References: Field Guide to the Insects of Britain and Northe

For thirty odd years one of the most popular field guides to insects of Britain. No field guide for insects can hope to cover more than a fraction of those found in these islands, but those most frequently encountered are to be found within this book.

Chinery, M. 1976. Field Guide to the Insects of Britain and Northern Europe. 2nd Edition. London. William Collins Sons & Co Ltd. London. ISBN 0 00 219216 0

Each insect covered is represented on a colour plate and shown as a 'specimen', i.e. as if it were collected and pinned rather than in the context of its natural surroundings. However, the illustrations are of high quality and accuracy. The format of the text follows the taxonomic classification of the insects and, while quite academic, still manages to be informative to the lay person.

Never forget that taxonomic classification is in a continuous state of flux; many classifications, even species names, quickly become out of date, so if you are buying a book like this, look at the date it was last revised.

Reference: Field guides

Field Guide to the Insects of Britain and Northern Europe