things crawl up your leg or hearing angry buzzing. The world's greatest expert on insect stings describes his experiences with cow-killers, fire ants, yellow jackets, killer bees, giant hornets, and all those other pain-inflicting creatures, while offering an evolutionary account of their defenses. -- Frans de Waal, author of Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? You'll feel only pleasure and no pain when you read this captivating, accessible, and sometimes humorous account of Justin Schmidt's life with stinging insects; the wasps, ants, and bees. Schmidt recounts fascinating adventures and encounters of the stinging kind. Expect to be both informed and delighted as you read about his tales from the field and laboratory. This book is a must-read for naturalists, hikers, entomologists, and everyone who enjoys being outdoors. -- Stephen Buchmann, author of The Reason for Flowers: Their History, Culture, Biology, and How They Change Our Lives
Preface
1. Stung
2. The Stinger
3. The First Stinging Insects
4. The Pain Truth
5. Sting Science
6. Sweat Bees and Fire Ants
7. Yellowjackets and Wasps
8. Harvester Ants
9. Tarantula Hawks and Solitary Wasps
10. Bullet Ants
11. Honey Bees and Humans
Appendix
References
Index
Justin O. Schmidt is a biologist at Southwestern Biological Institute and is associated with the Department of Entomology at the University of Arizona. He is the coeditor of Insect Defenses: Adaptive Mechanisms and Strategies of Prey and Predators.
Schmidt's tales will prove infectiously engaging even to entomophobes. Publishers Weekly On Schmidt's pain scale, this book rates a zero-painless. On the pleasure scale, it rates a ten, a highly enjoyable read. Natural History Readers who share my fascination with the natural world, and particularly those who revel in unusual animal facts, will love The Sting of the Wild. Between the Covers ... an excellent book... Newsweek [ The Sting of the Wild] is a good read, with valuable evolutionary context for bees and their insect relatives interwoven with entertaining travel tales of an engaged entomologist. American Bee Journal Even though the pain-laced topic might leave you wincing, Schmidt's engaging and entertaining writing makes for a tale worth reading. -- Jennifer Hackett Scientific American [Schmidt's] low-down on sting biochemistry and physiology is relentlessly zestful, even as he recounts the swelling, burning consequences of his curiosity. Nature The Sting of the Wild is full of the stories of science of stings. Schmidt is an engaging writer, and his youthful enthusiasm for scary critters makes for a book that will sometimes scare you and sometimes make you double over with laughter... It's a masterpiece of nature writing. Nature's Cool Green Science If you're interested in bugs of any kind, and especially the notorious ones, this book will entertain, educate, and excite. Discover Magazine Not only does he explain his Schmidt Sting Pain Index, wherein he rates the pain of numerous stings on a scale of one to four, but he also relates the fascinating natural histories of these animals. National Geographic ... totally fascinating... -- Jody Avirgan FiveThirtyEight The arms race that created the stinger hypodermic, and its biochemical warfare toxins, was a direct result of communal nesting, because the greater risk of predation demanded a formidable defensive strategy. This is the evolutionary theme through which the author lovingly interjects his own personal anecdotes. BBC Wildlife Magazine It's hard to imagine a nature book being more fascinating and fun. Virgin Radio UK In addition to providing colorful, connoisseur-grade descriptions of the pain caused by stings, The Sting of the Wild provides all sorts of information about stinging insects. Newser ... beautifully written... like nothing else you have ever read. -- Ira Flatow NPR's Science Friday ...[The Sting of the Wild] is full of adventure, humor and Schmidt's impressive scholarship. Redlands Daily Facts Schmidt, an entomologist at the Southwestern Biological Institute, is an excellent writer. He can write clear, engaging explanations of sting evolution and venom chemistry, as well as spin a good yarn about his adventures collecting stinging insects. I enjoyed his dry, judiciously applied, wit. Pica Hudsonia ... The Sting of the Wild weaves [Schmidt's] theories about stinging insects through a narrative of his personal experiences digging in the dirt. For many readers, the highlight of the book will be the appendix, his celebrated Pain Scale for Stinging Insects, which rates the pain level of dozens of insect stings, an index he created mostly by firsthand experience, either by suffering stings incidentally during field research or, in some cases, by inducing them. Because stings of the same magnitude don't necessarily feel the same, Schmidt has written haiku-like descriptions for each of the 83 sting entries." NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE The Sting of the Wild is a delicate and highly refreshing glimpse into the private mind of a professional scientist. TLS Schmidt's story is really new, refreshing and thoroughly entertaining. Journal of Natural History This is an informative and engaging story about the fascinating lives behind the insects that you may just think of as very annoying visitors at picnics. The Biologist ... surprisingly joyful book... Schmidt does a good job of passing on his boundless enthusiasm for insects. The sting of the wild is an easy read, packed with chemistry and anecdotes. Chemistry World The Sting of the Wild sheds light on the mysteries of stinging insects in a delightful and humorous narration. I recommend the book to every entomologist, ecologist, and naturalist interested in exploring the impressive world of Hymenoptera. American Entomologist
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