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
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
Do spiders have teeth?
Do spiders have teeth as well as fangs? Richard Jones explains
Ants guide: what ant supercolonies are, how long ants live and just why they get stuck in a death spiral
Ants are often a much-overlooked group of insects, but they have fascinating behaviours and adaptations, as entomologist Richard Jones explains.
Pond skaters: just how do they 'skate' on water?
We explain how pond skaters appear to skate across a pond's surface
How can butterflies fly so well?
Richard Jones explains the secrets behind a butterfly's flight
Honeydew: what it is and why ants love it so much
Richard Jones explains all you need to know about honeydew
Does Antarctica have any insects?
Antarctica's hostile conditions doesn't make it an ideal place for insects says Richard Jones
Why were prehistoric insects so large?
Richard Jones explains just why prehistoric insects were so large...
Do any insects give birth to live young?
Most insects lay eggs but some do give birth to live young, says Richard Jones