This Naturalists' Handbook book covers the natural history, biology and identification of the hoverfly. It will enable anyone to identify the most common hoverflies of the British Isles, providing practical guidance for methods of identification, advice on techniques and approaches to research for those wishing to plan an investigation or seeking advice on how to carry it out. The text is accompanied by clear and detailed illustrations, and references, further reading and useful addresses are included. It is a comprehensive, user-friendly resource for students, professionals, or anyone with an interest in the natural history of the hoverfly. Hoverflies are attractive, conspicuous and lively insects often seen visiting flowers. Their larvae are colourful but usually well hidden, emerging at night at feed on aphids or greenfly. They play a significant part in the biological control of crop pests. This book introduces the natural history of hoverflies with a thumbnail sketch of 42 of the species most likely to be found. It describes the biology and behaviour of the larvae, with their wide range of different diets, and discusses the tiny wasps that may parasitise them. In the adults, particular attention is paid to courtship behaviour and egg-laying, as well as flower-feeding. Selected species can be matched against the colour pictures, and their identification confirmed by a short list of critical characters. This book is a digital reprint of ISBN 0-85546-255-8 (1993). Naturalists' Handbooks encourage and enable those interested in natural history to undertake field study, make accurate identifications and to make original contributions to research.

'Britain's Hoverflies' is an illustrated photographic field guide to all the genera of hoverflies found in Britain, focusing on the species most likely to be identified. The book also contains distribution maps, phenology charts, and introductory chapters that examine hoverfly biology.

When the original edition of British Hoverflies was published in 1983, it established a popular style of user-friendly identification keys that resulted in many more people taking an interest in these colourful and attractive insects. This second edition retains the layout and approach of the original but it also includes much additional information about the family as a whole, as well as extended and revised species accounts. Revised by Stuart Ball, Alan Stubbs, Ian McLean, Roger Morris, Steven Falk and Roger Hawkins, the new edition includes all 276 species known from Britain, compared with 256 in the first edition. The keys and text have been updated extensively to take account of our increased knowledge of hoverflies, and some species from continental Europe that might be expected to occur here are described in the keys and species accounts. The second edition comprises 469 pages, including the 12 widely-acclaimed, original colour plates by Steven Falk, as well as 17 new detailed black and white plates of Cheilosia genitalia (by Steven Falk) and Sphaerophoria genitalia (by Stuart Ball).The summaries of the distribution of species and their flight periods have been updated following the publication of the Provisional Atlas of British Hoverflies in 2000. A check list of all British species gives the current nomenclature for the family, while a bibliography of over 800 references facilitates access to much of the published literature on hoverflies. This new edition will appeal both to experienced dipterists and to those starting to study flies for the first time.

"Covers all 416 species of flower flies that occur north of Tennessee and east of the Dakotas, including the high Arctic and Greenland"--Page [4] of cover.

Updated edition with revisions to the text. Identifies thehoverflies of Northwest Europe and incorporates the knowledge thathas been published in many articles over past decades. The bookcovers 500 species - nearly two thirds of the known Europeansyrphid fauna. The main body of the book consists of dichotomouskeys to all the hoverfly species found in the region, richlyillustrated with drawings that show details as well as wholeflies.

A Nature Book of the Year (The Times (UK)) “The hoverflies are only props. No, not only, but to some extent. Here and there, my story is about something else.” A mesmerizing memoir of extraordinary brilliance by an entomologist, The Fly Trap chronicles Fredrik Sjöberg’s life collecting hoverflies on a remote island in Sweden. Warm and humorous, self-deprecating and contemplative, and a major best seller in its native country, The Fly Trap is a meditation on the unexpected beauty of small things and an exploration of the history of entomology itself. What drives the obsessive curiosity of collectors to catalog their finds? What is the importance of the hoverfly? As confounded by his unusual vocation as anyone, Sjöberg reflects on a range of ideas—the passage of time, art, lost loves—drawing on sources as disparate as D. H. Lawrence and the fascinating and nearly forgotten naturalist René Edmond Malaise. From the wilderness of Kamchatka to the loneliness of the Swedish isle he calls home, Sjöberg revels in the wonder of the natural world and leaves behind a trail of memorable images and stories.

The Atlas of the Hoverflies of Greece is the first of a kind within the Mediterranean region. It is the result of decades of research, many travels into the fascinating habitats of Greece (a biodiversity hotspot), visits to world museums, and many people’s passion for hoverflies. The Atlas is a concise presentation of all 418 hoverfly species for Greece known so far. The species are documented with photos and distribution GIS-maps and they are preceded by a general introduction on the hoverflies and Greek nature, and a generic key. The Atlas of the Hoverflies of Greece is a handbook for insect aficionados, students and teachers, everyone interested in nature, and managers and conservationists aiming at raising public awareness of a nature nowadays threatened more than ever.

A fully revised and updated edition of the bestselling photographic guide Hoverflies of Britain and Ireland is a beautifully illustrated photographic field guide to this increasingly popular group of insects, focusing on the species that can be most readily identified. It is the perfect companion for wildlife enthusiasts, professional ecologists and anyone with an interest in this fascinating group of insects, and is designed to appeal to beginners and experts alike. This updated third edition covers 13 additional species and offers a host of improvements to aid reliable identification. Accessible, authoritative and easy-to-use, this book features an essential guide to hoverfly tribes and presents hundreds of remarkable photographs of hoverflies in their various life stages, including images of at least one representative from each of the British and Irish genera. The species included are mainly those that can be identified by eye or using a magnifying glass. Individual species accounts highlight key identification features, provide information on behaviour and habitat requirements, status, population trend and flight-period, and include an up-to-date distribution map covering Britain and Ireland. Sections on hoverfly biology, where and when to find hoverflies, legislation and conservation, recording, putting data to good use and gardening for hoverflies are also included. Features 1,048 stunning photographs, 400 more than in the previous edition Provides detailed information on 177 species, including at least one from each of the 69 genera recorded Updated taxonomy, nomenclature and information on status and population trends Includes a complete list of the 285 species recorded to date, with an indication of how difficult each is to identify in the field and from photographs

Britain's Hoverflies is a beautifully illustrated photographic field guide to the hoverflies of Britain, focusing on the species that can be most readily identified. It is the perfect companion for wildlife enthusiasts, professional ecologists and anyone else with an interest in this fascinating group of insects, and is designed to appeal to beginners and experts alike. Accessible, authoritative and easy to use, this book contains hundreds of remarkable photographs of the various life stages of those species that can be identified by eye or with a magnifying glass, with coverage of at least one representative from each of the British genera. It also features an essential guide to the hoverfly tribes. Detailed species accounts summarize the species' status, highlight the key identification features, provide notes on behaviour and habitat requirements and include flight-period charts and up-to-date distribution maps. Sections on hoverfly biology, where and when to look for hoverflies, legislation and conservation, photographing hoverflies, recording hoverflies and gardening for hoverflies are also included. This fully revised and updated second edition: Features more than 650 stunning colour photographs Provides detailed information for the 167 species that can be most readily identified, including at least one species from each of the 68 genera recorded in Britain Includes a complete list of the 283 hoverfly species recorded in Britain to date, with an indication of how difficult each is to identify