... [a] detailed, example-rich study.

Sumner’s book has emerged winged, but it does not quite take to the air. She insists that the 100,000-plus species of wasp — an omnivorous insect that is the ancestor of both the bee (a vegetarian wasp) and the ant (wingless wasp) — are 'genuinely fascinating'. but she spends an inordinate amount of time talking about bees. One feels for her. We love bees. Also, the amount of research by entomologists into bees outnumbers that into wasps by a factor of three, leaving Sumner to lament about wasps: 'We know little.' This is admirably honest, if unsatisfying for a reader.

... thought-provoking, joyous and ebullient.

There are references to Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, an analogy about shopping for jeans, and an impressively accessible explanation for Hamilton’s Rule, all bundled in with the historical narrative of key discoveries of earlier scientists (Jean-Henri Fabre; George and Elizabeth Peckham; Margaret Morley). Science-curious or garden-devoted readers of any level will emerge from Sumner’s book with a better understanding of ecology and a new appreciation for wasps.

... a fascinating introduction to the much-maligned wasp.

... appealing.

Entomologist Sumner debuts with a tour de force on the world of wasps, delving into their daily lives, economic value to society, and the important ecological niches they fill.