Imaginal discs

and clatter. The Italians call them buffone — clowns. The large white grubs feed on roots and can be a major pest of grass and potatoes. Now controlled by pesticides, they were once far more abundant locally. In 1574, adult cockchafers were so numerous in the Severn Valley that their drowned bodies blocked the wheels of watermills, the book describes. In parts of Europe, if not in Britain, the beetles and larvae were roasted or stewed and eaten by humans. The book is a delight of illustration, information and anecdote about the world of invertebrates. Anyone who seeks identification from a regular guide would learn a great deal more by then turning to this book.