Look what just hatched out of this box from @Harvard_Press. My monograph “Army Ants” is finally here. 384 pages packed with 133 color photos and over 300 years worth of knowledge about the wickedest insects ever to roam the planet. #armyants #ants #insects #entomology

But aren’t other insects also wicked you ask? Hold our collective beers, say the army ants.

If you’re still not convinced, a decent selection of pages is now available for preview: http://amzn.com/067424155X  (or https://books.google.com/books/about/Army_Ants.html?id=Te_zDwAAQBAJ)

The word has become paper exactly one month before the official release date (Oct 6 in the US), but please preorder if you feel so inclined. Either directly from HUP or anywhere else really. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674241558

Here’s a flier with the most pertinent 411 - circulation is encouraged.

Did I mention that the book looks too good on a shelf not to own it? And having an extra one randomly lie around in your study emanates a certain je ne sais quoi exactly. So even if you’re not planning to read it you should definitely still buy a copy or two.

But all jokes aside, having this thing in my hands after all the work that has gone into it is exciting. At the same time, I feel a bit of postpartum anxiety. I really hope you will like it. And no, I’m not reading it right now for fear of discovering errors.

I have so many people and places to thank for helping me pull this off in one way or another. Details are in the book’s (looong) acknowledgments section, but here are some, mostly those I could easily find on Twitter:

@audet_janice, @emeraldejr at @Harvard_Press and @HarvardUPLondon for feedback and guiding me through the entire process.

Bert Hölldobler, @ChrisRReid1 and an anonymous and extremely knowledgeable third colleague for peer-reviewing a draft. @von_beeren and @VChandra_ for reviewing some of the chapters and discussing army ants with me.

@CorrieMoreau, Bert Hölldobler, Naomi Pierce, Mary Jane West-Eberhard, and Raghavendra Gadagkar for saying nice things about the book.

The many amazing field sites I’ve visited over the years, especially La Selva Biological Station @tropicalstudies @mpala_rc @KonzaLTER and Henri Pittier National Park in Venezuela.

Many, many field companions and people who helped facilitate fieldwork, including @von_beeren @myrmecoPhil @dinomartins @AdrianPintoT @mil_janda @CarlosLdelaRosa.

Inspiring photographers who share their approach to macro photography, in particular @naskrecki and @Myrmecos. Many moons ago, @Myrmecos also took the photo of me that ended up on the book’s jacket. Thanks!

That’s it for now army ants. See you soon. (Paso de Aves, Rancho Grande, Parque Nacional Henri Pittier, Venezuela, 2004)