Product Description

A photographic field guide to 1,500 species of insects found in Britain A photographic field guide to all the common and some unusual species of insects across Britain that the keen amateur naturalist is likely to spot. Approximately 1,500 species are illustrated with clear photographs chosen for their help in identification. / Details of distribution for each insect, and whether it is common or rare / Includes photographs of larvae / Each section is coded with a symbol for easy reference / Information on easily confused species / All the information on the species together in the same place Insect groups dealt with include butterflies and moths, mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, grasshoppers, crickets, earwigs, lacewings, bugs, bees, wasps, ants and beetles, all with keys to ensure accurate identification.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10226 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Synopsis
A photographic field guide to 1,500 species of insects found in Britain A photographic field guide to all the common and some unusual species of insects across Britain that the keen amateur naturalist is likely to spot. Approximately 1,500 species are illustrated with clear photographs chosen for their help in identification. / Details of distribution for each insect, and whether it is common or rare / Includes photographs of larvae / Each section is coded with a symbol for easy reference / Information on easily confused species / All the information on the species together in the same place Insect groups dealt with include butterflies and moths, mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies, grasshoppers, crickets, earwigs, lacewings, bugs, bees, wasps, ants and beetles, all with keys to ensure accurate identification.

About the Author
Michael Chinery is a well-known naturalist and the author of numerous books on insects and garden wildlife, including Collins Nature Guide Garden Wildlife, The Natural History of the Garden and Collins Wildlife Trust Guide Butterflies of Britain and Europe. For several years he ran field courses to introduce people of all ages to plant and animal life and now lives in Suffolk with his wife Jill.

Customer Reviews

Clear and well laid out though doesn't have everything
I bought this book having already owned the Collins Complete British Wildlife Photoguide and needing something a bit more comprehensive. The book is clear and well laid out, with clear photographs and useful information introducing each insect family.

My only disappointment was that the description of the book suggested it had pictures of larvae. Other than a pretty comprehensive section on caterpillars I couldn't find many other photographs of larvae of other groups; seeing as I was particularly keen to use the book to identify aquatic larvae in my pond I was quite disappointed by this - even small sketches would be better than nothing!

Other than that though the book should be invaluable for anyone like me who is after a guide that covers a bit more than just the most common insect species.

Great book
I was initially looking for a butterfly book when I came across this. A quick browse and it was in my shopping basket!
As previous reviewers have pointed out, it's not totally inclusive, but come on, it's a paperback, in one volume.
To be complete, covering as many groups as this does, you'd need volumes and volumes.
As a beginners/general interest book it hits the mark.
It covers most of the common examples you are likely to see.
The book starts with a nice introduction to the biology and ecology of insects. Each order (technical name for an insect group) has it's own picture, information about that order, and a page reference to get you started on your search.
Once you've got the right order, the pages are lavishly covered with photographs, making identification fairly easy.
I particularly like the sections on the larval stages of butterflies and moths.
I've spent happy hours going 'Oh, so that's what it is!'
If you are looking to get started identifying bugs in your garden/house or further afield, this is one of the most easily used and comprehensive guides you're likely to find without spending a fortune!

About as Comprehensive as it Gets

Not everybody's cup of tea I know, but for those of us who are interested in flora and fauna a comprehensive guide the covers 1,500 species of insects that can be found in Britain. The photographs are extremely good, as they usually are in all Collins books and there are some unusual little `bugs' for the amateur naturalist to look out for.

Details of whether the insects are common or rare are available and each section is coded for easy reference for the reader. Information for each species is clear and concise and each insect group is deal with individually. All in all an extremely useful and interesting book.