Think you know all about the birds and bees? The mating rituals of some creatures are frankly bizarre, frequently disturbing, and endlessly fascinating. After reading this book, you'll look at courtship and sex in a completely different way, astonished when you learn of the honey bee's exploding testicles, the frigatebird's inflatable red heart-shaped throat sac, and the manakin bird s impressive Michael Jackson style moonwalk. "Strange Mates" takes an affectionate, tongue-in-cheek look at the mating practices of our neighbors in the animal kingdom and asks the pertinent question: "Are we so different?" The answer, although an emphatic "Yes ," is a fascinating snapshot of the diversity of nature and the propagation of species."