Product Description

COLLINS FIELD GUIDE INSECTS OF BRITAIN AND NORTHERN EUROPE COMPREHENSIVE EASY TO USE / HIGHLY ILLUSTRATED 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. "Indisputably the bargain of the year." NEW STATESMAN

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #132830 in Books
• Published on: 1993-04-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 448 pages

Synopsis
COLLINS FIELD GUIDE INSECTS OF BRITAIN AND NORTHERN EUROPE COMPREHENSIVE EASY TO USE / HIGHLY ILLUSTRATED 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. "Indisputably the bargain of the year." NEW STATESMAN

About the Author
Michael Chinery is the UK's leading writer on insects. His 'Collins Field Guide to 'Insects' and 'Collins Pocket Guide to 'Insects' are acknowledged as the best available.

Customer Reviews

Essential reference for the entomologist
This is a very useful book which is on the bookshelves of most entomologists and field centres. As a general tool to identify insects to family and genus level it is ideal and widely respected. It is also a great introduction to the different groups of insects and to insects in general.

Bear in mind that it is unrealistic to expect ANY volume to cover all species of insects, simply because there are far too many - literally hundreds of thousands in fact! For example, there are well over 3,000 moths alone in the UK, so people wanting to specialise in a particular insect order will need a specialised identification guide.

The 'Western Europe' book by the same author (out of print at the time of writing this) is also good and possibly slightly better for identifying species in the field, according to some. However, with that book, when you think you've got the exact species the text often says 'one of a dozen similar species'.

A great beginners book
If you live in the south of France I think that buying a book titled "Field Guide to the Insects of Britain and Northern Europe" isn't really reason enough to criticise the book. It's the fault of the purchaser.

Admittedly the butterfly section is a bit wanting, but again, if you are after a book on butterflies then buy a specialist book not a general guide. I think this book is wonderful and I carry it out on walks a lot as the colour plates a very good for indentification purposes. As I say in the title it is a great beginners book.

lack of detail coverage
Unfortunately I seem to liveSouth of the area covered by this book, which is not suitable for anyone living in Southern France.Apart from this, the author tries to cover too many types of insect, and as a result covers none fully.His butterfly section is very poor. In addition,there are far too few colour photos,which are in most cases far from the text references.
I suggest as a better choice specific coverage volumes e.g. Butterflies of Europe, by Tolman and Lewington