Hidden Creatures

Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites
'Your world will be larger for reading this book' CHLOE DALTON author of Raising Hare

'The most persistent feeling, and one that Martins conveys beautifully, is one of awe at the sheer diversity and inventiveness of the living world' GUARDIAN

'The most persistent feeling, and one that Martins conveys beautifully, is one of awe at the sheer diversity and inventiveness of the living world' GUARDIAN

Welcome to the hidden, squirming world of parasites – some of the most misunderstood, and most important, creatures with whom we share the Earth. And our bodies.

There is the tapeworm, which can grow one hundred and twenty feet within the gut of a whale. The tsetse fly, a notorious vector of disease whose needle-like mouth can pierce even crocodile skin. And the most universal symbol of parasitic behaviour: the much-mythologised leech. Long villainised, yet vital to every ecosystem on Earth, these parasitic creatures have driven evolution, shaped civilisations, and altered the course of human history. And we have almost entirely ignored them.

Dr Dino Martins is an award-winning entomologist and biologist from Kenya's Turkana Basin – where life on Earth began – and he has made it his life's mission to demystify these beguiling beings. Hidden Creatures takes us on a journey around the world ten times over – from the wilds of East Africa to the rainforests of the Amazon, from Borneo to the public parks of London. Along the way, we encounter brilliant and eccentric experts and students who join Martins on his adventures to investigate not just parasites but their astonishing cast of hosts: elephants and rhinos, hyraxes and hippos, and, of course, the elusive human.

Immersive, entertaining and driven by an utterly infectious curiosity, Hidden Creatures has the magnetic force of a David Attenborough documentary and introduces a monumental, charismatic new voice in science writing. It will transform your understanding of the natural world.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.