"His enthusiasm in behalf of his industrious friends is so great that he actually pitched his tent in the midst of the huge mounds of certain species in one of the Western States, and had to engage a small army of three men to drive off the attack of the indignant insects while he was studying the interior arrangements of their elaborately constructed houses."—From Chambers' Journal (Edinburgh, Scotland).
"Dr. McCook has literally lived among his pets, has studied them by day and by night in their natural state, has not scrupled to subject himself to their formidable stings, and has deemed no pains too great to make the world acquainted with insects upon which he looks with a species of respectful veneration. He is, in truth, a veritable enthusiast, and it would indeed seem as though ants, bees and wasps, all belonging to the same order of insects, possessed a fascination for the true naturalist far greater than that excited by larger animals."—The Westminster Review (British).
"Full of curious information, principally on the habits of ants, bees and other insects."—Buffalo Courier.
"The reading of a few pages in this work will serve as an admirable preparation for a stroll through fields and over hills in the country during a Sunday afternoon."—Times-Star, Cincinnati.
"Probably there is no one in America who is better fitted to guide the young in the study of his sphere of natural history, than the Rev. Dr. Henry C. McCook, of Philadelphia."—S. S. Times.
"Dr. McCook is an authority in all that relates to ants and spiders; but the talks in this pleasant volume are not restricted to insects of these varieties, but include interesting and valuable instruction concerning many other forms of insect life."—Portland Press, Me.
"Dr. McCook is an enthusiastic naturalist, and in one particular branch of study—that of the habits of ants and spiders—stands as high as any living writer, either English or American."—Boston Evening Transcript.
"Never read such a fascinating work of natural history."—Messiah's Herald, Boston.
"Is set forth with a clearness, a simplicity and often with a quaint humor that make it thoroughly fascinating in the reading."—Boston Saturday Evening Gazette.