The Jewel Box

How Moths Illuminate Nature’s Hidden Rules

Tim Blackburn

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English

Weidenfeld & Nicolson
13 June 2023

Mathematics & Sciences; Biology, life sciences; Wildlife: butterflies, other insects & spiders

Every morning, ecologist Tim Blackburn is inspired by the diversity contained within the moth trap he runs on the roof of his London flat. Beautiful, ineffably mysterious organisms, these moths offer a glimpse into a larger order, one that extends beyond individual species, beyond lepidoptera or insects, and into a hidden landscape.

Footmen, whose populations are on the march as their lichen food recovers from decades of industrial pollution. The Goat Moth, a thumb-sized broken stick mimic, that takes several years to mature deep in the wood of tree trunks. The Oak Eggar, with the look of a bemused Honey Monster, host to a large wasp that eats its caterpillars alive from the inside. The Uncertain, whose similarity to other species has motivated its English name. The Silver Y, with a weight measured in milligrams, but capable of migrating across a continent. A moth trap is a magical contraption, conjuring these and hundreds of other insect jewels out of the darkness.

Just as iron filings arrange themselves to articulate a magnetic field that would otherwise be invisible, Blackburn shows us that when we pay proper attention to these tiny animals, their relationships with one another and their connections to the wider web of life, a greater truth about the world gradually emerges. In THE JEWEL BOX, he reflects on what he has learned in thirty years of work as a scientist studying ecosystems, and demonstrates how the contents of one small box can illuminate the workings of all nature.

By: Tim Blackburn
Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 232mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 34mm
Weight: 481g
ISBN: 9781474624534
ISBN 10: 1474624537
Pages: 384
Publication Date: 13 June 2023
Audience: General/trade , Professional and scholarly , General/trade , ELT Advanced , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Professor Tim Blackburn is a scientist with thirty years of experience studying questions about the distribution, abundance and diversity of species in ecological assemblages. He is currently Professor of Invasion Biology at University College London, where his research focuses on alien species, and his teaching mainly involves leading field courses. Before that he was the Director of the Institute of Zoology, the research arm of the Zoological Society of London.

Reviews for The Jewel Box: How Moths Illuminate Nature’s Hidden Rules

Interesting, informative and well-structured . . . an excellent book . . . brilliant. The author has taken a subject and tackled it with zeal -- Tristan Gooley * THE TELEGRAPH * A delightful peek into the treasures of the moth trap. The Jewel Box is a manifesto to care for the individuals of our local ecologies, a heartfelt plea to see those creatures around us that share our air, our gardens and roof terraces. Passionately written, Blackburn shows just how our lives can be lit up by noticing theirs -- JAMES CANTON, author of THE OAK PAPERS What more could we ask for? A dextrous and clear-eyed unveiling of the dizzying jigsaw of life. This is how the world goes round. The moth trap as snapshot of the global panorama. The stupendous spectacular stupefying 4 billion year miracle. Take notice -- KEGGIE CAREW, author of BEASTLY Beautifully written, accessible and essential reading for anyone curious about the workings of the natural world -- SEIRIAN SUMNER, author of ENDLESS FORMS Not only is this a wonderful hands-on introduction to a diverse and enigmatic group of insects (moths), it is also an excellent primer on the basic principles of ecology, and crucially, the urgent need for humankind to live more gently on the Earth -- JONATHAN BALCOMBE, author of SUPER FLY and WHAT A FISH KNOWS Tim Blackburn shows us that moths are more than bugs that invade outdoor lights and bathroom drains. Through Blackburn's scientific passion and insight, these relatives of butterflies teach us a lot about evolution, nature and the ecological consequences of our species, the real pests in the woollen chest of Earth -- JACK E. DAVIS, author of THE BALD EAGLE and THE GULF The moths in Blackburn's jewel box are like Blake's grain of sand: gems to be treasured not only for their beauty, but for the way their brilliance, captured during the dark of night, casts light on the complex whole of living nature . . . Nature lovers in search of a new hobby may be inspired to invest in a moth trap of their own * NATURAL HISTORY magazine *