A Walk around the Pond: Insects in and over the Water

by Gilbert Waldbauer, Meredith Waterstraat (Illustrator)

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.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Animals, Science

286 pages, Hardcover

First published May 29, 2006

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably enjoyed the book more towards the ending than the beginning. If I were one with a propensity to reread enjoyed books, this would be near the top quarter of that list. In two years I may revisit passages aspects of this book if my currently piqued interests remain elevated.

My only critique is that the first part of the book sort of feels like a taxonomic excursion; how to quickly identify families of insects, factoids, etc. It was mostly luck that my interest held out long enough to reach the part where the author began to tie these disparate parts together into the ecology of the pond and a narrative of its interconnectedness.

Realistically, the book works because the author and editor recognized there is a baseline level of prerequisite knowledge in entomology and concisely delivered it in the first third of the book. After that most basic knowledge has been conveyed - sure you may revisit the differences between caddisflies, mayflies, and the rest - but the ecosystem level storytelling that follows is still intelligible without reviewing the finer details of previous chapters because you have already been familiarized with versions of different insect lifecycles.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating, filled with delectable idiosyncrasies of aquatic insect behavior. A must-read for anyone transported by time spent in the reflection of a fresh water pond. Gilbert Waldbauer writes for those of us who seek to learn about and revel in the adaptive intricacies of aquatic bugs, beetles, and flies, providing examples of several species and delving into each several pages at a time. Numerous studies are presented, but they are appropriately cast in supporting roles, used to provide a given concept structure and depth so it may develop in the reader, flourish. And while presenting them, Gilbert upholds the long held (and most endearing) scientific tradition of holding high the hands of others who have come before him.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite "Bug Book." It's not a field guide, but rather a collection of interesting facts and stories about aquatic species, categorized in a way that will give the reader a good understanding of the animals in this niche and their place and effects on the environment. And, it's just fun to read. The reader would benefit from a complete read through--chapter 2 gives an overview of the main families of aquatic insects, the book is written so that you can pick up a chapter alone and read it.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to brush up on random aquatic insect info. It's a "Winter World" style collection of short essays on different topics of aquatic insects. It's not exhaustive or even covering a certain part of the world or country but it's interesting and informative.

[Tuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

great writing about all the interesting bugs at the pond.