Richard Jones
Entomologist
Richard is an entomologist and writer. After a semi-feral childhood spent exploring the South Downs and Sussex Weald he now lives in south-east London. He is a fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and a past president of the British Entomological and Natural History Society. As well as contributing to Countryfile, he also regularly writes for BBC Wildlife, New Scientist, The Guardian, Sunday Times. His latest books include Mosquito and Wasp in the acclaimed Reaktion Books Animal Series, Call of Nature: the secret life of dung, Beetles in the HarperCollins New Naturalist Library, A Natural History of Insects in 100 Limericks, and Ants in the Bloomsbury British Wildlife Collection. There are entomological musings on his blog at www.bugmanjones.com and @bugmanjones is on Twitter.
Recent articles by Richard Jones
Do insects have blood?
Insects don't have blood or haemoglobin like vertebrates do - so how does gas exchange occur, and what is the purpose of haemolymph?
How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? A guide to nature’s greatest transformation
The metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly is miraculous, but how does the process actually work, and what happens inside that pupa?
Prehistoric insects were absolutely massive. An entomologist explains why they needed to be so darn big
Richard Jones explains just why prehistoric insects were so large...
Do insects have brains?
Wondering if insects have brains? Richard Jones explains
Is spider silk - pound for pound - as strong as steel?
Just how strong is spider silk? Richard Jones takes a look
Does Antarctica have any insects? And what's this hostile continent's largest permanent land animal?
Antarctica's hostile conditions doesn't make it an ideal place for insects says Richard Jones
How do insects survive downpours?
Entomologist Richard Jones reveals an insect's survival strategy for wet weather
Why do we say 'bees knees' - and for that matter do bees even have knees?
Just where did the saying 'bees knees' come from? And why do we say it? Richard Jones investigates
How many butterfly eggs reach adulthood?
Just what are the chances of butterfly eggs reaching adulthood? Richard Jones takes a look at the evidence
Why are moths furry?
Ever wondered why moths are furry? Richard Jones explains
What is a Mexican jumping bean? And why do they jump?
Did you know Mexican jumping beans are actually caterpillars?
How big are beetles?
From 0.3mm to 17cm beetles come in a huge variety of sizes
Where do beetles live? The different places beetles thrive
Beetles live everywhere says Richard Jones, from cracks in coastal rocks to caves and even fresh water
Why do beetles come in a variety of shapes?
Beetles are arguably the most important and diverse organisms on Earth. Richard Jones takes a look at the assortment of shapes they come in
What do beetles eat?
Richard Jones takes a look at the diet of beetles
What's the largest ant colony in the world?
How one super-sized ant colony could house half a billion ants
Meet the tube web spider, a British spider that can pierce skin with its fangs
The tube web spider is one of only a handful of British species with fangs long enough to pierce human skin.
Bugs vs insects: what's the difference?
We might use the terms bugs and insects interchangeably but technically they are different says Richard Jones
What is reverse metamorphosis?
Richard Jones explains how reverse metamorphosis works...
Water boatmen guide: what they are, their 'singing' penis - and why they swim upside down
Nick Baker and Richard Jones take a look at this fascinating aquatic insect
Why do flies rub their legs together?
Ever noticed flies rubbing their legs together? Here's why they do it
What are harvestmen and what do they eat?
Although they look like spiders, harvestmen are more closely related to scorpions says Richard Jones
Bee and wasp stings: what they are, why they hurt and how to treat a sting
What makes a slight skin prick, administered by a bee or a wasp, turn into a life-threatening emergency?
Do clothes moths only eat clothes?
Thanks to their ancestors developing a taste for fur and feathers its no wonder clothes moths are partial to a good munch on fabrics and soft furnishings, says Richard Jones