The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar: Evolution’s Most Unbelievable Solutions to Life’s Biggest Problems

Simon, a science writer at Wired magazine, lays out an entertaining look at evolution’s frightening billion-year arms race. All species must adapt to changing environments to survive; many do it in strange ways, and Simon delivers a well-written, if light, recitation of some of the weirdest. There are camouflage creatures: the spider-tailed horned viper, whose accurately named tail lures prey; the orb weaver spider, which spins a web to mimic “bird turds”; a “satanic” gecko that’s shaped like a leaf; and the cuttlefish, which is capable of imitating any background. Simon also profiles some mind controllers, including Glyptapanteles wasps, which inject their eggs into caterpillars so that the resulting larvae can puppet them into being their bodyguards, and the Ophiocordyceps fungus that “invades ants’ brains and mind-controls them up into trees.” Many animals live in odd places—such as the gonads of sea cucumbers or the tongues of fish—and others wield bizarre weapons (heated hammer hands, intoxicants, glue). This is not an in-depth look at evolutionary processes; each entry in the parade of creatures is brief. Simon’s wit, combined with the genuine eccentricity of his subjects, make this a fun and accessible book. Agent: David Fugate, LaunchBooks. (Nov.)