The Jewel Box

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Every morning, ecologist Tim Blackburn finds inspiration in the diverse moths he collects in a trap on his London flat's roof. These beautiful, mysterious organisms reveal a larger order that transcends individual species and delves into a hidden landscape. Among them are the Footmen, whose populations thrive as their lichen food recovers from industrial pollution; the Goat Moth, a thumb-sized mimic that takes years to mature within tree trunks; and the Oak Eggar, resembling a bemused Honey Monster, which hosts a wasp that consumes its caterpillars from within. The Uncertain, named for its resemblance to other species, and the Silver Y, a lightweight moth capable of continent-wide migration, also capture Blackburn's fascination. A moth trap serves as a magical device, revealing these and countless other insect jewels from the darkness. Blackburn illustrates how, like iron filings aligning to reveal an invisible magnetic field, paying attention to these tiny creatures and their interconnections unveils deeper truths about the world. In his reflections from thirty years of studying ecosystems, he shows how the contents of a small box can shed light on the intricate workings of nature.