The Secret Life of Flies

by Erica McAlister

Stories and science about nature's most complex, crucial and highly adaptive insect.

The Secret Life of Flies takes readers into the hidden world of snail killers, con artists, crazy sex and a great many silly names. It dispels common misconceptions about flies and reveals how truly extraordinary, exotic and important are these misunderstood creatures.

There are ten chapters:

1. The immature ones - Squirmy wormy larvae can be just a bit unnerving, especially when they're in large numbers.
2. The pollinators - Those annoying No See Ums, or midge flies, are the only pollinator of the chocolate-producing cacao tree, a status held by many of the pollinators.
3. The detritivores - These garbage eaters are often fluffy and thus water-repellent, good for a life spent in a sewer.
4. The vegetarians - Entomological spelunkers, many of these flies prefer plant roots forsaking the leaves to other creatures.
5. The fungivores - The mushroom eaters include the dark-winged fungus gnats whose wing patterns are one of the author's favorites.
6. The predators - Here are the most devious and imaginative methods of luring, capturing and eating prey.
7. The parasites - Their methods of survival are often disgusting but the evolutionary genius is admirable.
8. The sanguivores - McAlister responds to the perpetual question, exactly why do we have blood-sucking disease-spreading mosquitos?
9. The coprophages - The champions of dung, detritus and other unpleasant things.
10. The necrophages - The body eaters without which we would be in a most disagreeable situation.

In clear language, McAlister explains Diptera taxonomy and forensic entomology, and describes the potential of flies to transform their relationship with humans from one of disease vector to partner in environmental preservation. She has a wonderful knack for storytelling, deftly transforming what could be dry descriptions of biology, reproduction and morphology into entertainment. She takes readers to piles of poo in Ethiopia by way of underground caves, latrines and backyard gardens, and opens the drawers at the Natural History Museum to rhapsodize over her favorite flies.

The Secret Life of Flies is full of stories and tongue-in-check descriptions, but the science is rigorous, authoritative and will be enjoyed by dipterists, lepidopterists, insect enthusiasts, naturalists, and general readers.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Nature, Natural History, Environment, Animals, Biology

248 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jorge Almeida · Rating 3 out of 5]

PROS:
1) The author writes very lively;
2) Ones feel the exhilarating emotion of the author;
3) The author throws some very interesting info and I have learnt some new words like diaheliotropic, hypermetamorphosis.

CONS:
1) There are too many typos. Deplorable revision in the scientific names. Very sloppy proof reading I must say;
2) I hate to see only common names that does not inform at all throwing confusion - it should also be used the scientific names, sometimes the author used such strategy but in an inconsistent way ;
3) Too many photos of dead specimens of flies. Not pleasant and
counter-productive;
4) Some serious imprecisions in the given information (see below to check them out);
5) in the definition of the fly it is incredible the author forgot the halteres to be only mentioned in page,....210... go figure.. loosy definition of DIPTERA.
6) ones feel the book could be so much better with other writing style --- without loosing the beauty of the flies.
7) too bad that the author has copied at times the Wikipedia...
8) sloppy way to show a venation with overlapped wings in page 146... without explaining the M1+2 vein... (where is the loop by the way?)
9) the book would gain more visibility with much more QUALITY images (only with ALIVE specimens), there are some images that are just filling the holes like the Aristolochia plant... without seeing any flies at all or the trapping mechanism for that matter...

SPOILERS:
This book has some very interesting info like:

1) in Mono Lake there are flies that dive into the water - Ephydra hians (p. 83). The water is very alkaline. "The lack of an outlet causes high levels of salts to accumulate in the lake".
Pity it does not mention that these flies were used as a source of protein and fat.

2) The biotic relationship between a fly from Fergusoninidae and Nematoda! (p. 141)

3) Chironomus plumosus has salivary SILK GLANDS! WOW!

4) A Pipunculidae parasiting a Tipulidae but the author mentions crane fly... hate these common names, at least they should be accompanied by the respective scientific name to be MORE clear).

5) The story about the Piltdown fly that even deceived the great Hennig.

6) Fly larvae living in rhino stomachs.. like Gyrostigma rhinocerontis. Amazing. The mammoth had its parasited Oestridae known as Cobboldia russanovi.

TYPOS:
there are so many typos I will focus in the scientific names
page 31 - "Hypotidae" correct -> Hybotidae
page 40 - "Oreflia" correct -> Orfelia
page 61 - "Eipeodes" correct -> Eupeodes
page 72 - "Ptilcera" correct -> Ptilocera
page 147 - "pheremones" correct -> pheromones
page 167 - "Scaptio" correct -> Scaptia
page 168 - "Biophalaria" correct -> Biomphalaria
page 179 - "Dolochopus" correct -> Dolichopus
page 181 - "Rhamphyomyia" correct -> Rhamphomyia
page 197 - "Trachyomyia" correct -> Tracheomyia
page 203 - "Pseudactus" correct -> Pseudacteon
page 247 - "Nephroceras" correct -> Nephrocerus

page 209 - "post imagina methamorphosis" -- imagina!?

IMPRECISIONS:
page 79 - it says: " (...) found in densities of 100 000 per m^2 (over one million per square foot). (...)" Wrong... 1 m^2 equals about 10 square foot, so it should be 100 000 * 1/10 per square foot leading to 10 000 per square foot , not the one million...

page 99 - the author mentions Sarcophaga... but it should be Scathophaga!

page 108 - the author writes: "it was another 800 years before flies were used once again to legally incriminate a murderer"... WOW! DId the author read ALL the records of trials since 1235 to make such assumption?! The author does not provide any proof of this claim...

page 172 - it asserts that *ALL* asilids (robber flies...) have a mystax (=moustache). This is not true. Pseudorus distendens has no mystax.

page 173 - it shows a Vespidae (wasp family) being a prey of the Mallophora leschenaultia BUT the subtitle mentions "attacking prey such as hummingbirds" - it is not wrong but why pointing out this in the legend if it depicts a Vespidae?

page 187 - depicts clearly a Conops... the author should know as this fly is rather common! (Conopid sp.? or Conopidae?!)

page 226 - nothing is said about if refers to imagos or larvae of "mosquitoes" and nematodes to be the preys of Corethrella larvae.

FINAL VEREDICT:
I am a hero to be able to have read this sloppy book from cover to cover.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

This must be the worst pop-science or natural history book I've ever read. It's amateurish at practically every level, from the typoes to the run-on sentences to the lack of flow or structure or depth. It is basically a list of fly facts, grouped arbitrarily by ecological niche. Flies should be one of the easiest things to write a book like this about--they're utterly bizarre and gorgeous and do so many strange and interesting things, and unlike bees or even wasps, no one knows that outside of entomologists. Huge disparity of preconception to reality to take advantage of. So it feels like McAlister kinda just slid down that disparity without trying to go any deeper. There's basically none of the stuff that makes these books worth reading normally. No interesting stories about fly biologists, no strange ecological scenarios, no deeper ideas about evolution. It's all just skated through in an endless series of undistinguished clauses.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and amusing--McAlister's enthusiasm carries the reader along. While I am not quite ready to call any fly cute or be excited at the prospect of having my own bot fly larva infestation (she is!), I have a better understanding and respect for the function of flies in evolution, disease, parasitism, etc. Many are beneficial (even though not cute); some are even poisonous! A good informative read.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it
jam acked with interesting information presented so that the layman can understand it but not oversimplified. Everything you ever wanted to know about flies, and, I'll be honest, a lot you might not want to know is presented with humor and apprecation. a great read.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting book about different types of flies. Sometimes it was a little too advanced for me with a bunch of facts of random fly families that I didn’t know, but it was still good. Working in an insect lab has made me realize that bugs are actually cute and cool and not gross.

[Charlotte Dacre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've wanted to read this book for a while now and I'm so glad that I made time for it. I've loved invertebrates for as long as I can remember, but I never really took an interest in flies until recently. Erica (who's super lovely via twitter btw) has produced a very informative introduction to "the secret life of flies", which is relatively easy to follow.

However, I know that I'm personally going to need to re-read this book at some point to fully digest the content, but I'm rather looking forward to it as the photographs included are so gorgeous and vivid. Scientific language aside, this book was very enjoyable, and you can really feel her passion explode on the pages.

I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in natural history, and I would even go so far as to say it's a 'must read' for all aspiring entomologists.

[John Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many natural history books and this is one of the best I've read. Erica's passion and expertise for flies, makes her the perfect person to champion these diverse insects and the essential part they play to ensure a healthy environment. This book is read with the general nature enthusiast in mind. The complex lives of some flies is explained very well, with good humour at times. I tend to pass books on after reading but this is one I will keep to read again.

[Sweta Agrawal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quality of fly facts: 5 stars
Organization of said fly facts: 5 stars
Writing style: 2 stars

I loved reading this book, and I look forward to re-reading it. I just really, really wish it had had a better editor or something, I had a hard time with the actual writing style/several grammar faux pas/maybe it is just a way of writing that is the absolute opposite of my preferences? Also, I wanted MORE fly stories. Or at least more details. Sometimes she would mention something in a single sentence that was REALLY INTERESTING but then say nothing more about it. I need more!

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of fascinating information about, you guessed it, flies. The intended audience is obviously for the general public and not for qualified dipterists (that's a fly expert if you haven't read the book yet). However, it's neither dumbed down nor dry and dull to get through. What makes it such an enjoyable read though is the authors clear passion for flies, and the little quips and anecdotes interweaved with the facts. This book could have been twice as long and I'd have consumed it just as fast. In fact, my only complaint is I felt like it was too short and I would have liked to know more about so many of the flies discussed!

[Beky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never look at a fly the same way again. Erica McAlister has an infectious passion for the dear old fly. I learn't so much. Thanks to McAlister, I don't kill a fly inside the house, I safe it and let it go outside. Chuckle. Certainly worth a read.

[Anshuman Swain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will make you love flies! The author does an incredible job of making the ecology, behaviour and morphology of flies accessible to all. The text is highly accessible and well crafted. The book is filled to the brim with amazing facts and anecdotes.

[Stephanie Fysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful tour through fly diversity, but the need for a good copy edit was distracting.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. The author isn’t one of the great writers of our time, but her adoration for the subject matter comes through in a way I really enjoy. You know how when someone smart who is passionate about a topic is talking about that topic, it’s so enjoyable to listen, even if the topic itself is not interesting to you? That’s what this book was like for me. I found it interesting because of her intelligence and fascination more than I ever would have otherwise. In fact I read it because I heard the author speaking on NPR and loved her love of flies. I was not disappointed. And there were some fun and fascinating factoids throughout, such as:

• Wombats poop cubes

• Casu marzu, a traditional Sardinian cheese, it made by maggots, I’m guessing by them eating cheese or milk and then pooping it out...it doesn’t really specify. But when one buys the cheese it contains the maggots which some people then eat as part of the “experience.” Also the maggots jump up to 6 inches, so whether you eat them or not, watch out. For the record, no one needs to buy me this cheese.

• We only have chocolate because a specific group of flies, biting midges, pollinate the cacao tree.

• Crane flies and mosquitos are often confused for each other by us non-dipterists. In fact in the movie Jurassic Park, the on-screen scientists are trying to remove dinosaur blood from a crane fly.

• In some species of flies, males catch, and even wrap in silk, prey items that they give to females. While the female unwraps and/or consumes the pray, the male mates with her. If she leaves leftovers, some males rewrap and regift the leftovers to another female. There’s a punchline or twelve that I’m missing here for sure.

I also had to Google some things like, parthenogenesis. And the scientific definition of “bug,” to make sense of the sentence “all bugs are insects - not all insects are bugs.” (page 201) Also Maynard’s wine gums (page 232) but that's because it’s British, not because of science.

[Bill Leach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flies are not closely observed by most, and so McAlister's book provides insight into the various groups of flies and their specialized adaptations to specific niches. In the flies as elsewhere, common names are an issue. What most call fruit flies - Drosophila - are termed vinegar flies by the author. Moose flies and antlers flies are also ambiguous names.

Flies have a four stage metamorphosis, with the larval stage being the most lengthy. While many flies are viviparous with the larvae developing within the adult's body, the majority lay eggs. The eggs are often complex in structure with structures to aid oxygen flow into the egg. Egg delivery is often to a food source, but parasites usually lay the eggs on or into the body of the host. The larvae of the mosquito Toxorynchites prey on the larvae of other mosquito species. The mosquitoes, in both their larval and adult forms, are the basis for a large part of the food chain being especially important to the birds. Botflies which are a problem for humans in Africa lay their eggs on damp clothing - McAlister notes the importance of ironing clothes that have been hung to dry.

Flies are significant pollinators. Biting midges pollinate cacao. Ironically, while they prefer damp shady conditions, farmers of cacao remove all trees but the cacao leaving open conditions unsuited to the midges. Pollination in cultivated plots is a shockingly low 0.3 percent. Syrphid or hover flies are the most important fly pollinators with 6000 species described to date. Some of the tangle-veined flies and the snipe flies sport a very long proboscis as they specialize in very long tubular flowers. Midges are important pollinators in the Arctic and alpine, such as Smittia which pollinates Saxifraga oppostifolia. Some plants engage in deception to attract pollinating flies, such as Epipactus veratrifolia which mimics the alarm pheromones of aphids to attract hover flies.

Detrivores feed on dead plant material. While many larvae are able to chew, most adult flies have mouthparts adapted for sucking. The moth flies or drain flies are known for taking up residence in sink drains. As they are very hairy, if they build up to large populations their scales can cause lung problems in humans. Ctenophora crane flies feed on decaying Aspen wood, but are notable as wasp mimics. Kelp and shore flies work to degrade the buildup of kelp and other aquatic plants that are deposited on shorelines.

Coprophages are important to environments as they feed on excrement, essentially cleaning up after the mammals. Australia was dominated by marsupials, but man introduced 13 species of ungulates providing a bonanza for bush flies, Musa domestica, which profliferated becoming a pest. The house fly, Musa domestica, and the blow fly are considered to be a major threat to human health as they feed on decomposing waste but also land on human food. Black soldier flies are easy to breed and factories have been set up to supply the livestock and sewage industries where the larvae consume manure, then provide protein to the cattle. Bat flies feed on the droppings of bats and have become so specialized morphologically that they were not initially recognized as flies.

Necrophages specialize in feeding on dead bodies. The knowledge of the timing and succession of various flies in a body has been an important contributor to crime sceen analysis. The major body-feeding flies are the blow flies, house flies, flesh flies, soldier flies and the scuttle flies. Maggots have become very useful in cleaning wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers. Antler flies concentrate on antlers and skulls.

While many flies are vegetarians, plants are low in protein so the flies must either extend their feeding range as larvae or feed on the more nutritious roots. The most agriculturally significant flies are the fruit flies, gall midges, vinegar flies, leaf miners and rust flies.

Fungivores are those that feed on the mycelia or the fruiting bodies of fungi during the larval stage. Most such flies are fungus gnats, of which there may be over 10,000 species. Fungus gnats are a major problem for mushroom farms, especially as their high reproductive rate allows them to develop resistance to insecticides. Not only do their larvae feed on the mushrooms, but the adults transport mites which also damage the produce. Larvae of the genus Sciara often form processionary columns up to 10 m. long. Other fungus eating flies include the hairy-eyed crane flies, flat-footed flies and smoke flies. Suilla pallida searches for truffles and if spotted can guide truffle hunters. The phorids or scuttle flies include many species that specialize in feeding on the fungus gardens of termites.

While many species of flies are predators, most are so at the larval stage. The larvae of Chaoboridae midges, called glassworms, live on plankton and live on lake bottoms in great numbers. Rather than breath, they use an anaerobic cycle to create ATP. Wormlions create pitfall traps similar to antlions. The larvae of the pitcher plant mosquito help breakup prey so that the plant can absorb the nutrients. Some fly larvae predate on snaila and slugs and have been important in controlling parasites carried by snails such as the worms causing bilharzia and cattle liver flukes. The robber flies are fast and have excellent vision, allowing them to prey on a variety of insects including bees and wasps - there are species that mimic and specialize in capturing bumblebees and tarantula wasps.

Parasitic flies use the bodies of various animals as the food source for their larvae. Some such as the bee flies, hurl their eggs at the target, which then hatch and enter the victim. The bristly Tachinid flies are parasitic on a variety of insects and are being used to control agricultural pests such as scale and mealybug. The bot flies and nasal bot flies prey on a variety of mammals. Some of the scuttle flies have body-piercing ovipositors that allow them to lay eggs through the backs of ants. The eggs hatch and the larvae move to the head which provides an armoured refuge.

The sanguivores are blood feeders. There are two main types: those that pierce through to a capillary, such as mosquitoes, and those that just pierce the skin and lap up whatever blood oozes out, such as horseflies. In extreme situations mosquitoes have killed cattle, the calculated blood loss being 20 litres removed through 3.8 million bites.

McAlister concludes with the observation that flies show the diversity of adaptation to niches, using the example of Malaya, a species that flies to contact the mouthparts of ants to remove nutritious fluids.

[Mike Clay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and easy to read science text about Diptera, of which there are perhaps a million species inhabiting all continents and environments. The author is an expert at the London museum. Chapters divided by function (dung eaters, procreation, etc). Little known fact: flies are often identified by the sex organs of the males as the females have no distinguishing features. Good for cocktail parties.

[Lindsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a dud. It absolutely needed an editor, as I'm not even sure the author is a native English speaker. It reads as if she isn't. And somebody should have taught her to write for the layperson. I have a science background and know the terminology fairly well, but she writes as if she has been so cloaked in her tiny field that she has lost touch with how to talk to the average person about flies.

The writing is completely unfocused and wanders all over the place. It would also have been nice to see some consistency with whether Families and Genuses were to be capitalized throughout the book.

And she did the worst thing any scientist could do, which is to open up a book bashing other scientists. She begins with hating on mammalogists as if there is something horrible about studying monkeys and "charismatic fauna." Get over it. People are interested in different things and the various studies are all important. This is NO way to get anybody interested in any of the sciences.

[David Stormblade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now i want to go catch Flies

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this fascinating book. It is both easy to read and packed with good information. I dramatically increased my knowledge of flies in a short amount of time.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute joy of a read and one of the best books on the natural world I have ever picked up. Ms. McAllister's passion as a dipterist is infectious. Her book makes an irrefutable case that flies merit our attention and fascination. Over the week it took me to finish the book, I found that I couldn't help insisting that others listen to anecdotes culled from it: "did you know that...." And more than just being a huge store of knowledge regarding what are incredible stories, Ms. McAllister is very funny (pp. 231-231; "Advice that should always be heeded: when there is a swarm above you, and you are with friends, you should bend lower than them so the swarm moves onto one of them.") and a gifted spinner of tales (p. 166; "This scuttle fly has also been shown to eat the gnat larvae even if it has been parasitized by the ichneumonid wasp, Stenomacrus laricis -- a double protein packet and, just think, one more parasitic species and you have the fly equivalent of a turducken.").

Before reading the book, our daughter chastised me for killing house flies, explaining that she preferred to catch them and release them unharmed outside. After reading the book, I've asked her to show me how she does this.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erica McAlister, an entomologist with the Natural History Museum in London, introduces the flies by grouping them primarily by their feeding behavior (trophic group) with detailed examples and colorful language. She explains the general behavior and gives wonderful examples with awesome and sometimes gruesome specifics. She includes life histories, some of the history of the study of flies and of some specimens, where fly names come from, and their importance -- including as biocontrol, pollinators (like of chocolate), spread of disease, in forensics and wound healing. The book is a fun read for budding entomologists, interested naturalists, and just plain any one who wants to know more about flies. The book is jargon-free and accessible and includes an introduction, 10 meaty chapters, a conclusion (The end), a section for further reading, an index, picture credits, and acknowledgements. The back fly-leaf has a bit of a biography.

McAlister loves flies and she will convince you that you should as well.
You need to read this book.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

“You think they are horrid, dirty little insects; but they are not; they are busy making the world a cleaner place for you to live in.” — Jean-Henri Fabre

I learned a lot from this book. Flies are vital decomposers, pollinators, predators, and prey, quietly doing the work that keep ecosystems functioning.

This is very much a biology book, rather than the increasingly popular style of nature writing centered on the author’s personal journey. If you’re looking for lyrical reflections or travelogue-style storytelling, this probably isn’t it.

While the author’s enthusiasm is unmistakable, the book can feel unfocused at times, jumping from one fascinating detail to another without always fully developing the life cycle or behaviour of a particular fly. I enjoy that kind of passion in person, but in book form it occasionally made the material harder to follow.

PS: Bluebottle larvae look like little walruses under a microscope. I propose renaming them the tiny walrus fly to improve their reputation.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I initially found this book through a list of recommendations on forensic entomology. Was that what I found? No. However, I certainly did finish with a far greater appreciation for flies. The author's passion for her subject is obvious and infectious, though it comes at the price of a rather dense collection of facts that contains perhaps too many scientific names for a layperson such as myself. While I feel more comfortable with the insect as a whole, at no point did I find myself learning more than a surface overview of hundreds of species. A great place to start, but I felt that the author had so much to say she said all of it without giving herself the opportunity to let any one of them shine. I would love to have seen more specificity, but I recognize in a work aimed at mainstream readers that's not always possible, and I was still happy to have taken the time to read.

[Oliver Hodson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully funny and affectionate scientific work about flies. The book separates flies by simple characteristics, like feeding habits, and describes their biology and interest to humans in an engaging way.

There is a lot there for the science generalist, and McAlister’s love of the topic is delightful and translates wel to thosw of us who have loved other strange features of nature (algae for me!) or even just held a passion.

Although this is for a generalist audience and the categories are useful for the discussion I would have liked to have a short section of the technical taxonomy of the flies to go with the categories presented in the chapters, as some flies in different taxonomic groups have evolved similar feeding strategies.

[Rari Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection! Exactly what I hope for in any pop-science book. This book was full of the weird and fascinating behaviors and biology of flies. It had a bit of a conversational tone too, that I enjoyed. I loved that there was no BS filler like so many other pop-up science books. Other books will only give you really basic info, like what you would learn at a campfire chat or something and fill the rest of the book with junk that is not related to the organisms biology. Not in this book! It is all about flies and written with a love for flies. The book is full of crazy bizarre behavior and biology. I felt like I learned things that only a fly expert could have taught me.

[Nasser Mohammed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun read! The author is very funny and is a talented story-teller. My favorite story was about maggots being used in forensics because they grow faster when consuming bodies containing cocaine.

The only reason I give 4 stars is because the book is essentially a long list of facts, which makes it hard to stay engaged. Each chapter has a theme (predators, pollinators, etc) but the contents of each chapter are disconnected beyond this overarching theme.

Still quite enjoyable if you like natural history. Not to mention that the many photographs in the book really help visualize the crazy descriptions of flies!

[Kamil Goungor · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book!

I bought it in a museum shop while traveling (yes, I am one those who read museum-bought books), and I am very happy for this, as it exceeded my expectations!

Erica McAlister does not only tell us about flies and why they are interesting, valuable and cool, but she does in a great style, and with humour. I will never see flies and *SPOILER ALERT* mosquitoes the same way again.

I wish we had more books like this, for all the animal species.

And a fun fact for the end: Without flies we would not have chocolate (and a few other things)!

[C.Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. I knew nothing about flies. I came accross the book quite by accident. I was not particularly interested and in fact dont know what made me read it. I kept reading the book because of the chatty, at times irreverent and frequently amusing edge the author gave to a topic that was thoroughly researched and clear.
I left the book marvelling at a world of incredible "ingenuity" and amazing adaptation. I now understand the importance of these busy creatures and have seen species for the first time in my 55 years, in my own garde, because it made me appreciate them.

[Val Cuellar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't begin to tell you how much I loved this book. It has everything, from funny notes to raising awareness of biodiversity. I laughed, wowed, and (had to) googled a lot of the species mentioned in this book. Definitely, a MUST read if you are an entomologist, biologist, or a person fascinated by the world of insects. But must of all, if you had asked the question: ”what is a fly good for anyway”.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the author's obvious enthusiasm for the subject she presents, but I really disliked the style of writing...it's almost as if it was transcribed from her talking to a friend. Run on sentences, unnecessary clauses, etc. It ended up reading like a list of facts and although I learned a few things, the typos and a few obvious mistakes called my new knowledge into question and I just found it difficult to read.

[Reginald Ahren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not dull or dragging in the slightest. McAlister has written it in such a way that it feels warm and light. Enjoyable to both those in the know, and those not. Certainly not all encompasing with each grotesque detail, it feeds you just the right amount and has you turning the page for more. Further more, she provides a long list of for further readings: should you be so compelled. Fantastic jumping off point. A highly worthwhile read.