Books with author Wright Mark R. (Mark Robinson) 1854-

Insects are found all over the world and are the most numerous animals on Earth. Some homes are simple, such as a tunnel chewed out of wood by a carpenter bee. Other homes, however, can be incredibly complex. The mud and dirt mounds made by certain ants and termites, for example, are intricate cities that have their own breeding areas, nurseries, food-growing sections -- even their own air-conditioning systems!

Meet the silkmakers, some of the most remarkable, yet often overlooked, animal architects in the natural world. Find out how a trapdoor spider builds an amazing hideout, with a hidden door that springs open when prey is near! See how an ogre-faced spider hangs upside down as it builds a sticky silken box as a trap. And find out how a diving spider constructs a two-room silk house underwater and lives there, inside a bubble of air!

The world of mammals is wonderfully rich and varied. It includes thousands of species -- everything from orangutans to muskrats to squirrels. Some animals, such as chimpanzees, build their homes in just a few minutes. Others, such as beavers, will take many days to make sure their lodge or dam is both sturdy and safe. Mammals are highly intelligent, and each time one of these animals builds a new home, it may be built a little differently, a little faster, a little stronger, a little better.