4 out of 5 stars

A copy of this was provided free of charge from the publisher in return for an honest review.

Whilst I had always known about moths, I had never really taken the time to look at them as a group of insects. Since reading Much Ado about Mothing, which was published earlier this year I have been keeping my eyes peeled for moths around the home and garden. We have had a few and a friend and neighbour occasionally have a moth trap running so I have been round to see what they have attracted in the morning.

Given that there are around 2500 different species, it amazes me that so many of them have very different and individual names. There are some fantastic names too, including, Nut Tree Tussock, Scalloped Hazel, Frosted Orange and Feathered Thorn. I tended to think of butterflies having all the glamour, but looking at some of the photos in here, there are some equally beautiful moths, including, Waved Umber, Clouded Border, Brindled green and Scare Silver Lines.

In lots of ways, this is not an easy book to review, because it is not a book that you would generally read from cover to cover. That said what James Lowen has produced here is a first-class beginners guide book to British moths that you will be most like to find if using a moth trap. The photos are first class, and the information that accompanies each moth is full of useful details, such as when you are most likely to see one, the area of the country and any specific habitats that they are most likely to be found in. It must be remembered that this is a gateway guide and does not have every species in. If you are after more comprehensive books, he has even listed them in the back along with other resources for moth addiction…

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