Bugs and Bugsicles: Insects in the Winter

The secret world of insects revealed. Every fall, insects disappear. And every spring, they return. Where do they go? The dragonfly dies, leaving its young safe in the muddy bottom of a stream. The monarch butterfly sails the air to dry mountains in Mexico. And the Arctic woolly bear caterpillar becomes a "bugsicle"—it freezes solid, then thaws out to live another day. The honeybee, praying mantis, field cricket, ladybug, and pavement ant also use awe-inspiring tricks to outwit the killing frosts of winter. The author and illustrator re-create the insects' movements and reveal their secrets in this winner of the John Burroughs Nature Books for Young Readers Award. Experiments reinforce key concepts.