While I’ve read many books about moths over the years, I am quite looking forward to delving into the pages of this new one in order to discover not only information new to me on the subject but also to learn how the authors have approached their overview of the less commonly understood but very large portion of the Order Lepidoptera.
One of the things I most enjoy about Mark Avery’s Sunday book reviews is his coverage in them of books that don’t always make it across the Atlantic. Such is the case once again with his review this week of Prof. Philip Howse’s “Bee Tiger; The Death’s Head Hawk-moth Through the Looking-glass” from Brambleby Books.
In a little known early draft of “Much Ado About Nothing,” Shakespeare depicted Beatrice as an avid amateur lepidopterist with a particular interest in moths. Consequently, she would have well known “of old” the intricately camouflaged Jade Hawkmoth (Daphnis hypothous) which can quickly disappear to the observer the moment it lands upon a patch of foliage.
Once again, Mark Avery has not only pipped me to the post, he’s positively pummeled me to it. Not only has he already received a copy of James Lowen’s forthcoming book “Much Ado About Mothing; A Year Intoxicated by Britain’s Rare and Remarkable Moths,” he’s read it and published his review. Meanwhile, here I sit, far from dear old Blighty, hoping against hope that a copy might one day reach me.