The Life of the Weevil

"The Life of the Weevil" by Jean-Henri Fabre, translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, is a scientific tale from the late 1800s that invites readers into the miniature world of weevils. Through detailed observations across the chapters, the book carefully examines the lives, behaviors, and environments of these tiny creatures, specifically focusing on the relationships between weevils and various species of thistles, such as the Spotted Larinus. The beginning chapters open with Fabre's historical passions, connecting the study of insects to the broader stories told by coins and fossils, with the author positioning weevils in a geological context, suggesting how their existence can reveal information about past ecosystems. This investigation of weevils is presented not only as scientific study, but as a series of interconnected narratives regarding both the weevils and their botanical neighbors.