Need help telling your moths from your butterflies? Want to encourage a wider variety of life in your backyard? Try our expert selected weblinks and books for some top tips.

Weblinks
To help you identify the creatures you find:
The Field Studies Council publishes various guides to terrestrial invertebrates including shield bug, woodlice, house and garden spiders, bugs on bushes, British dragonflies and damselflies, British grasshoppers and allied insects and butterflies and caterpillars. They are not expensive, easy to use in the field and well illustrated.

Minibeasts guide in the garden is a PDF file from English Nature

Butterfly Conservation - includes details all the individual species and information on carrying out more scientific butterfly walks

Walking With Woodlice - features an identification guide from the Natural History Museum

Bumblebees - includes an identification guide from Rothamsted experimental station

The British Dragonfly Society - provides a photographic identification guide, which includes non-native species that occasionally migrate to the UK. As dragonflies are large, they are relatively straightforward to identify and to photograph when they are resting.

National Insect Week 2006 - planned for the week commencing June 19th

A range of societies, groups and organisations exist in the UK that can offer information and support to those with an interest in invertebrates. In addition, a number of larger institutions, charities and Government agencies are involved in work on invertebrates, and their conservation in particular. The following links will be of interest to anyone seeking further information:

Invertebrate interest societies, groups and organisations
Amateur Entomologists’ Society (AES) - The AES seeks to promote the study of insects amongst those with an interest in entomology and natural history in general, especially amateurs and the younger generation.

Ancient Tree Forum (ATF) - The ATF seeks to secure the long term future of ancient trees, which provide valuable habitat for many invertebrates and other wildlife.

Balfour-Browne Club - The Balfour-Browne Club is an international water beetle study group, based in the UK.

Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society (BWARS) - BWARS welcomes anyone of any age or experience with an interest in aculeates (ants, bees, and stinging wasps).

British Arachnological Society (BAS) - The BAS exists to promote the study of arachnids, especially spiders, pseudoscorpions and harvestmen.

British Dragonfly Society (BDS) - The BDS exists to promote and encourage the study and conservation of dragonflies and their natural habitats, especially in the UK.

British Entomological & Natural History Society (BENHS) - The BENHS seeks to promote entomology, with an increasing emphasis on conservation, amongst amateurs, professionals and those interested in other branches of natural history.

British Myriapod & Isopod Group (BMIG) - BMIG aims to promote the study of myriapods (millipedes, centipedes, pauropods and symphylans) and isopods (woodlice).

Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust - Buglife is the first organisation in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates, and is actively engaged in saving Britain's rarest bugs, slugs, snails, bees, wasps, ants, spiders, beetles and many more fascinating invertebrates.

Butterfly Conservation - Butterfly Conservation aims to secure a lasting future for all native butterflies, moths and their habitats within the UK, operating at national level and through a network of local branches.

Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland - The ‘ConcSoc’ promotes the study and conservation of molluscs.

Dipterists’ Forum - The Dipterists’ Forum promotes understanding, appreciation and conservation of British two-winged flies.

Royal Entomological Society (RES) - The RES exists to promote "the improvement and diffusion of entomological science".

Larger institutions, charities and Government agencies
Biological Records Centre (BRC) - The BRC is the national focus in the UK for recording of terrestrial and freshwater species (other than birds), and works closely with the voluntary recording community throughout Britain and Ireland. The BRC database contains nearly 13 million records of more than 12000 species.

Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) - CCW is the Government's statutory adviser on sustaining natural beauty, wildlife and the opportunity for outdoor enjoyment in Wales and its inshore waters.

Defra – Rural Development Service (RDS) - RDS administers a range of schemes and services that support land management, rural businesses and rural communities, of particular interest to farmers and other countryside managers.

English Nature (EN) - EN is the Government agency that champions the conservation of wildlife and geology throughout England.

Environment Agency (EA) - The EA is a Government agency concerned with protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales, particularly in relation to rivers, flooding, and pollution.

Environment & Heritage Service (EHS, Northern Ireland) - EHS takes the lead in advising on, and in implementing, the Government's environmental policy and strategy, to protect and conserve Northern Ireland’s natural heritage and built environment.

Forestry Commission - The Forestry Commission is the Government department responsible for forestry policy throughout Great Britain, and seeks to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment.

Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) - The JNCC is the UK Government's wildlife adviser, undertaking national and international conservation work on behalf of EN, SNH and CCW.

National Trust for England, Wales & Northern Ireland - The National Trust works to preserve and protect the coastline, countryside and buildings of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Natural History Museum (NHM) - The NHM Entomology Department’s collection of insects and other terrestrial arthropods comprises about 28 million specimens, and is the most comprehensive in the world.

Royal Museum of Scotland - The Royal Museum houses international collections of Decorative Arts, Science and Industry, Archaeology and the Natural World.

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) - The RSPB is involved in the conservation of wildlife as a whole, not just birds.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) - SNH is the Government agency which works to secure the conservation and enhancement of Scotland's unique and precious natural heritage: wildlife, habitats and landscapes.

The Wildlife Trusts - Through a network of local Wildlife Trusts, and a junior branch (Wildlife Watch), the Wildlife Trusts partnership works with local communities to protect wildlife in all habitats across the UK, in towns, countryside, wetlands and seas

Books
Life in the Undergrowth
David Attenborough, BBC Books

Minibeasts: An identification Guide
Peter Smithers, illustrated and published by John Walters

Butterflies and Moths of Britain and Europe
Helga Hofmann and Thomas Marktanner, Collins Nature Guides

Britain's Dragonflies
Dave Smallshire and Andy Swash, WildGuides

Field Guide to the Bumblebees of Great Britain and Ireland
Mike Edwards and Martin Jenner, Ocelli Limited

Spiders of Britain and Northern Europe
Michael J Roberts, Collins Field Guide

Collins Complete British Insects
Michael Chinery, Collins Guide

Collins Gem Guides Including:
Insects by Michael Chinery
Butterflies by Michael Chinery
Spiders by Paul Hillyard

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Content last updated: 17/10/2005

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