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Dragons and Damsels
An identification guide to the British and Irish Odonata This is a comprehensive and user-friendly photographic identification guide to all species, sexes and forms of British and Irish dragon- and damselflies, with essential field notes and habitat photographs.
Author: Adrian Riley Publisher: Brambleby Books Year of Publication: 28 March 2020 Format and Pages: Paperback, 250pp, in colour throughout ISBN: 978-1908241641 Retail Price: £22 Our Discount Price: £19.80
Contents Foreword Dr Pam Taylor Acknowledgements Introduction How to use this book Systematic checklist and status of all species recorded in the British Isles Anatomy Chapter One: Species accounts of the resident Damselflies Chapter Two: Identification of the resident Damselflies Chapter Three: Species accounts of the resident Dragonflies Chapter Four: Identification of the resident Dragonflies Chapter Five: Potential colonists Chapter Six: Review of scarce vagrants and extinct residents Appendix I: Map of Vice-counties References and further reading
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In the main, most field guides follow the same pattern, with species accounts laid out in taxonomic sequence. The new guide by Adrian Riley does indeed have two chapters of species accounts covering damselflies and then dragonflies separately. Where this new guide differs, however, is in its approach to the identification of individual insects. Again, damselflies and dragonflies have their own chapters, but within these, species are grouped according to their appearance, with males and females often treated separately due to their differing colours and patterns. This makes sense when you understand that early dragonfly observers actually thought that, for example, male and female Banded Demoiselles were of two different species because they looked so dissimilar. Adrian Riley’s meticulous approach to each species, sex and colour-form throughout the book should leave no-one in doubt of an identification. There is no question at all that this new guide, with its fresh approach, detailed descriptions and clear photographs, will find a place on the bookshelf of many dragonfly watchers and recorders, no matter how experienced. – Dr Pam Taylor, British Dragonfly Society
The unique selling point of this excellent guide is that it is totally geared to making identification as easy as possible. It achieves this through a rather clever layout. The only other book on British and Irish dragonflies and damselflies on my shelf weighs in at 142 pages. Adrian Riley’s is more than 100 pages longer, and that’s a clue. Each species appears at least twice. After an introduction, instructions on how to make best use of the book, a systematic checklist of all species and forms, and a guide to anatomical features needed for identification, the main chapters begin. I have not seen an identification guide quite like this before and I like it very much. I can’t wait to get out and try it. - Richard Harrington, Antenna, RES
… As might be expected from this author and this publisher, the book contains clear descriptions and excellent, relevant photographs, and I would highly recommend it to the general entomologist and the experienced odonatologist alike. - Dafydd Lewis, AES
It's a *great* book! I'm so pleased I ordered a copy. It's going to make ID-ing the dragonflies and damselflies I see a lot easier! Anneliese Emmans Dean, Poet and author
What a beautiful book! - Geoff B., a happy customer ^ Top of Page ^ |
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