Britain's Insects (WILDGuides): A Field Guide to the Insects of Great Britain and Ireland (WILDGuides, 23)

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Roy pointed to explosions in the number of ladybirds and painted lady butterflies that have occurred in the past as evidence. “There are huge variations in numbers of a particular insect species in a year and huge variation in the places you see them.” She also pointed to one study of pollinators that showed while 32% became less widespread between 1980 and 2014, 16% became more widespread. “It is not all doom and gloom,” Roy added. A single stink bug, named after the pungent almond-like odour it emits as a defence mechanism, was found in the museum’s wildlife garden in Kensington last August as part of a study to discover whether the insect, long predicted to arrive in Britain, had finally established itself.

It certainly is a very useful tool, and it has an excellent index. . . . All things to all people; it is crammed with snippets of information: life cycles, descriptions, maps, definitions, status, distribution, seasonality, habitat, food plants, behaviour, etc. ---Mike Smith, Phasmid Study Group Forest trees such as oak, ash and beech, while excellent for wildlife, aretoo large for most gardens. Instead, consider planting; An] engaging and must-have book. It really is one of those books th.at every time you dip in you feel as though you have learned something quite special. * Lapwing Magazine * The tansy beetle, which is ‘nationally rare’, is the subject of a major conservation programme in Yorkshire. Photograph: AlamyThis book has immediately winged its way onto my ‘ absolute favourites’ book list. It’s the only one I will need to take with me on holidays and insect-spotting trips and ganders in the countryside. It really is a superb book, and I must say, a tremendous achievement. Heartily recommended!"—Amanda Williams, Buzz About Bees In the face of this mixture of ecological woes, it is perhaps not surprising that insects in Britain are faring so badly. Whether or not they face an ecological apocalypse is a different matter, for not every expert shares a sense of doom. Professor Helen Roy of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, for example, sees cause for hope. She told the Observer that there were too many success stories – tales of insects that were recovering in numbers and thriving – to feel a sense of despair. “Obviously, many species are suffering, but I am an optimist and I just don’t think it is right to call this an apocalypse,” she said. Europe's Dragonflies: A field guide to the damselflies and dragonflies Dave Smallshire and Andy Swash Europe's Sea Mammals Including the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde: A field guide to the whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals Robert Still, Hugh Harrop, This guide is a marvellous book for both beginners and 'experts' and a complete bargain. ---Erica McAlister, Bulletin of the Amateur Entomological Society

Many of Britain’s native species of ladybirds are suffering serious declines in numbers, thanks to the arrival of the harlequin ladybird. It has been declared the UK’s fastest invading species, after reaching almost every corner of the country in just a decade. It preys on native ladybirds and is believed to have caused the decline of at least seven species, including the popular two-spot ladybird, which – when last assessed in 2012 – had slumped by 44% in numbers. Moths It is probably, however, that it is only a brief respite. Bed bugs are expert survivors and can easily go for a year without feeding, meaning that when travellers eventually return, some very hungry insects are likely to be waiting for them. This view was supported by David Gibbons of the RSPB who agreed that not every investigation about insect numbers revealed a tale of irrevocable decline – though he added that he still believed the overall picture was worrying. “It is hard not to see a link between some of the bird number declines and drops in insect populations we are experiencing. There are very close correlations in many cases. But proving there is a causative link – in establishing the one effect is leading to the other – is much more difficult.” We appear to be making tracts of land inhospitable to most forms of life. If we lose insects, it all collapses He said: “A whole bunch of moth species are spreading northwards in Britain, driven by climate change, and the north is the recipient of that benefit. But the fact that there is a significant decline in overall abundance in the north is very worrying.”We cannot afford to lose them and that’s what makes this issue so urgent and so important,” Leather concluded. “That’s worth keeping in mind as the summer evenings begin – and we see hardly any insects.” Ladybirds No species will be totally immune from all these different factors,” he said. “Even moths living at the top of a Scottish mountain will be impacted by climate change and nitrogen deposition.” Fox said the 22% decline in abundance now recorded in northern Britain over the 50-year-period was “a real concern”. Covering more than 900 species, and illustrated with 4,700 photographs, Europe’s Birds is the most comprehensive, authoritative and ambitious single-volume photographic guide to Europe’s birds ever produced. Easy-to-use, practical...

This book has immediately winged its way onto my ' absolute favourites' book list. It's the only one I will need to take with me on holidays and insect-spotting trips and ganders in the countryside. It really is a superb book, and I must say, a tremendous achievement. Heartily recommended! ---Amanda Williams, Buzz About Bees Stag beetles are probably one of the most famous beetles in the world, known for their fierce looking pincers, dark wing-cases and long legs. You’ve probably seen stag beetles on TV or maybe at a zoo or animal park and they get their name from their distinctive, antler-like mandibles. In Japan, these beetles are often popular pets and can be found in pet shops and even department stores! It might surprise you to learn, then, that these impressive beetles are actually a native UK species. Often seen flying around at dusk in the summer months as they search for a mate, these giant insects prefer warmer temperatures and low rainfall so are most common in the south, but can be found all over the country. The discovery during the pandemic of the bug, which can affect the quality of fruit crops and spoil wine made from grapes where it is prevalent, is a further example of the ability of invasive species to spread rapidly from just a small number of individuals. When not writing, Lotti enjoys watching (and over-analyzing) indie movies with a pint from the local craft brewery or cosplaying at London Comic Con.

True bugs (Hemiptera)

Beyond the realm of historic soft furnishings and museum display cabinets, insect life has had to deal with changes in human behaviour both positive and negative – ranging from the drop in environmental disturbance and pollution caused by millions of Britons working from home to a pause in routine monitoring and the continuation of habitat loss and practices which have already had a devastating effect on pollinators from bees to moths. This is the go-to guide for entomologists, naturalists, gardeners, wildlife photographers and anyone else interested in insects, whatever their level of knowledge. Must-have . . . impressive Britain’s Insects, which really will help you identify almost every insect you are ever likely to come across in the UK. This innovative and carefully designed photographic guide provides a concise introduction to the identification of the 246 birds most likely to be seen in Great Britain and Ireland. It is the perfect book for anyone wanting to put a... The Lobster Moth is an interesting addition to this list because the moth itself is particularly interesting - while being significantly fluffier than a standard house moth, its mottled grey form isn’t going to catch anyone’s eye. The caterpillar, however, is probably the most unusual bug you’re likely to come across in the UK. With a round, alien-like head, a large ‘tail’ and long legs, it looks very similar to the crustacean from which it gets its name. As it matures, it develops “bumps” along its body and darkens, resembling a dead leaf, which makes it quite hard to spot in the wild. These unusual creatures are found all over Europe but in the UK are mostly found in Southern woodlands.

Britain's Day-flying Moths: A Field Guide to the Day-flying Moths of Great Britain and Ireland, Fully Revised and Updated Second Edition David Newland, Robert Still, For each species described though there is a species distribution map, a seasonality chart and a description of size, morphology, and habitat. Where known and relevant food plants are given as well as their conservation status and protection. Importantly, similar species to those included are given - many folks are keen to ID without careful attention and this highlights the need to exhibit caution with species level identifications. I like having the images next to the text . . . . A fabulous photographic guide for both beginners and 'experts' and a complete bargain."—Erica McAlister, Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum Opening up new frontiers in birdwatching, this is the first field guide to focus specifically on the identification of European passerines and related landbirds in flight. Showcasing 850 stunning and remarkably lifelike colour...

The flexible beetle

This, the latest in the WILDGuides series, is a masterful exercise in clarity, clear design and will get you to the right identification of the species you are looking at. . . . A great achievement."—Mark Avery, Mark Avery blog Britain's Habitats: A Field Guide to the Wildlife Habitats of Great Britain and Ireland - Fully Revised and Updated Second Edition Sophie Lake, Durwyn Liley, There is now a lot of correlational evidence to show that when certain insects do badly, very often the birds that feed on them get into trouble as well,” said David Gibbon, of the RSPB. The WILDGuides are among the very best field guides available, offering multi-access identification to relatively small groups (60–150) of organisms, for example butterflies, dragonflies, day flying moths. Larger groups of organisms have been taken on, such as the spiders, where 440 of the 680 species are dealt with, the missing 240 species belonging to the Linyphiidae (the tiny money spiders that require microscopic examination), and birds, where 631 species are dealt with. Challenges indeed, but ones that the WILDGuides take in their stride and deal with exceptionally well. However, when the bar is raised to a group like ‘insects’,readers could be forgiven for wondering if the WILDGuides had taken a step too far.