Chō ga no Yōchū Zukan [Illustrated Guide to Butterfly and Moth Larvae]

About this book

Language: Japanese

The definitive illustrated guide to larvae featuring approximately 1,100 species!

There are over 6,000 species of butterflies and moths in Japan. In other words, there are over 6,000 species of caterpillars and woolly caterpillars. Their appearances and lifestyles are surprisingly diverse. Some of the larvae have cool dinosaur-like figures and cute faces like cats and bears. There's bound to be a caterpillar that you'll love.

In elementary school science classes, we always study the growth of butterfly larvae and caterpillars. However, in existing educational encyclopedias, although there are photos of specimens of adult insects, there are not many images of larvae. This is because larvae are difficult to sample and their colour changes, so it is necessary to photograph live larvae. For this encyclopedia, the authors spent three years finding and photographing over 1,000 species of living larvae. They also reared most of the larvae they found and photographed the emerging adults while they were still alive. The colour of the wings, which change in specimens, is also captured in photographs.

The book comes with a 75-minute DVD containing valuable footage.

Summary in Japanese:
約1100種を掲載した幼虫図鑑の決定版!

日本には、チョウやガのなかまが6000種以上もいます。つまり、その幼虫のイモムシとケムシも6000種以上。その姿形や生き方は、おどろくほどさまざま。なかには、恐竜のようなカッコイイ姿や、ネコやクマのようなカワイイ顔をした幼虫もいます。あなたが好きになるイモムシやケムシが、きっといるはず。

小学校の理科の授業では、チョウの幼虫、イモムシの成長は必ず勉強します。しかし、既存の学習図鑑では、成虫の標本写真は載っていても、幼虫の姿はあまり見られませんでした。幼虫は標本にするのが難しく、色も変化してしまうため、生きている幼虫を撮影する必要があるからです。この図鑑では3年の歳月をかけ、1000種以上もの生きている幼虫を探し出して撮影を行いました。また、探し出した幼虫の大半を飼育し、羽化した成虫も生きている状態で撮影。標本では変わってしまう翅の色も写真でとらえています。

さらに、貴重な映像を収録した約75分のDVDつき!

Customer Reviews