A Little Gay Natural History

Profiles of animals and plants which reveal an astonishing spectrum of sexual diversity and dimorphism

A Little Gay Natural History is a celebration of the astonishing diversity of sexual behaviour, biology and reproduction found in nature. From penguins to primates, same-sex behaviours and courtship are more widespread in the natural world than many people realize, while how nature organises sex is not always as straightforward as usually thought. Davis considers how, in many different organisms - both animals and plants - sexual reproduction and determination rely on a surprisingly complex interaction between genes, hormones, environment and chance. We meet turtles whose sex is determined by the incubation temperature of their eggs and butterflies that embody male and female biological tissue in the same organism. He also reveals animal and plant behaviours in nature that have previously either been covered up or explained away, and presents animal behaviours that challenge us to rethink our assumptions and prejudices.