Stings, Wings and Crawly Things

This book is the third in a series by the author exploring the bioactive properties of living organisms and their effects on the ecosystems that they inhabit. Many, but not all of the invertebrate creatures described here are members of the phylum Arthropoda, which is the planet Earth's largest animal phylum, comprising about 1.5 million species. Others, such as segmented worms belong to the phylum Annelida. Both Annelid

and Arthropod phyla go back over 500 million years. Arthropods in particular occupy a variety of terrestrial and aquatic habitats throughout the world where they interact with a broad spectrum of biota including humans. Interactions may be benecial or harmful to humans Directly harmful effects include predation on humans and their

food sources which may be plants (vegetables) or animals (livestock). However, humans may benet from insect attacks on biota that have been shown to be pests. Some Arthropods have contributed to a rich cultural legacy that has its roots in ancient Greek, Roman and Chinese history.