The sting of the wild

Schmidt (Southwestern Biological Institute and Univ. of Arizona) is a legend among hymenopterologists. His sting pain index scale, rating different hymenopteran stings, earned him an Ig Nobel Prize, which is awarded for creative and atypical work in science, medicine, and technology. Schmidt offers this interesting book with an enthralling explanation of the evolution of the insect sting. This work presents highly instructive and technically accurate information. We learn about pain from insect stings, but also how relative and inaccurate "pain definitions" can be portrayed. For instance, he mentions that bull ant stings are considered incredibly painful in Australia. For Schmidt, however, its sting hurts less than a honey bee sting. We also ascertain that velvet ants can inflict an instantaneous burning sting that might last several minutes--making it one of the most painful known. However, its venom is one of the least toxic. But the message is that, overall, ants, wasps, and bees are here to stay and are all members of an intricate web of interrelations that even includes humans. This is not a textbook; it is more of a coherent guide that ushers readers into the insect world. It even ends with Schmidt's pain scale for stinging insects! Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --Jorge M. Gonzalez, California State University, Fresno

Whether he's kicking over anthills or chewing on velvet mites, Schmidt (Insect Defenses), an entomologist at the University of Arizona, evinces a childlike mix of gleeful fascination and terror-induced bravery as he subjects himself to stinging insects in the name of science. After some general discussion about the differences between chemicals that cause pain and those that cause physical damage, Schmidt covers key species of ants, wasps, and bees with such colorful names as "tarantula hawk" and "cow killer." He describes their evolution, life cycles, social habits, offenses and defenses, predator-prey relationships, and-most importantly-their often antagonistic relationships with humans. Schmidt claims that "getting stung by the same species gets boring after a while," and he presents more than enough evidence for readers to want to take his word for it. The Schmidt Pain Index (for which the author was awarded an Ig Nobel Prize in 2015) puts the stings of a variety of species on a four-point scale, with sensuous descriptions worthy of a connoisseur: the bite of Platythyrea lamellose ("a purplish ant") is "like wearing a wool jumpsuit laced with pine needles and poison ivy," while the sting of the western yellow jacket is "hot and smoky, almost irreverent." Schmidt's tales will prove infectiously engaging even to entomophobes. Color photos. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.