Product Description

Spiders are the most obvious group of animals - they share with us our houses and gardens. They also have some of the most fascinating colours, behaviour and biology. This book is designed to aid identification of these animals, without using any complicated keys or equipment. Each of the 450 species covered is illustrated in colour, with paintings of all the common colour variations and differences between the sexes, and described in detail in the text. The general features of each family are also described, with information on courtship, hunting and web-making behaviour. A key to spiders' webs is also included in the introduction. Each species has illustrations of its genitalia - to allow conclusive identification of the species.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31117 in Books
• Published on: 2001-11-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Customer Reviews

Superb field Guide
I agree with other reviews of this that it is not a casual users book but if you want a concise but comprehensive guide to spiders in the UK with a detailed key and outstanding information on how to examine / study these species then this is the book you want. The information on needed equipment is outstanding and the species descriptions are bettered only by the superb drawings. Overall I was very impressed with this book and whilst it *isn't* a coffee table book on spiders it is a superb field guide just as it claims 'on the box'

Classic of Arachnology
This is a wonderful book that will inspire many to take a greater interest in the fascinating lives of spiders. Dr Roberts begins the book with helpful and useful guidance on how to trap and study spiders, as well as clear information about the biology of spiders. The colour plates are beautiful, and the detailed drawings of the identifying spider genitalia that litter the book are amazing. Each species is described and has comments about habitat and distribution, with additional information at family and genus level. A fellow reviewer does have a point that this may not be the ideal book if you want to have an attempt at identifying the more obvious spiders in your back garden - if this is the case you might be better with the Field Studies Council laminated card guide to house and garden spiders. However, anyone with more than a passing interest in spiders should buy this wonderful book, and let Dr Roberts inspire them to watch and try to identify the hundreds of spiders we have in the UK. And if it really inspires you, follow it up with tracking down Dick Jones "Country Life Guide to Spiders of Britain and Europe" and WS Bristowes "The World of Spiders". Both are long out of print but easy to get through the Abebooks site or similar.

Excellent
Myself and my partner have been using this book to identify the spiders we photograph. So far it has provided clear, precise diagrams which we have used to identify hundreds of spiders.

The book also provides adequate information on every species to be able to learn about them.

It's small enough to carry around, and has been used by us time and time again.

Thumb's up!