Animals of Mass Destruction

Termites don't just chew through wood; they eat it. That means a home, a tree house, or a tree can be a gigantic snack for a colony of termites. Unfortunately, when a colony decides a building is a perfect place to live, it can be hard to kick out these unwanted guests. This book, including graphic organizers and close-up photographs, offers an in-depth look at a termite colony and the different kinds of termites needed to keep a colony functioning. It also examines what exterminators and others do to combat these destructive insects.

Gophers are rodents that may look cute, but they can wreck a backyard in a hurry. In fact, one small gopher can move a ton of dirt in just a year. Gophers tunneling through wild fields aren't a problem. In fact, their tunneling can be good for the environment. However, when they choose playgrounds, yards, farms, and golf courses for homes, they can become very destructive animals. So what do people do if a gopher moves in? Readers will find out in this informative book, chock full of fun facts and photographs of gophers in action.

After the tent caterpillar hatches from its egg, it's hungry for leaves. It may emerge with 350 other caterpillars, so a ravenous colony can mean big trouble for a tree. Tent caterpillars are named for the silky, tent-like homes they weave. Their tents function as shelters from the elements as well as predators in the weeks before the caterpillars turn into moths. This book discusses the tent caterpillar life cycle, damaging habits, and habitats as well as how people try to fight them to save their trees.

Just the mention of locusts can strike fear into the heart of a farmer. Locust plagues wreak havoc on crops and have been the cause of millions of people going hungry. This book examines the life of a locust and what happens to cause a swarm to form. Locust swarms can contain trillions of insects and cover hundreds of miles of land, so locust control is essential to countries dependent on crops. This book offers both historical and scientific information on locusts and impresses just how detrimental these creatures can be.

Beavers might not be very large animals, but they can wipe out whole forests. Beavers need certain trees for sustenance and lodging, but that can mean widespread destruction throughout their habitats, including flooding. However, beavers have a positive role to play in nature, too. They allow certain kinds of trees and animals to thrive. Readers will discover many more fun facts about these rodents, such as how their orange teeth are covered in iron. Fact boxes and graphic organizers make this book an even more valuable source of information for animal enthusiasts.

Carpenter ants don't make houses; they chew right through them. These tiny creatures mean big trouble if they choose a person's house or another structure as a perfect place to make their home. Readers are invited into a carpenter ant colony to learn how each ant has a job to do. They'll learn what people do to keep these insects away as well as the role they play in their native environments. Graphic organizers, fact boxes, and vivid photographs add to this engaging look at some fascinating creatures. Working together, carpenter ants are truly a force of nature.