Product Description

Dragonflies are among the most ancient of living creatures - few insect groups fascinate as much or are more immediately recognisable. In this seminal new work, Philip Corbet and Stephen Brooks examine the behaviour, ecology and distribution of dragonflies in Britain and Ireland, placing emphasis on the insects' habitats and also on measures needed to conserve them. Published in 1960 -- with Philip Corbet as contributing author -- volume 41 of the New Naturalist series provided the first in-depth study of the biology of British dragonflies, helping to inspire many people to take an interest in these intriguing insects. In this new volume, Corbet has teamed up with Stephen Brooks, offering a fascinating new outlook on the natural history of dragonflies. The authors have combined their knowledge and experience to help illuminate the relevance of British dragonfly species, placing them in the overall context of natural history from a broader, worldwide perspective. Illustrated with beautiful photography throughout, New Naturalist Dragonflies explores all aspects of the biological significance of dragonfly behaviour, thus revealing the beauty and hidden complexity of these powerful, agile, flying predators.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68463 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 312 pages

Review
'A valuable and engaging update of the classic New Naturalist volume on the Odonata.' BBC Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: A History of Ornithology by Peter Bircham: 'Bircham has found for himself a distinctive ecological niche by dwelling on the evolving science, rather than ornithology as social process or field activity ! he has produced a thorough and valuable contribution to the field' Mark Cocker, The Guardian The Isles of Scilly by Rosemary Parslow: 'This is a fully rounded and wonderfully detailed natural history of England's only ocean archipelago. It works on several levels, as a guide, as a wildlife encyclopaedia and as a lyrical celebration of a special place. Rosemary Parslow has written a classic book to add to the remarkable swell of New Naturalist masterpieces in recent years.' British Wildlife

About the Author
Philip Corbet (1929-2008) acquired a fascination and deep affection for dragonflies as an undergraduate exploring the Berkshire countryside. His professional experience as an entomologist, research administrator and university teacher, in Uganda, Canada, New Zealand and Scotland, allowed him to observe dragonflies in widely different environments. Stephen Brooks has worked in the Department of Entomology at The Natural History Museum, London, since 1979. He is author of the Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland and has written many scientific articles on dragonflies. He is a member of the British Dragonfly Society and has been editor of the BDS Journal and a member of the BDS Conservation Group.

Customer Reviews

Well worth the wait
Like most of the recent new naturalists, this book was well worth the wait. The previous new naturalist on the subject was published in 1960, and has been out of print and eagerly sought by collectors for many years. This new volume brings in the many changes to our understanding of the group that have occurred since then, and does so in a readable and understandable way. My only real irritation with the volume is the "double handling" necessary to get to a reference, as other reviewers have mentioned. All in all though, a great addition to the series.

Readable, authorative and comprehensive
A superb book. The two authors detail the fascinating natural history of these remarkable insects with clarity and wisdom. Much more readable than I expected without loss of detail.

Useful features include -

Information boxes - the sort you might get in a magazine like Newscientist or Scientific American. Referred to in a relevant section of main text, these elucidate specifics without disturbing the flow of the read.

A glossary - esoteric vocabulary is all italicised for a glossary.

Detailed descriptions of current gaps in knoweldge - the books details the areas of dragonfly understanding that need further research and go so far as to suggest how this might be done.

Beautiful photography - in case you're wondering what you're reading about, the book has a jawdropping selection of photos. Just try and photograph dragonflies and you'll see why these are so good.

The only criticism I have is that throughout the main text the authors only use the latin names for the various species they discuss. They do have a full listing as an appendix, but it's just difficult turning to it all the time.

Other than that, the book come highly recommended for any natural history enthusiasts of Britain.

Not quite what it seems
From the slightly childish drawing on the front cover you may think this is a simple guide to dragonfly identification. it is anything but....

It is a very thorough book by a well known odonatologist on dragonfly development and habitat but NOT a field guide for identification purposes.