Recommended Insect Books

[Ukwildlifeo]

Hey everyone. Im look for some Books for IDing animals. I think I have birds and 'higher' animals covered including fish. But my insect guides are to general What i need is invertebrate group specific such as one for grasshoppers and crickets, one for dragonflies and damselflies and so on. I also wouldnt mind recommendations for a good freshwater guide and sea shore guide. I figure this would be useful for others too

thanks

[rlchew]

For dragonflies and butterflies, I would recommend the 2 photographic guides listed here ....

WILDGuides - Britain's Wildlife

I am still learning IDs for both these groups and find both these books very helpful. If they fail me, I always turn to WAB and that never fails .

Sorry, I can not help with recommendations for the other groups you mention.

Richard

[peppermint]

I think this book is excellent for identifying butterflies

Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland
by Richard Lewington

There are other books in the same seris. I have just ordered the Moths and the Dragonfly ones so can let you know how good they are in a few days.......... hopefully.

[nightshade]

The Bats of Europe and North America
Wilfred Schober
Eckard Grimmberger

[aeshna5]

For Seashore: Photographic Guide to Sea + Shore Life of Britain + NW Europe- Oxford Natural History

Concise Guide to Moths of GB + Ireland- British Wildlife Post

Grasshoppers + Crickets of Britain + Ireland- British Wildlife Publishing (Brand new, look at their website for bargain buy with shieldbug guide)

[peppermint]

i am very impressed by

Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Britain and Europe by Klaas-Douwe B Dijkstra and Richard Lewington (30 Jun 2006)

and

Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend, and Richard Lewington (15 Aug 2003)

best id books i have come across. 10/10

[almostnormal]

in agreement with peppermint i'd say any book thats been illustrated by richard lewington is a must have. there's a concise version of the moth book. i have both - the concise one for the field (has all the pictures, but less detailed info) and the big one for when i get in. the dragonfly one is available in two versions, britain and europe and britain. i went for the british one, because i don't normally go dragopnfly hunting in europe!

the butterfly book that came out quite recently by them is also well worth a look see, as it covers butterflys and caterpillars, and has all the species of butterfly we get in britain.

there's also a pocket guide about bumble bee's available which is really good, and which retails at about £10. these can all be found on the already mentioned site, british wildlife publishing.

it'd also be worth checking out nhbs.com for more specific books, i just ordered a few and they are stonking little books, even if they are a bit old now. those are available for weevils, ground beetles, hovers, wasps, ladybirds, true flies, er, galls and a bunch of others. i searched ladybirds to get all those up.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Each time someone asks about ID books I always answer that they should have a look at the Field Studies Council study guides, and this time is no different. These are folding waterproof charts covering almost everything from trees and grasses to mammals and grasshoppers. I have had mine for a couple of years, and they are surviving well the fact that they are waterproof has been a great bonus especially this summer. Here's a link.

http://www.field-studies-council.org...s/foldout.aspx

Good luck with finding the book/guide that is suitable for you.

BWD

[rlchew]

Originally Posted by Billy Wobble Dagger

Each time someone asks about ID books I always answer that they should have a look at the Field Studies Council study guides, and this time is no different. These are folding waterproof charts covering almost everything from trees and grasses to mammals and grasshoppers. I have had mine for a couple of years, and they are surviving well the fact that they are waterproof has been a great bonus especially this summer. Here's a link.

http://www.field-studies-council.org...s/foldout.aspx

Good luck with finding the book/guide that is suitable for you.

BWD

I forgot about those.

I have some too .... highly recommended.

Richard

[ChasCreek]

I also like the field study guides, the charts are great for stuffing into a bag / pack where a book can be more cumbersome / more precious to take around outside.

[almostnormal]

they are fab. i usually take them out in the field with me - mostly because when they land in things like cowpats you can just wipe them clean, unlike a book, which will be wrecked!

[peppermint]

I must get myself some water/pat proof charts. They sound like a good investment.

[almostnormal]

Originally Posted by peppermint

I must get myself some water/pat proof charts. They sound like a good investment.

really are! specially if you're prone to, umm, klutzy behaviour like me!

[Pondlife]

Field Studies Council guides - never knew they existed. Thanks for the heads up, I will be investing in some of those.

[almostnormal]

Originally Posted by Pondlife

Field Studies Council guides - never knew they existed. Thanks for the heads up, I will be investing in some of those.

they're usually about £3 and you can get them from rspb reserve shops, forestry commission shops, wildfowl and wetlands reserve shops and online i think.

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by almostnormal

they're usually about £3 and you can get them from rspb reserve shops, forestry commission shops, wildfowl and wetlands reserve shops and online i think.

I got mine on line, the service was first class. In fact I got about 12 all in one go.

[Kymba]

Thanks for the link Billy I will be investing in some of them. I think they will be great for using with children

I dont know titles of books that i have. I have so many now covering most areas of wildlife. Most of them I have got really cheap in 2nd Book shops. Rochester have a couple of Brilliant ones , and also The Works I find really good for wildlife books at really cheap prices..

[Ollie]

For Dragonflies I would certainly recommend Watching British Dragonflies by Steve Dudley, Caroline Dudley and Andrew Mackay.

Received my copy today and although I obviously haven't had time to read it all yet the illustrations are superb for identification and the information given is very comprehensive.
Roger

[Ukwildlifeo]

Cheers everyone. I got the wild guides book on dragonflies - Id seen it before and my gf bought it for me for my birthday (along with transformers the movie, the animated one! ) and I even more pleased with it than my first impression. Its great beacuse it evben has the nymphs in it

[medieval knievel]

has there ever been a thread of recommendations of general books about wildlife, not just identification guides? can't see one after a cursory search?