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
Can a butterfly fight back before it’s even born? Can it really defend itself in the chrysalis?
Butterflies can defend themselves in their chrysalises, and not just by using camouflage or warning colours.
Do dragonflies bite or sting humans and can they be dangerous?
Can dragonflies bite? Can dragonflies sting? Are dragonflies dangerous? They're all common questions - read on to find out the answers!
What is the fastest flying insect? Meet the speed machines that can fly at 145km/h
How fast are the fastest flying insects? We take a look
Why do dragonflies and damselflies have such big eyes?
Entomologist Richard Jones discusses the large eyes of these predatory insects.
It has 8 legs, isn't a spider and has sharp pincer claws on the front of their head – much like a scorpion – which they hunt and kill with
Although they look like spiders, harvestmen are more closely related to scorpions says Richard Jones
Does the world's deadliest bee deserve its killer reputation?
Just how deadly are Africanised bees?
How many stings from a honeybee could kill you?
World's 10 most agonisingly painful stings from insects and other creepy crawlies
You might want to give these creatures a wide berth
Just how do pond skaters 'skate' on water?
We explain how pond skaters appear to skate across a pond's surface
If all Earth's insects suddenly disappeared, here's what would happen
Why are insects so crucial to the world? Richard Jones explains what would happen if they weren't here
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.
How can butterflies fly so well?
Richard Jones explains the secrets behind a butterfly's flight
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