ID guide

[thebeard]

At the risk of a telling off for repeat threads, i am posting this, but i'm sure this is the best place to ask.

Whats a good quality, easily portable field guide for Butterflies in the UK???

I have a growing interest for butterflies, which started a couple of summers ago (although i've always loved them!) but this year its turned almost into an obsession! I got Richard Lewington and Jeremy Thomas's Butterflies of Britain and Ireland (2nd edition) for my birthday last year and it is utterly fantastic, but is not a good one for taking out into the field. I know i can go and look at some at a bookshop myself, but i have found with fieldguides over the years that some are a bit rubbish, whereas some are incredible. So i'm asking WAB, as i know that i can rely on the wisdom of its inhabitants to guide me to a good purchase!


Also if anyone is interested, i've just written about butterflies on my wildlife blog The Beardy Birder: The beardy butterflier

(plug, plug)

[Deb London]

I have the Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland byt Richard Lewington:

Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland: Amazon.co.uk: Richard Lewington: Books

It is very good, very portable and I use it all the time.

But if you are fanatical (I am) you might outgrow it and wish it had more substance. I am looking at buying the Philip's guide now:

Philip's Guide to Butterflies of Britain and Ireland: Amazon.co.uk: Jeremy Thomas: Books

This apparently has the holy grail (for me) - Frits compared at a glance. But I've not seen this guide.

[aeshna5]

The first book suggested by Deb above is in my humble opinion the best portable field guide to UK butterflies. As an added bonus it does also feature a few day flying moths that a beginner may confuse for butterflies.

[Hobjob]

The FSC (field studies council) does a very useful fold out card that slips into
a pocket easily.

I think Amzon does it.

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

The FSC (field studies council) does a very useful fold out card that slips into
a pocket easily.

I think Amzon does it.

FSC Publications : Butterflies of Britain: British butterfly identification guide

They do a lot of these, I also have the shield bugs one.

Nige

[APC]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

The FSC (field studies council) does a very useful fold out card that slips into
a pocket easily.

I think Amzon does it.

That's what I use on my transect. I wouldn't use anything else.

[thebeard]

excellent stuff guys, i've seen the fsc fold out, very good actually i may have to get one of my own. would like a book though, i noticed lewington had one actually so i think i'll get that! thanks a lot!