BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK)

Waring P, Townsend M, Lewington R., 2003

Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland

A field-guide to macromoths, in similar format to the Dragonflies volume from the same publisher.

The species accounts cover field characters, similar species, flight season, life cycle, larval foodplants, habitus, status and distribution. The familes are colour-coded (with a colour flash on the page margin). The plates are grouped by family and cross-referenced back to the species account. (I'm not sure this really works, and it takes a while to get used to the position of the page numbers on the colour flashes). Genitalia drawings are included where necessary.

A major feature is Richard Lewington's beautiful paintings of the moths. For variable species, several forms are shown united by lines running from the English name. The moths are presented in their resting positions which makes the present work a handy companion to Skinner's work with its photographs of set specimens.

Since the moths are illustrated in their natural poses, the guide is particularly accessible to the beginner. For the more experienced mother the uptodate and authoritative text will be more significant.

This very useful fieldguide is smaller and thicker than Skinner's work, so more convenient to carry in the field.

Malcolm Storey

Taxonomic Scope