Dragonfly book

[andy brown]

Hi,

I have numerous dragonfly pictures and wish to identify, I know i can use the net but would like a book, can anyone recommend a good one with photographs of male, female and imature etc.

Cheers

Andy

[earthdragon64]

I use 2 books, one is "Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Briatin and Ireland" by Steve Brooks, illustrated by Richard Lewington, which includes some keys to families and larva, as well as some sites where you can see Odonata.

The other is "Britain's Dragonflies" by Dave Smallshire and Andy Swalsh which is a photographic guide which also has diagrams with the key features and distinguishing marks.

Regards, Audrey.

[Fungalpunk]

Britain's Dragonflies: A Comprehensive Photographic Guide to All 57 Species of Britain and Ireland (Britains Wildlife) by Dave Smallshire, and Andy Swash (Paperback - 1 Nov 2009)

Should help no end

Fungalpunk Dave Fungalpunk Home Page

[Nicola Main]

The new issue was published in May and I highly recommend it.

https://www.wildguides.co.uk/our-tit...second-edition

[andy brown]

Thanks everyone, I will shop around and look at maybe buying both

Cheers

Andy

[Geoff F]

Yes I have found the Smallshire & Swash book very useful.

The internet can be of some use but I often find several possible answers and there is normally little in the way of identification advice or ID Keys unless you get a good book.

Members of most wildlife sites, like this one, will willingly give identifications but it is always satisfying to do it yourself.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Geoff F

The internet can be of some use but I often find several possible answers and there is normally little in the way of identification advice or ID Keys unless you get a good book.

Members of most wildlife sites, like this one, will willingly give identifications but it is always satisfying to do it yourself.

It's always best to have a go at Id yourself first, and then ask for confirmation (or help with something that you are stuck on) - I think that you learn a lot more that way.

As for identifications from the internet, it's always best to have another means with which to confirm the Id after it has been provided - and on sites like this you have the advantage of being able to ask for an explanation if you can't see why an Id has been suggested.

For British dragonflies & damsels, the two books that have already been suggested are by far the best currently available - get the revised editions of both though, there may be cheaper secondhand copies of the original editions available online, but the revised ones are far more up to date.