Book Review - Britain's Insects Wildguides

 Visitors to my blog will have noticed that many of my recent posts feature insects rather than birds. Like many other birders, I’ve developed a passion for selected insect families and am now broadening my horizons even further, seeing new insects, virtually every time I’m in the field. Whatever your level of interest, a good field guide is essential.  This will help to expand your knowledge and steer you to a successful and accurate identification of the ‘unknown’ species you are agonising over!

If you are in the market for a book that gives you the ability to identify insect species purely from visual observation or photographs in the field, I have some great news, a new title in the ‘Wildguides’ series entitled ‘Britain's Insects’, is now available!

Written by well-known expert and prolific author Paul D Brock, the Wildguides ‘mission’ of ensuring up to date content plus the best images from top photographers has combined to produce a masterpiece field guide ‘tome’. It is probably at the limit for a single softback volume too, weighing in at around 1.5kg, packed with 1653 insect species amongst the 608 pages. The photographs are larger than previous photo-guides on the subject and clearly chosen at angles to best demonstrate the key identification features of the species concerned.  A simplified description of the insect orders will help to narrow down which family an unknown insect belongs to by referring to common representatives. A little time spent here may save the beginner from simply leafing aimlessly through the whole book!

A glossary of technical terms is included which concentrates on those in frequent general use. Terms which are specific to a particular order are included in an annotated image at the beginning of a particular section. A brief section of watching and photographing insects together with some snippets of their behaviour takes the reader up to the species accounts. The text caters admirably for the beginner, using English names for every insect included plus the scientific name for each order, family, genus and species. The standard template of information for each species (page 33) is worth digesting before you read on, there is so much important coded information here. For each insect, measurements and key identification features are noted plus similar species (where relevant) to help the beginner avoid pitfalls. The likely habitat and specific foodplants will help you look in the right places plus a distribution map details where records currently exist. The phenology chart should help the user to search for a particular insect at the correct time.

The accounts vary in their coverage of the orders, including every species in some orders eg Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) 27 pages, Orthoptera (Crickets and Grasshoppers) 30 pages and Lepidoptera (Butterflies but not all Moths) 83 pages. These are obviously some of the most showy and popular of our insects and likely to enthuse interest in other orders through chance encounters whilst in the field. A useful list of further reading where appropriate accompanies the first page of each order. One of the two additional more specialised field guides mentioned will become essential reading to recognise some of the vast array of female / immature patterns which may bewilder the novice but become a prime focus for the keen observer.

The Orthoptera section features a QR code for most of the UK Crickets and Grasshoppers. This code links to a sound recording of the species of interest, an app will be needed on your phone to read this. Close up images of the pronotum shape and structure help ease the observer into Grasshopper identification, all species are annotated with the key identification features.

Many families are prefaced with a table containing a descriptive identification key (example below). These will help give an understanding of the aspects and angles needed for photography to enable an identification to species level rather than identifying as simply or Mason Wasp’ for example. 

The final 30 pages are devoted to conservation status and legislation, further reading and useful websites / online resources and insect societies. The index allows for searches using either common or scientific name and is well laid out. The rear cover flap features a useful alphabetical index to Orders as well, following the same nomenclature.

Published by Princeton University Press on 8^th June 2021, the target price of £25.00 can currently be found as low as £18.31 at selected outlets online.

This is my second ‘Insect’ field guide written by Paul Brook and in case anyone is hesitating to add another book to their collection, I have to say they complement each other rather well! Apart from simply helping to identify insects, there is so much background information in the species accounts and elsewhere, it makes for good reading. The clear images are exemplary and unmatched at present. It is a ‘must have’ for everyone with a general interest in insects and I’m sure it will sneak into the libraries of quite a few seasoned experts too!

Book Review - Britain's Day-Flying Moths 'WILDGuides'

The final instalment of WildGuides book reviews for 2020 could be tailor made for me? My passion for birds has already taken second place during the summer months in recent years with Lepidoptera and Odonata occupying a lot of interest. Moths have gradually appeared on the radar over the years but I have resisted temptation to go down the moth trap route due to lack of time. My interest in them has been opportunistic, photographing the few Hawk-moth or day flying species which have come my way in recent years. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tried to ‘freeze’ a Hummingbird Hawk-moth image! Achieving this and photographing my first Emperor Moths were two of the highlights of 2019.

The 2^nd edition of ‘Britain’s Day Flying Moths’, written by David Newland, Robert Still and Andy Swash was published by WILDGuides in 2019. This new edition brings in several new species, updates information / design and features positive changes as suggested by reviewers of the 1^st edition. Of the 2,500 moth species recorded in Britain and Ireland, this book includes 158 species which routinely fly during the day plus 29 additional but relevant species. The tried and tested WILDGuides style is evident and makes for intuitive reading. The first issue the book attempts to resolve is a definition of the title, what is a day flying moth? Some moths (e.g Cinnabar, Burnet and Silver Y) are obvious day fliers whilst others are easily disturbed in their habitat and often seen in flight. 

The first 15 pages cover Moth biology, life cycle, naming, identification and then defines day flying moth groups based on their family noting their key distinguishing features. For example, how the moth holds its wings at rest or colouration helps with assigning to a particular group although some groups only contain a single species. There are 60 Geometrids and 23 Micro-moths, both sections which are likely to be amongst the most thumbed pages?

Examples of where to look for day flying moths are displayed in a photo gallery and eight habitat categories are defined. Over forty of the species included in the book can be seen in gardens or parkland and the ‘gardening for moths’ section details many of the key plants which will attract moths to your garden including larval foodplants.

A glossary heralds the start of the species accounts which cover 183 pages, accounting for the majority of the 232 pages. Species are covered in taxonomic order only deviating where similar species are quite sensibly presented on facing pages. Each species has a full page and English names take precedence and are referred to in the text, although scientific names are noted for each species header. A standardised box details the conservation status in Britain and Ireland, where found, when flying, size, larval foodplant and a reference to similar species.  The description details the key characteristics, behaviour and lifecycle, including usual or interesting details. For most species, information is given regarding the larva which can be quite varied in themselves! At least one superb photograph of the moth in its natural resting pose accompanies the text, (see examples below).

I didn’t realise there were seven Burnet species, only three of which are common but distinguishing them, especially the rarities can be difficult! The differences are all small and some are Scottish specialities which will be a challenge to find and identify.

For each moth group, a two-page general introduction is given which includes the key characteristics of the species it includes. The Hawk-moth section is one of the shorter ones, including Hummingbird Hawk-moth and two species of Bee Hawk-moth but also illustrates several more of our most impressive moths even though they aren’t generally seen as day fliers. They may be found resting in gardens where I have found two species myself, so their inclusion for me is justified and completes an overview of the group. 

23 species of micro-moths are covered, there are so many more but those included demonstrate the tremendous diversity amongst this group which numbers over 1,600! From the Plumes (Brown and White), Yellow Conch and Small Magpie there are plenty of appealing species to behold plus the less welcome Common Clothes Moth. I don’t think I ever saw one as a youngster but I well remember the smell of ‘moth balls’ and curious holes appearing in woollen garments, the unwanted legacy of their presence in the house!

The final group includes two recent introductions which are also pests: the Box Moth and Oak Processionary. These are expanding their range from the south east and could become a serious nationwide threat to their larval foodplants, which suffer rapid defoliation and damage.

To help ‘list-minded’ folk like myself, a summary list of day flying species (p 210-217) is included noting the likely habitat, flight season (whether found nationwide, north or south), main larval foodplant and conservation status. I have seen many more day flying moths than I already have images for and need to take a bit more notice of them whilst out recording Odonata, Lepidoptera and Orthoptera! Hmm, this list of insects is expanding somewhat but I am now motivated to find out more via the final pages of the book which adequately cover recording / monitoring, conservation and ‘further reading’ / useful websites.

I am sure this book will be invaluable to all those that wish to know more about these moths and as an introduction to moths generally comes highly recommended as a must have on the bookshelf or in a backpack! There is one caveat, do not expect every moth you flush in daylight to be included in the book, you may need to resort to a full ‘search’ elsewhere for a positive identification. Be assured, they will be in the minority and my one and only example of this during the past year was Dingy Footman…

PS Here's the Hummingbird Hawk-moth. I'll upload a Day-flying moth post soon...

Book Review - Britain's Orchids WILDGUIDES

The WILDGuides series is making a habit of creating exceptional field guides covering all aspects of the natural world and the publishers generally don’t rest on their laurels, updating and improving their guides at regular intervals. My latest acquisition, ‘Britain’s Orchids – A field guide to the orchids of Great Britain and Ireland is a leap forward from earlier books on the subject and it is now over 15 years since the first edition, so much has changed. Orchids are probably the most beguiling family of British wildflowers and the mission statement from authors Sean Cole and Mike Waller to develop the most beautiful and comprehensive field guide on the subject has clearly been achieved!

The 288 pages are packed with information covering the identification of all 51 native species plus hybrids and variants. Taxonomy and distribution maps have been brought up to date and the guide features 98 outstanding watercolour plates plus 1200 stunning photographs. The introductory sections define exactly what an orchid is, the taxonomy, habitats and tips on finding orchids. A step by step guide to their identification is coupled with caveats and their differentiation from similar looking non-orchid plants or orchid hybrids. Annotated photographs detail the parts of an orchid flower and illustrate some of their clever pollination strategies.

Did you know just how long orchids can live? Lady’s Slipper for example is known to live for some eighty years! Ten pages are devoted to habitats and photographs illustrate just how diverse these are including classic locations, road verges and urban environments. If like myself you are inspired by this book and plan to search for hardy orchids both locally and elsewhere, the ‘year planner’ on pages 38/39 coupled with species distribution maps will help you on your way. The colour coded annual growth cycle chart denotes the various stages of growth for each species and will help you to be out searching at the correct time.

The identification of each orchid covers all stages of development and starts with the first emerging leaves a ghostly 20p coin is a reference for scale in each of the images. Four pages of colour plates show the detail emerging flower buds, for most species and this is repeated with images in the species accounts.

Paving the way for identification strategies, two complimentary approaches are introduced. The first uses ‘form and colour’ which will often lead immediately to success. Where the identity is inconclusive, a second detailed section uses lip characters as a further means of reaching a safe identification? I cannot pretend that a firm identification is easy for some species! In addition, hybrids or forms can cause confusion but the text points you in the right direction. 

The next two thirds of the book from page 101 onwards are devoted to the species accounts and as ever using the excellent the WILDGuides ‘style’. Each species has a double page spread, well laid out and crammed full of detail and information. English name / Scientific names are both given with the former taking precedence and catching the eye as you flick through pages. The first species listed is the iconic Lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium calceolus). Reduced to a single native site back in the 1930’s, it is now successfully re-established at 11 sites across its former range. The Ghost Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) perhaps the most sought after species for orchid hunters, a ‘Holy Grail’ rarity, is perhaps the most unlikely of species to encounter but the images will provide an aide memoire, in your dreams!

The species are arranged in sections organised by genus with an overview spread preceding them. Identification isn’t always easy and for some genera (eg Fragrant Orchids) it may not always be possible to identify every individual specimen. Some highly variable species readily hybridise resulting in a bewildering range of intermediate features. Nevertheless, for typical examples the text / images steer you in the correct direction by noting specific features of the the flowers.  Common and Heath Spotted-orchids, are a good example, the distinctions between which can be seen in the example page below.

Following the species accounts, a section of 25 pages considers orchid hybrids which will be of interest to the more experienced orchid hunters. I must admit there were some amazing and simply breathtaking images to behold. The images are cleverly arranged in threes with the particular  hybrid sandwiched between both parents. A final section highlights the current threats from habitat destruction and change plus the inevitable climate breakdown. There will be winners and losers due the latter and we may see some species from Europe colonising or becoming more widely spread in the south of the UK? Finally, the index is well laid out and quite complex with a range of colour keys for various sections, if you are familiar with English names, the inside of the rear flip cover has a ‘short index’, quite useful as a rapid navigation aid.
Published by Princeton University Press on 29^th September 2020, the target price of £20 is currently still discounted and with some shopping around, you can purchase a copy for just less than £15. This is quite amazing for such a well reseached, complete field guide which merits a place on the bookshelf of all serious natural history enthusiasts. This book will reveal invaluable tips to successful identification of hardy orchid species and give enormous help in understanding them better whilst searching for them. Happy hunting!!

Book Review - Britain's Butterflies 4th ed. 'WILDGuides'

Autumn may not be the ideal time to publish a Butterfly book but delayed by COVID-19, the 4th edition of WILDguides Britain's Butterflies is now available and it's a must have!

A lifelong interest in Butterflies began for me in the 1960’s when as a young budding naturalist ‘The Observers Book of Butterflies’ became a source of wonder and inspiration. Fast forward another forty years to the millennium and with the dawn of the digital age, I bought my first digital camera and needing a new reference book I bought the WILDGuides first edition of ‘Britain’s Butterflies. Using photographs, cleverly arranged on a montage of food plant flowers or habitat, this edition would still be adequate for the novice but times move on. The fourth edition of this ground-breaking book has now evolved into the benchmark for modern photographic field guides. The original duo: David Tomlinson and Robert Still, joined by David Newland and Andy Swash from the second edition have ensured the book keeps pace with modern taxonomy and uses the best available photographs. The foreword, written by Julie Williams CE of Butterfly Conservation, reminds us of their alarming decline around the world and the need to conserve them - hopefully their work will ensure that future generations, are inspired by butterflies too.

Right from the start, this book looks and feels well made with a soft yet durable cover (flexibound). Weighing in at 610g and measuring 8 ½ x 6”, it will easily slip into a backpack. There are over 600 high quality colour images and 76 colour distribution maps throughout the 256 pages which cover in detail, the identification of all 59 butterfly species that breed regularly in the UK in addition to former breeders and migrants. Written with an easy-going style, it will appeal to the beginner but is worthy of a place in the bookcase of the more advanced observer. The sections on food plants and on recording / monitoring have been expanded and the species order has been revised to reflect the latest taxonomy.

The introduction sets the scene for making butterfly identification as simple as possible then covers how butterflies and moths differ and their biology. The sections on ‘where to look for butterflies’ and their identification by ‘type’, separated into six families and then eleven broad groups (eg ‘Browns , ‘whites and yellows’, skippers etc) is a sensible approach for the beginner. A brief section on colour variation and aberration whets the appetite for more advanced identification. References to other books are included, which provide more depth of information. 

The bulk of the book deals with species accounts which are covered in an exemplary, consistent format and how appropriate that the first section commences with a favourite for many observers - the Swallowtail. 

Where this book excels, is the ease with which species can be found with each having a double page spread, information on the left and relevant images on the right.

The conservation status, legal protection status and measurements of each butterfly are followed by an up to date distribution map which colour codes the main breeding range, secondary breeding and for extinct species, the former location. The tried and tested ‘clock diagram’ uses another colour coded scheme to clearly denote when each life stage occurs, noting that in the north of the species range, this may be slightly later. Tips on where to look for the species plus possible confusion species followed by a concise summary of the species’ status in Britain and Ireland.

The colour plates are superb, males and females are distinguished where possible, sometimes with annotated close up images or including both upperwing and underwing shots when appropriate.   Some images of subspecies (eg Silver-studded Blue and Grayling) and forms (eg Comma) are included and a list of subspecies is included in the main national list (page 237 onwards). 

Former breeding species, rare migrants and vagrants occupy the next thirty pages, detailing their likely origins.  The very rare migrant, Scarce Tortoiseshell, is included in this section and is only ‘new’ species addition since the first edition. There was an exciting record of sightings at different places in south-east England in 2014. Southern Small White gets a mention too, expanding its range rapidly in Europe and recorded near Calais in 2019. Some records of either may of doubtful provenance but who knows whether these small advance parties could one day become UK colonists?

 A section on food plants, details the associations, sometimes unique, of caterpillar species with a particular flower or tree. The food requirements of the adult butterfly may differ from that of the caterpillar as the priority is finding good sources of nectar. Searching for the correct food plant may help the observer find the target butterfly? The early life stages of butterflies are covered next with close up images of the eggs, caterpillars and chrysalises, noting when and where you might find them.

The concluding section features a complete list of British (and Irish) butterflies, tips on butterfly watching and photography, butterfly conservation plus recording and monitoring. Having found your butterfly and photographed it, the online presence of butterfly conservation and regional groups ensure images can be enjoyed by a wider audience and these act as ‘news’ of emergence and productive sites.

Published by Princeton University Press on 14^th September 2020, the target price of £17.99 can currently be found as low as £13.40 at various outlets. Be sure you are buying the correct edition, with a picture of the Comma on the cover!

This field guide is an absolute ‘must have’ for anyone contemplating a wish to identify and learn more about butterflies. Whether simply observing butterflies in the garden, the countryside, local nature reserves or whilst on holiday, it contains all the information you need when in the field to identify your ‘finds’. For the price, this fourth edition is a snip and will bring you right up to date! Happy hunting next spring…

Book review - Britain's Insects WILDGuides

Visitors to my blog will have noticed that many of my recent posts feature insects rather than birds. Like many other birders, I’ve developed a passion for selected insect families and am now broadening my horizons even further, seeing new insects, virtually every time I’m in the field. Whatever your level of interest, a good field guide is essential.  This will help to expand your knowledge and steer you to a successful and accurate identification of the ‘unknown’ species you are agonising over!

If you are in the market for a book that gives you the ability to identify insect species purely from visual observation or photographs in the field, I have some great news, a new title in the ‘Wildguides’ series entitled ‘Britain's Insects’, is now available!

Written by well-known expert and prolific author Paul D Brock, the Wildguides ‘mission’ of ensuring up to date content plus the best images from top photographers has combined to produce a masterpiece field guide ‘tome’. It is probably at the limit for a single softback volume too, weighing in at around 1.5kg, packed with 1653 insect species amongst the 608 pages. The photographs are larger than previous photo-guides on the subject and clearly chosen at angles to best demonstrate the key identification features of the species concerned.  A simplified description of the insect orders will help to narrow down which family an unknown insect belongs to by referring to common representatives. A little time spent here may save the beginner from simply leafing aimlessly through the whole book!

A glossary of technical terms is included which concentrates on those in frequent general use. Terms which are specific to a particular order are included in an annotated image at the beginning of a particular section. A brief section of watching and photographing insects together with some snippets of their behaviour takes the reader up to the species accounts. The text caters admirably for the beginner, using English names for every insect included plus the scientific name for each order, family, genus and species. The standard template of information for each species (page 33) is worth digesting before you read on, there is so much important coded information here. For each insect, measurements and key identification features are noted plus similar species (where relevant) to help the beginner avoid pitfalls. The likely habitat and specific foodplants will help you look in the right places plus a distribution map details where records currently exist. The phenology chart should help the user to search for a particular insect at the correct time.

The accounts vary in their coverage of the orders, including every species in some orders eg Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) 27 pages, Orthoptera (Crickets and Grasshoppers) 30 pages and Lepidoptera (Butterflies but not all Moths) 83 pages. These are obviously some of the most showy and popular of our insects and likely to enthuse interest in other orders through chance encounters whilst in the field. A useful list of further reading where appropriate accompanies the first page of each order. One of the two additional more specialised field guides mentioned will become essential reading to recognise some of the vast array of female / immature patterns which may bewilder the novice but become a prime focus for the keen observer.

The Orthoptera section features a QR code for most of the UK Crickets and Grasshoppers. This code links to a sound recording of the species of interest, an app will be needed on your phone to read this. Close up images of the pronotum shape and structure help ease the observer into Grasshopper identification, all species are annotated with the key identification features.

Many families are prefaced with a table containing a descriptive identification key (two examples below). These will help give an understanding of the aspects and angles needed for photography to enable an identification to species level rather than identifying as simply ‘Cuckoo Wasp’ or Mason Wasp’ for example. 

The final 30 pages are devoted to conservation status and legislation, further reading and useful websites / online resources and insect societies. The index allows for searches using either common or scientific name and is well laid out. The rear cover flap features a useful alphabetical index to Orders as well, following the same nomenclature.

Published by Princeton University Press on 8^th June 2021, the target price of £25.00 can currently be found as low as £18.31 at selected outlets online.

This is my second ‘Insect’ field guide written by Paul Brook and in case anyone is hesitating to add another book to their collection, I have to say they complement each other rather well! Apart from simply helping to identify insects, there is so much background information in the species accounts and elsewhere, it makes for good reading. The clear images are exemplary and unmatched at present. It is a ‘must have’ for everyone with a general interest in insects and I’m sure it will sneak into the libraries of quite a few seasoned experts too!

Book Review - Britain's Spiders 'WILDguides'

My latest acquisition in the WILDGuides series, published by Princeton books is a must have for anyone interested in Britains Spiders. I have always strived to learn more about them after encountering interesting (usually showy) species, e.g.  Argiope bruenichii (Wasp Spider) and Dolomedes fimbriatus (Raft Spider). Easy going books on the subject are few and far between but this new book perfectly fills the niche for a 'photo guide' once occupied by the Dick Jones Hamlyn guide, now out of print. The target audience is from the keen novice (that's me!) to dedicated arachnophile.

As with others in the series, the book is roughly 8" x 6", comes in a very durable softcover, and with 480 pages, weighs in at 1025g so it's not exactly one for the pocket but will easily fit into a small backpack!  All 37 British Spider Families are featured, illustrated with more than 700 photographs. The authors concentrate on the species that can be identified in the field and include 395 of Britain's species. Considering there are approximately 670 species known in Britain, the hard core 'hand lens' species which belong to a more specialised realm are wisely not included here.

Go on, admit it - aren't you just dying to get the macro lens out to try and find, then photograph the  Jumping Spider (Evarcha arcuata) featured on the cover ? Bearing in mind this female is only 6-8mm long you get a feel for the quality of images in the book. Whilst most images are reproduced from 2 - 10x 'life size',  each are reproduced at the perfect size for the illustration of key identification features. The book concentrates on the basics throughout the early pages, taking a journey through spider anatomy and the glossary of terms used within the book. The spider families are briefly described, detailing their characteristics and key features A section on webs, compares the various types of structures created by our various spiders, concise notes then consider the architecture of the web, where they might be found and the species most likely to be associated with them. Armed with this basic information, the individual species accounts lie in wait to fully describe the species covered in this book. Over 300 pages are devoted to the species accounts, so for an unidentified species, it helps if you can narrow your search by pre-reading through the families and webs first.

Local nature lovers in Shropshire and arachnophiles elsewhere should not require any introduction to Dolomedes fimbriatus or Argiope bruennichi. They were my 'stepping stone' species to a wider interest in spiders. A couple of snapshots from the book (below) detail the  standard approach to each species which is mirrored in all the others. For each species, there are observation tips / habitat, a description pointing out similar or confusion species and the distribution / status. The map denotes the current range and a table below denotes the UK occurrence for males and females. This is derived from the BAS spider recording scheme and the darker the shading indicates those months with the highest number of observations. 

When confronted with a web containing both male and female Wasp Spiders, you immediately realise there is a huge difference in size between the sexes. In addition to this, the seasonal appearance may differ and the male Wasp Spiders may appear a month later than females..

Towards the back of the book, there is a complete list of all the spiders recorded in Britain which covers 35 pages and details the ease with which they can be identified. The book itself focuses on those species which can be identified in the field.

The authors: Lawrence Bee, Geoff Oxford and Helen Smith are to be commended for ensuring the book does not overwhelm the reader, yet is full of the science and biology of these fascinating creatures - produced in collaboration with the British Arachnological Society .

 I can't believe that anyone with an interest in nature would not find this to be the perfect book to have on the subject. From 'beginner' to serious spider observers, this is the benchmark field guide.

Published by Princeton the full details can be found here and there is also a link to page examples. The RRP is £24.95 (UK) but offers may be found elsewhere e.g Amazon.

Footnote: I had long wondered if this impressive 'beast' (below) taken on a small pool near Loch Garten in 2012 was truly Dolomedes fimbriatus. It has been identified as such by the gurus at the British Spiders Recording Scheme but illustrates the point, like many wild creatures, some spiders are quite variable in their appearance.  I have never seen another image, in a book or on the web depicting this species like this one!

Enjoy your journey with spiders! You will enjoy it even more and make faster progress, with this book to guide you!