The Jewel Box

Interesting, informative and well-structured … an excellent book … brilliant. The author has taken a subject and tackled it with zeal – Tristan Gooley * THE TELEGRAPH *Engrossing … [An] enchanting book, which not only celebrates moths but provides an introduction to the basic ideas of ecology and the study of the natural world – Nick Rennison * DAILY MAIL *An utter delight. A lucid introductory course in ecology … [Blackburn] deftly reveals some fundamental mechanisms of life on earth * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *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 PAPERSThe 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 *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 BEASTLYBeautifully written, accessible and essential reading for anyone curious about the workings of the natural world – SEIRIAN SUMNER, author of ENDLESS FORMS[An] excellent primer on ecology … a book that will appeal to those who have a fascination with moths and want to understand the world in which they live. Blackburn’s passion for the subject makes this a digestible entrée into nature’s workings * THE BIOLOGIST *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 KNOWSTim 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 GULFThis is an entertaining book that can appeal to a variety of readers. Moth enthusiasts will be thrilled to see their group used as a model to explain the fundamentals of ecology … This book is a testimony of the value of biodiversity and a silent warning of the unforgivable loss we are experiencing * Community Ecology *

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.