In the garden, creeping along branches, hiding under stones or flitting from flower to flower, a whole universe of creatures is waiting to be discovered. Butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, spiders… what have you found in your backyard? Did you know that chorus cicadas live underground for most of their life? That bumblebees have smelly feet? That some species of stick insect are all female? Or that earwigs don’t actually crawl into ears? In New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts, children (and adults) can learn to identify some of the creatures most commonly found in the backyard. Beautiful illustrations are accompanied by informative text and fascinating facts. New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts includes bees and wasps, beetles, butterflies and moths, mantises and stick insects and w?t? (insects), centipedes and millipedes (myriapods), spiders (arachnids), snails and slugs (crustaceans) and more. The book also introduces the magical transformations of complete and incomplete metamorphosis that insects undergo in their lifecycle. From the simply curious to the budding entomologist, New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts will please and inform all age groups about the fascinating creatures found in the back garden. Whether just looking at the beautiful illustrations or absorbing the facts, this book is a must for all backyard adventurers.