Moths of Great Britain and Ireland
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In the early Eighties, how we struggled with our little two-volume, updated Edwardian book by South. When the Colour Identification Guide by Skinner came out, we gloried in the fine new photographic plates.
But these titles all illustrated set specimens and our world had moved on from the Victorian practice of mounting insects with pins. What we wanted was a book showing live moths. In 2003, the Waring guide was published with Richard Lewington’s fine illustrations of moths in natural positions. But couldn’t we have a book with both live and set moths? Well here it is.
The main bulk of the book is made up of individual texts for all 874 species. Each is accompanied by a photo of a live moth. Variable species often have a second photo, with caterpillars occasionally included. The photos are generally of a high standard, and the text informative and very up to date.
Comparative identification is aided by the inclusion of 60 colour plates of set specimens. These are of a high quality but look very cramped, and the text below is rather on the small side.
This book follows the model of similar volumes produced for Denmark and Sweden. Reflecting this European pedigree we find our familiar Bradley and Fletcher order has been replaced by the latest European thinking. The result is that, although this may show the relationships far more correctly, it will leave most British moth-ers rushing to the index every time. Some of the changes will take quite some getting used to, particularly thinking of the footmen as noctuids!
I do have reservations with this book as a field guide. The set plates are just too confusing. In the field, I think the concise version of Waring is a more practical bet, as well as much lighter to carry about. It would also not be my recommendation as a first moth book. I still think that the full version of Waring’s field guide is more user friendly for the novice.
However, I think this book is a superb achievement, and every moth-er will want to own a copy as it is a mine of useful information and has a wonderful collection of photographs. I imagine my copy will be well used.
But these titles all illustrated set specimens and our world had moved on from the Victorian practice of mounting insects with pins. What we wanted was a book showing live moths. In 2003, the Waring guide was published with Richard Lewington’s fine illustrations of moths in natural positions. But couldn’t we have a book with both live and set moths? Well here it is.
The main bulk of the book is made up of individual texts for all 874 species. Each is accompanied by a photo of a live moth. Variable species often have a second photo, with caterpillars occasionally included. The photos are generally of a high standard, and the text informative and very up to date.
Comparative identification is aided by the inclusion of 60 colour plates of set specimens. These are of a high quality but look very cramped, and the text below is rather on the small side.
This book follows the model of similar volumes produced for Denmark and Sweden. Reflecting this European pedigree we find our familiar Bradley and Fletcher order has been replaced by the latest European thinking. The result is that, although this may show the relationships far more correctly, it will leave most British moth-ers rushing to the index every time. Some of the changes will take quite some getting used to, particularly thinking of the footmen as noctuids!
I do have reservations with this book as a field guide. The set plates are just too confusing. In the field, I think the concise version of Waring is a more practical bet, as well as much lighter to carry about. It would also not be my recommendation as a first moth book. I still think that the full version of Waring’s field guide is more user friendly for the novice.
However, I think this book is a superb achievement, and every moth-er will want to own a copy as it is a mine of useful information and has a wonderful collection of photographs. I imagine my copy will be well used.
- Moths of Great Britain and Ireland by Sean Clancy, Morten Top-Jensen and Michael Fibiger (BugBook Publishing, Østermarie, Denmark, 2012).
- 640 pages, 60 colour plates, 1,200 colour photos, 1 black-and-white illustration.
- ISBN 9788799351244. Pbk, £54
