Dragonflies are increasing in popularity because they are colourful and fascinating to watch in flight over water. Their conservation in the British countryside has become a matter of concern. This book provides an introduction for those who wish to learn more about them, and will enable readers to undertake investigations of their own. ......
The assemblage of animals living in sandy shores is richer than it might first appear, and it offers wonderful opportunities for ecological explanation without the need for expensive equipment. This book introduces the natural history of the community and provides keys that will enable readers to name the animals they find. It provides practical ......
The bogland habitat, which is often threatened by peat extraction, has very great natural history value. As well as the better-known plants, dragonflies and birds, it supports a unique community of microscopic animals and plants inhabiting the leaves and crevices of Sphagnum, the moss that dominates bog vegetation. Under the microscope, a drop of ......
Most of us have noticed galls as bizarre and often colourful distortions of plant growth, and wondered what goes on inside them. The drama enacted within a single gall may involve many species of insects and mites. Their interrelationships are intricate and their identification has been challenging. The communities of insects and mites associated ......
This book introduces the insects on brassicas and their natural history, and shows how much remains to be discovered about even the commoner species. Until now, critical identification of brassica insects has been a task for experts, because it required specialist training and an extensive library. We hope that this book will help readers to name ......
Farmers and gardeners are familiar with the community of insects on cabbages and related plants, but until now few people have appreciated its fascination. It forms an excellent topic for the investigation of a range of ecological interactions, and it holds extra interest becasue of its potential importance for man. If we are to minimise the ......
Lichens make excellent material for field studies throughout the year and are valuable for the detection and mapping of pollution. This book provides an overview of the value of lichens for monitoring a range of potentially harmful substances including sulphur dioxide, fluorides, PCBs, metals and radioactive elements. In each section background ......
Microclimate is the very local climate close to the ground or another surface. The microclimate around a plant is particularly complex and interesting, and an insect sitting on a leaf may be inhabiting a weather system completely different from the weather outside. An understanding of the microclimate around plants enables us to interpret the ......
Stinging nettles harbour a characteristic community of insects that are widespread, abundant, and rewarding to study. This book describes the natural history of the insects in that community, and describes the way they coexist using different parts of a stinging nettle plant. It discusses the feeding habits of herbivores and predatory insects, and ......
