Moth ID Guide

[Tangaroa]

Can anyone recommend a good Moth ID guide book for someone who is just starting out (preferabaly that doesnt include europe - otherwise i'll never find the moth im looking for ).#

Thanks....

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Tangaroa

Can anyone recommend a good Moth ID guide book for someone who is just starting out (preferabaly that doesnt include europe - otherwise i'll never find the moth im looking for ).#

Thanks....

Hi and welcome to wab..

There is always someone on here who will be able to ID them for you..

[Hedge Witch]

Originally Posted by Tangaroa

Can anyone recommend a good Moth guide

Yep - there's a very good one called John and loads of others too.

[RobSutton]

Concise Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland
By Martin Townsend and Paul Waring
Illustrated by Richard Lewington
ISBN 9780953139965
Published by British Wildlife Publishing 2007
£12-95 (when I bought mine)

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by RobSutton

Concise Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland
By Martin Townsend and Paul Waring
Illustrated by Richard Lewington
ISBN 9780953139965
Published by British Wildlife Publishing 2007
£12-95 (when I bought mine)

Agree this is an excellent book which covers all the macro-moths likely to be found. The advantage of the concise version is that the plates are opposite the text. The non concise version gives more info on food plants, etc but the plates are separate from the text so gets a bit fiddly in the field.

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Agree this is an excellent book which covers all the macro-moths likely to be found. The advantage of the concise version is that the plates are opposite the text. The non concise version gives more info on food plants, etc but the plates are separate from the text so gets a bit fiddly in the field.

Totally agree with this...i own both versions and while the fat jobbie is packed full of everything you need to know...when i found and bought the user friendly concise version it shaved hours off of my moth trap sorting sessions!...although....when you get a bit more into moths owning both is beneficial.

Another book you will get told about is Bernard Skinners....very famous book...but a bit un user friendly in size and the moths are mounted dead specimens in unatural poses (I.E they will not look like how the live ones do you are trying to i.d.)

Go with the concise Waring/Townsend if i were you....its perfect!

[John]

You have already had the excellent Waring & Townsend book recommended to you and I would also certainly endorse that publication.

Apart from books mothing has some excellent web sites that are a good aid to identifying moths. To start with take a look at this brilliant web site.
UKMoths

Also one of our new members (hantsmoths) has an excellent web site. Here is a link to it.
Hants Moths: Menu

Here is yet again another useful site to use.
UK Lepidoptera

John

Originally Posted by Tangaroa

Can anyone recommend a good Moth ID guide book for someone who is just starting out (preferabaly that doesnt include europe - otherwise i'll never find the moth im looking for ).#

Thanks....

[Action_Man]

I have a book that is free to anyone who wants it, its Transformations of Butterflies and Moths by L. Hugh Newman, you just need to pay the postage ...

[naturegirl]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Totally agree with this...i own both versions and while the fat jobbie is packed full of everything you need to know...when i found and bought the user friendly concise version it shaved hours off of my moth trap sorting sessions!...although....when you get a bit more into moths owning both is beneficial.

Another book you will get told about is Bernard Skinners....very famous book...but a bit un user friendly in size and the moths are mounted dead specimens in unatural poses (I.E they will not look like how the live ones do you are trying to i.d.)

Go with the concise Waring/Townsend if i were you....its perfect!

I don't agree with this actually Dan!
Bernard's book shows the hindwings which is important when naming a species, in my opinion!

I would go for Bernard Skinner's book actually!!!

It is the book that I learned with. Some may disagree with this thinking but I will always stick with this book.

The Waring/Townsend is about drawings not the real thing and I'm not convinced about this actually.

But, This is only MY opinion Dan!!!

Naturegirl

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by naturegirl

I don't agree with this actually Dan!
Bernard's book shows the hindwings which is important when naming a species, in my opinion!

I would go for Bernard Skinner's book actually!!!

It is the book that I learned with. Some may disagree with this thinking but I will always stick with this book.

The Waring/Townsend is about drawings not the real thing and I'm not convinced about this actually.

But, This is only MY opinion Dan!!!

Naturegirl

Sadly it's out of print at the moment and at £50 new was getting a bit pricey. You might be lucky and find a second hand one otherwise it's the Townsend/Waring one mentioned above and the excellent websites suggested by John.