KILLER ANTS
by Nicholas Nirgiotis and illustrated by Emma Stevenson
Nirgiotis brings to life the eerie world of killer ants. Amid discussions of body parts, prey, habitat, growth and development and, of course, the gruesome nature of swarms of flesh-eating ants, fascinating facts abound. Australian bulldog ants can jump, and their jaws have been used by surgeons to close wounds. In the Amazon rain forest, some groups test young boys’ bravery by leaving them in a room full of army ants. African driver ants can exterminate the pests in all of a village’s houses. Fire ants in the southern United States arrived by mistake aboard a shipment of lumber, and with no natural enemies, they seem to be here to stay. Complementing the text are Stevenson’s gouache illustrations, which portray the ants in the full range of their activities. Minute details in the larger-than-life drawings allow readers to compare and contrast the different ant species presented. An index gives the text added value as a reference source. A solid look at some species that are simultaneously fascinating and horrifying. (Nonfiction. 6-10)