Collins Pocket Guide to New Zealand Minibeasts, by Terence Lindsey and Rod Morris (HarperCollins, RRP $25):
I’m a fan of most four, six and even some eight-legged critters so it’s nice to have a book that is so packed with information on the little creepy crawlies lurking in our fair land.
This guide covers more than 120 species of what the authors call “minibeasts”, from earthworms and leeches to springtails and sand scarabs.
If you’ve ever wondered just what that little bug was you found while pottering in the garden, or have an unidentified beastie lurking in your house somewhere, this is the book for you.
Each entry is illustrated and includes all the expected technical information, like the order and species and all that other Latin stuff, along with details on where you’ll find them, how to spot them, what they eat and everything else you always wanted to know about bugs, beetles and insects but were afraid to ask.
And I really hope I don’t bump into a tusked weta any time soon. Ick.