This 430 page book covers all the 'macromoths' to be found in the British Isles. Content and images originally posted by Surreybirder
Reviews
Surreybirder's review
I'm writing this as a novice on moths. This is the first book I've bought on moths. I've been very impressed with it. The illustrations by Richard Lewington are up to the high standard that he's set in his various butterfly and dragonfly books. Identifying moths is not a trivial problem, and I cannot pretend that this book makes it easy. But with 1,600 beautiful paintings the book shows many of the colour variations of the different species. The text is concise and helpful. I'd be interested in the views of more experienced 'mothers' but I'd rate it as 5 star.
I've now been trapping moths for some weeks and have had more chance to use the book. I've downgraded it from 9 to 8 for a couple of reasons. First, it doesn't cover one or two of the micros that are most likely to cause problems such as Diurnea fagella. Secondly, it is sometimes confusing when it refers to 'similar species'--for example, some species that look quite similar to me are not referred to as potential pitfalls. I'm sure this latter point wouldn't worry an expert but I've not found the book as good as it could be in this area.
Pros
- excellent illustrations
- concise text
- photos of some larvae
Cons
- Could have had a bit more about how to trap moths and photograph them.
