Endless Forms

May 2, 2022
Entomologist Sumner debuts with a tour de force on the world of wasps, delving into their daily lives, economic value to society, and the important ecological niches they fill. Though they have a bad rap, the insects are full of surprises, Sumner writes. For example, they’re the evolutionary precursor of both bees and ants, and their social structures feature “divisions of labour, rebellions and policing, monarchies, leadership contests... negotiators, social parasites, undertakers.” Their genetics open the door to a deep consideration of the evolution of altruism, “one of the longest-standing puzzles in the natural sciences,” Sumner writes, because their willingness to “sacrifice themselves to promote the survival of their relatives” is a central feature of the life of a hive. She recounts their reproductive strategies of paralyzing prey then laying eggs in the bodies, suggests that wasps and bees can recognize individual human faces, and extends her study into a clever calculation of the economic value of wasps, noting that they account for “almost 50 per cent of the 230 invertebrate species that are commercially used as biocontrol agents,” which has an “estimated value of well over $400 billion a year.” Funny, informative, and zippy, this is just the thing for budding entomologists.

Starred review from December 1, 2022

Entomologist Sumner's first nonacademic book, exploring the secret lives of wasps, is educational, important--and extremely funny. At first glance it may seem targeted at a narrow audience, those interested in insects or keenly aware of pollinator decline. Those listeners will find much to love here, but the humor and joy that surrounds the information makes it a must-buy for any popular science collection. Sumner's narration and writing imbue her subject with an amusing charm that never interferes with the facts but makes way for laugh-out-loud sections that enhance the pleasure of learning captivating, lesser-known truths. Sumner, who is a professor of behavioral ecology at University College London, narrates with enthusiasm and a trustworthy, conversational manner that keeps listeners' interest piqued. After finishing this audiobook, listeners may be unable to see these almost universally feared creatures in the same light. They'll know that wasps are vital to our world and one of the most intriguing creatures of the past millennia. So entrancing is this work that listeners might grab the print book, too, so they can listen and take notes. VERDICT Engaging, informative, and fun, this audio will be a hit with popular science and nonfiction readers.--Matthew Galloway

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