British and Irish Butterflies

Adrian Riley

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The Complete Identification, Field & Site Guide to Butterflies of the British Isles is the definitive reference for enthusiasts and experts alike.

It covers every adult species, subspecies, and form, combining scientific input with practical guidance:

Accurate identification – Clear descriptions of distinguishing features and behaviour.
Where to find them – Field notes and OS grid references for locating butterflies in their natural habitats.
Superb photography – Full-colour images of live specimens representing every taxon.
Ecology & behaviour – Insights into flight patterns, roosting, and territorial displays.
Supporting resources – Habitat overviews, phenological tables, food plant lists, and references to key scientific literature.

Written by a leading lepidopterist, it’s an essential companion for anyone who loves butterflies.

Publication date: 5 December, 2007

Category: Insects

Paperback

RRP: £25

ISBN: 978-0955392801

Extent: 352 pages

Reviews

This is the best and most interesting butterfly book I have read for a while covering not only the main species but also sub species, the places and times where and when they fly, ample accurate photographs of the detail upper and under sides of wings to aid identification and actual sites with directions.

Dr. P. J. Llewellyn

I consider this to be one of the great works of the decade in its field, and am sure it will be considered a reference work for many years to come alongside the works of Frohawk, South and Ford.

UK Butterflies

This work represents the publication of the life work of the author and, perhaps surprisingly, is the first time that all 59 breeding British and Irish species and their subspecies have been collated into one invaluable field guide. This book can be thoroughly recommended to a diverse audience, from the amateur lepidopterist to the professional ecologist.

The Biologist

Adrian Riley has compiled a great butterfly guide here, treating them at subspecies level in detail.

RSPB

Adrian Riley

Adrian Riley was born in Birmingham, grew up in Shropshire, and spent much of his working life at Rothamsted, the agricultural research station in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, where he pursued a professional career in entomology. On retiring early in 2000, he turned his energies to ornithology, more especially birding. In 2002, …

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