Harper Collins Collins Field Guide Insects of Britain and Northern Europe
Reviews
Views
Date of last review
3
6203
Sat 20, January, 2007
Recommended By
Average Purchase Price
100% of reviewers
£14.33
Quality
Value
Performance
9.33
9.33
9.00
Description:
This wholly updated and reset edition – the first since 1976 – brings this classic field guide right up to date. Although it has been completely rewritten, it still follows the same structure that was so highly praised in the previous editions. The first part of the book is a general introduction to the insect world, which is followed by the first of the many excellent illustrated identification keys. This primary key leads into the core of the book, the order descriptions. In each case these give a short introduction to the key features of the order, including details of their biology, followed by specific identification keys. By following the keys it is therefore possible for a beginner to identify nearly every species of insect, and learn about its biology at the same time. The text is illustrated with over 300 explanatory drawings and the 60 colour plates show 778 of the common species.
Author:
Michael Chinery
RRP:
£25.00
Published Date:
15.04.93
ISBN:
0-00-219918-1
Format
Paperback Hardback
Author
colinaj Officer of the Wild Empire
Registered: July 2006 Location: Suffolk Posts: 548
Review Date: Mon 31, July, 2006
Would you recommend it? Yes |
Total Spent: £9.99| Rating: 10
Strengths:
Very good for lesser known insects to species level
Weaknesses:
need to read descritions as there are sometimes other species that are simlar & not illustrated
A good introduction to all insects & one I carry on bug hunts along with my pooter. I select vouchers & bring home the bugs & smaller flies but they should always be backed up with more detailed books. Since the advent of digital cameras a good photo to match the illustration in the books is worthwhile. Also room to add dates of when found & location includinggrid ref. Books with annotations from the owners normally make more money when you are dead as these are personal records of your area.
Alan Frozen
Registered: March 2006 Location: N.E. Lincolnshire Posts: 4126
Review Date: Sun 27, August, 2006
Would you recommend it? Yes |
Total Spent: £8.00| Rating: 8
Strengths:
Compact, easy to carry, well laid out.
Weaknesses:
The illustrations only cover the species examples.
This book is a good general introduction to the world of insect identification. Although the illustrations only cover species examples (not suprising considering the thousands of species!), the 'meat' of the book is in the basic introduction to insects and identification keys. A good alround book to get you started on the long road to insect ID!
Recommended.
------------------------------ "Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others".. ..Groucho Marx
wyevilla Officer of the Wild Empire
Registered: January 2007 Location: Dorchester, Dorset Posts: 569
Review Date: Sat 20, January, 2007
Would you recommend it? Yes |
Total Spent: £25.00| Rating: 9
Strengths:
Excellent coverage of the taxonomy of insects
Weaknesses:
Has only example species of the various taxa
I've long been a fan of the work of Michael Chinnery and this book is no exception. It is an ideal companion to his other important volume* on the insects of Britain and western Europe. This work is particularly useful if you want to find out more about the orders and families that our insects belong to.
It also has usable keys with numerous helpful illustrations. However, on its own it is unlikely to help you identify a completely unknown insect to the level of species as its focus is essentially on the diversity of insect life centred on these islands. Having said that, you will be able to assign it to one of the above groups and know an awful lot of detail of their life cycle and ecology.
Incidentally, you might wonder why I seemed to have paid so much. I paid full price for the hardback at the local RSPB hut. I dare say its cheaper else where: lets hope RSPB got a decent share of the dosh.
*Insects of Britain & Western Europe, Michael Chinnery, Collins Pocket Guide, HarperCollins, London, 1986.
A revised edition has now been published by A & C Black Publishers Ltd, London, 2007 - and yes, it is even better (see reviews on this website for details).
------------------------------ Best wishes, Neil
Who's Afear'd
