Nature Underfoot Living with Beetles, Crabgrass, Fruit Flies, and Other Tiny Life Around Us

An informed and touching tribute to plants, insects, and other commonly underestimated small creatures that reconsiders humanity’s relationship with nature.

“Put that can of Raid down for the short time it will take you to read this book.”—Natural History

Named one of The Progressive's favorite books of 2020

Fruit flies, silverfish, dandelions, and weeds are the bane of many people and the target of numerous chemical and physical eradication efforts. In this compelling reevaluation of the relationship between humans and the natural world, John Hainze, an entomologist and former pesticide developer, considers the fascinating and strange history of how these so-called invasive or unwanted pests have coevolved with humanity and highlights the benefits of greater respect and moral consideration for these organisms.

With profound insights into the lives of the underestimated and often despised creatures that surround us, Hainze’s accessible and engaging natural history draws on ethics, religion, and philosophy while passionately arguing that unwanted bugs and plants deserve as much empathy and accommodation as fellow inhabitants of Earth.