Hoopoe – A blog by nhbs – Page 39 – The NHBS Conservation Hub

Climate Challenges: What is COP26 and Why is it Important?

In the lead up to COP26 in November of this year, we are writing a series of articles looking at some of the toughest global climate crisis challenges that we are currently facing. But what exactly is COP26?

COP26 is the 26th annual summit of the United Nations climate change conference, taking place in Glasgow from 31st October to 12th November 2021. The Conference of Parties, known as COP, is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its implementation. The UNFCCC is an international treaty acknowledging the existence of anthropogenic climate change and provides the framework for climate change negotiations.

Over 190 world leaders, along with thousands of government representatives, businesses, negotiators and citizens, will convene in Glasgow, Scotland, to update plans for reducing emissions. During these summits, countries set out Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to commit how much they will reduce their emissions. COP26 was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year there will be updated plans for the global reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Suggested to be one of the most important climate crisis summits ever, COP26 must be divisive to limit global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels ahead of the approaching 2030.

The history

The convention began in 1992 during the ‘Earth Summit’ in Rio de Janeiro. The UNFCCC treaty was adopted two years later and has been ratified by 197 countries. The COP began meeting each year from 1995, to review the implementation of the UNFCCC and amend commitments and targets. This will be the first time the UK has hosted the COP.

In 2010, countries committed to limit the global average temperature increase to a threshold of 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels by signing the Cancun Agreements. Further research and several reports from sources such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showed that to avoid extreme impacts of climate change, the target should be 1.5°C. Thus, the Paris Agreement was created and entered into force in 2016. In 2018, the IPCC released its Special Report of Global Warming of 1.5°C, bringing together the findings of multiple climate scientists to present the steps needed to maintain global average temperature rise below 1.5°C.

The adoption of the Paris Agreement by UNclimatechange via Flickr

What does ‘1.5°C’ mean?

The 1.5°C pledge is the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to below 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels, with an upper limit of 2°C. This is an increase in the Earth’s average temperature, measured from a baseline average temperature between the mid-to-late nineteenth century, during the Industrial Revolution. The impacts of higher temperatures are already being felt, but it is thought that an increase above 1.5°C will be the tipping point for many natural systems.

An increase above 2°C could lead to:

Severe heatwaves at least every five years for around 1.7 billion more people
Several hundred million extra people exposed to poverty and other climate-related risks
An average sea rise of another 10cm
It could also cause coral reefs to decline as much as 99%
A decline in global fishery catches by another 1.5 million tonnes
18% of insect species could be lost, along with 16% of plants and 8% of vertebrates
More erratic rainfall, with more intense rain on days it does fall, leading to up to 79 million people being exposed to the risk of flooding
Water stress will increase, with more frequent and longer droughts. Certain countries will see a significant drop in groundwater, and therefore a drop in productivity in crop and livestock farming
There may be an expansion in the range of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, increasing malaria transmission by 120%

Lake Mead at 39% of its full capacity in April 2021, a drop of 5% compared to April 2020. This body of water supplies 25 million people across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Mexico. Image by Felton Davis via Flickr.

The process

There is a long road to COP26, which started in December 2020 with the Climate Ambition Summit, co-hosted by the UN, UK and France. 75 world leaders announced new commitments. The next stage was the Climate & Development Ministerial in March 2021, where the challenges and priorities of implementing the Paris Climate Agreement were discussed.

In April 2021, the Leaders Summit on Climate took place with 40 world leaders, convened by President Biden. Ambitious commitments were made by the US and Japan to reduce emissions by 2030. All members of the G7 were committed to net-zero by 2050.

In May and June 2021, five events took place:

Petersberg Climate Dialogue,
P4G Seoul Summit,
12th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) – 6th Mission Innovation Ministerial,
the UN Climate Change Conference – Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies,
and the G7 Leaders Summit.

These all involved working to accelerate negotiation progress, developing public-private partnerships, promoting policies, and uniting leading democracies, to promote a greener future ahead of COP26.

Between July 26th and 6th August, the Fifty-Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-54) and Working Group 1 Assessment Report 6 Approval Plenary takes place, providing key inputs from the Sixth Assessment Report into the negotiations at COP26.

In September 2021, four events will occur:

76th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA)
Climate Week NYC
Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition
Pre-COP26

These involve the discussion of the challenges of recovering from COVID-19, a chance to showcase climate action, and allowing 400 young people (between 18-29) to discuss negotiations. The Pre-COP26 is mainly a preparatory meeting, involving the discussion of key political aspects of COP26 negotiations, and a chance to find solutions for any outstanding issues.

During October 2021, there will be:

UN Biodiversity Conference,
Global Investment Summit: Building A Green Future Together,
World Bank Group/International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings,
G20 Leaders’ Summit.

These final events discuss the action needed to reverse biodiversity loss, the investment opportunities of net-zero across the UK, and the representation of shareholders on the world economic outlook and other issues. Finally, shared challenges between G20 countries are addressed, focusing on recovering from the pandemic and addressing climate change.

COP26 begins immediately after the conclusion of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November.

The G7 Leaders’ Summit 2021 by madison.beer via Flickr

General goals:

The general goals of COP26 are to:

Secure global net-zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach
Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
Mobilise finance
Work together to deliver

To achieve these, countries must quickly phase out coal, reduce deforestation, increase the speed of the switch to electric vehicles, and encourage investment in renewables. To adapt better, counties must protect and restore their ecosystems, and increase defences, resilient infrastructure and effective warning systems to avoid loss of lives, homes and livelihoods. Developed countries must mobilise at least $100bn (£71.7bn) in climate finances per year, with international financial institutions playing their part. Finally, the Paris Rulebook (a set of rules to make the Paris Agreement operational) must be finalised and there must be an acceleration in action to tackle the climate crisis, especially through the collaboration of governments, civil society and businesses.

UK goals

The UK government announced in November 2020 a £12billion government investment towards a 10 point plan:

Advancing offshore wind
Driving the growth of low carbon hydrogen
Delivering new and advanced nuclear power
Accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles
Green public transport, cycling and walking
‘Jet zero’ and green ships
Greener buildings
Investing in carbon capture, usage and storage
Protecting our natural environment
Green finance and innovation

There are some success stories in the UK’s fight against climate change, with emissions down 49% since 1990, with the strongest record in reducing emissions over the last decade in the G20. We are the world leaders in offshore wind energy, with the power sector only accounting for 13% of all territorial emissions within the UK. Our Climate Change Act of 2008 was the first of its kind.

There has been little progress in cutting emissions outside of the energy sectors, however, stifling our process to achieving the ambitious targets of a 78% reduction by 2035. Further plans, such as airport and road expansions and new oil and gas exploration within the North Sea, undermine the UK’s position as one of the leaders in the fight against climate change.

One key pledge is to protect 30% of the UK for nature by 2030. When it comes to the number of species that have been lost, the UK ranks bottom among the G7 countries and is in the lowest 12% of 240 countries and territories. In 2019, it was reported that 41% of species within the UK were in decline and it is estimated that only 5% of the land is considered healthy habitat.

Summary

COP26 is a summit of the United Nations climate change conference, responsible for monitoring and reviewing the UNFCCC and its implementation.
The aim is to limit the increase in global average temperatures to below 1.5°C (with an upper limit of 2°C)
The road to COP26 involves 17 summits, conferences, and meetings over 11 months, leading up to the COP26 event hosted by the UK in November
The UK government has made advances and big promises to tackle climate change, but certain plans are undermining their efforts and may be setting the wrong example ahead of COP26.

Useful resources:

Hayhow D. B., et al., 2019. The State of Nature 2019. The State of Nature partnership.

RSPB. Biodiversity Loss: The UK’s global rank for levels of biodiversity. Retrieved from: https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/projects/48398rspb-biodivesity-intactness-index-summary-report-v5-1-1.pdf

HM Government, 2020. The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. Retrieved from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/936567/10_POINT_PLAN_BOOKLET.pdf

Stroud, D. A., et al., 2021. International Treaties in Nature Conservation: A UK Perspective. Biodiversity Press

The official website of COP26: ukcop26.org

The NHBS Guide to Snorkelling

Snorkelling is a great summer pastime and a brilliant way to experience many amazing species that inhabit our oceans. The inshore coastal environment is incredibly diverse and full of life, so there’s a chance you might see something different every time you snorkel! Depending on when and where you swim, you may even be able to see some creatures you recognise from rock pooling and learn how they behave when the tide is in.

Planning a trip

When planning a snorkelling trip, there are several important factors to consider. Firstly, it is important to familiarise yourself with the area you plan to snorkel in. To ensure your safety, make sure that there is constant, safe access to and from the sea, and that the water is clean enough to swim in. An understanding of potentially harmful species you might come across is also important. For instance, blue-green algae (which is actually a type of bacteria) can lead to illnesses in humans, and others, such as the Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis), have very painful stings that could ruin your trip.

A big factor to take into account is the weather. Rain, wind and cold weather can all impact the quality of your snorkelling trip. From reducing visibility to causing dangerous conditions, the weather should always be taken seriously. Plan to snorkel on a warm, clear, calm day and make sure to continuously monitor the weather during your swim. Be careful not to swim at midday on a hot day either, if you are particularly sensitive to the sun.

Checking the water temperature is important, as it allows you to plan what you’ll need to wear and how long you should be in the water. You should aim to limit your exposure to colder water as it can lead to cold water shock and hypothermia.

Finally, the tide. It is best to swim as close to high tide or low tide as you can. Swimming in a changing tide can be tiring and can reduce the clarity of the water. High tide often offers the clearest water and allows snorkelling access to areas previously too shallow to swim in. It can also be safer in some areas: the increased volume of water could allow for greater space between you and any sharp rocks or reefs on the sea bed. This does mean that it may be too deep in other areas to clearly see the seafloor, so you might have to repeatedly dive down. Also, after high tide, the tide will begin to go out. This can be dangerous for swimmers, especially for those in areas with strong tidal currents, as you can be dragged further out to sea.

At low tide, you can snorkel further offshore, meaning you may see more species. However, certain areas closer to shore may be too shallow for safe snorkelling. The current will be in-bound after low tide, so you won’t be pulled out to sea, but you may be pushed into dangerous inshore areas. It is best to research the currents and coastal geography of the area before beginning your trip!

Check out our collection of tide times guides, as well as a few of our snorkelling guides.

Equipment and method

There are several key pieces of equipment needed for snorkelling and a few extras that can be useful. A snorkel and mask are obvious, but a pair of fins can help you swim for longer without tiring. They can also be helpful in stronger or unexpected currents. A wetsuit or rash vest is advisable for colder water temperatures, as are wetsuit shoes, gloves, and hats to help to keep you warm and protected in the water. A life jacket is a vital piece of gear to keep you afloat if you find yourself in danger or too tired to keep swimming.

Other equipment that you may want to bring are an underwater camera or a waterproof case for a phone. Dive slates or waterproof notebooks will help you keep track of everything you have seen.

To minimise disturbance while snorkelling, keep your distance from any animal you see and make sure not to step on or touch anything on the sea bed, as this habitat can be fragile. When diving down, be careful how you swim and return to the surface; kicking too hard can disturb any sediment below, reducing water clarity. This isn’t great for you as it can limit what you’ll be able to see, but it can also impact marine life, particularly corals and seaweed, as it reduces the amount of light that reaches them.

What could you see?

Spider Crab (Maja squinado)

Velvet Swimming Crab (Necora puber)

Common Lobster (Homarus gammarus)

Candy Striped Flatworm (Prostheceraeus vittatus)

Spiny Starfish (Marthasterias glacialis)

Lesser-Spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula)

Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)

Greater Pipefish (Syngnathus acus)

European Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)

Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)

Common Eelgrass (Zostera marina)

Oarweed (Laminaria digitata)

The NHBS Guide to Beachcombing

Beachcombing involves searching along the shoreline for interesting, valuable or usable objects. It’s not a new activity; the first use of this word in print was in 1840! Originally the intention of beachcombing was to find and sell objects of value washed up on the coast. Now, it is more of a recreational activity and there is a long list of natural and manmade curiosities that can be found.

Beachcombing is a simple activity that you can do anytime you are at the beach. The best approach is to find the tideline, usually indicated by a ‘line’ of washed-up material such as seaweed. It is best to check the tide times and visit at low tide. Many people also recommend visiting after a storm, as the stronger waves may have washed up more items.

There are several equipment options that may be useful to take with you, including a hand lens, specimen pots, and a camera. You should also bring a bag for any items or litter you collect, as well as gloves and hand sanitiser, plus wear weather-appropriate clothing and sensible shoes. A guidebook to help identify the items you may find would be helpful.

What could you find?

Natural

Mermaid’s purse

Lesser-spotted catshark egg case by Martyn Fletcher via Flickr

These are the egg cases of sharks, skates, and rays (class Chondrichthyes). They can often be found along the tideline tangled in the seaweed. They come in many different shapes, sizes and colours, depending on the species. Not all Chondrichthyans lay these egg cases, as some give birth to live young. Those that do lay eggs often do so on the seafloor to hide them from predators and to keep them from floating away until they’ve hatched. The exact species can be hard to identify, but there is an online guide that may be useful.

Marine worm tubes

Keel worm tubes by Kevin Walsh via Flickr

Several species of marine worms form calcareous tube structures on rocks, pebbles and shells. These tubes are white, irregularly curved and are a triangular shape when first made. Over time, they can become eroded to two thin white lines. They’re common across our coasts, but rarer finds are objects covered in hundreds of these tubes.

By-the-wind Sailor (Velella velella)

By-the-wind sailor by Philip McErlean via Flickr

This species may look like a jellyfish but it’s actually a hydrozoa. It is known by many names, such as sea raft, purple sail, or little sail. This species is often mistaken for the Portuguese man o’war, but its sting is much less painful to humans. Often spotted around the UK coastline, particularly after a storm, the by-the-wind sailor can be an interesting sight while beachcombing.

Common Whelk eggs (Buccinum undatum)

Common whelk eggs by Les Chatfield via Flickr

The common whelk is a large marine gastropod found along the shore of the UK. The empty egg cases, formed in a ball, can often be found washed up on beaches during the summer. They have several colloquial names, including sea wash balls, egg clouds and fisherman’s soap.

Fossils

Fossil on beach by Matthew Anderson via Flickr

Fossils are physical records of history and one of the main attractions for many beachcombers. Very simply, fossils are formed when organisms are buried in sediment, and as this sediment becomes compacted by heat or pressure, it turns to rock, leaving behind the exact shape or an impression of an organism.

Shark tooth fossil by Virginia State Park via Flickr

There are several beaches, such as Charmouth in Dorset, where fossils are more likely to be seen, but they can be found on any shoreline. There are several guides on how to safely and sustainably search for fossils. The main guidance is to never hammer at cliffs (as they can be unstable), be careful around fragile habitats, and limit the amount of damage you do when extracting fossils. It is better to leave a fossil uncollected than to destroy the area it is held in.

Seashells

Seashells are the hard, protective outer layer of marine invertebrate species. Empty shells often wash up on beaches and shells from molluscs, barnacles, sea urchins, and crabs can all be found on the shoreline. As they are primarily made from calcium carbonate, seashells can be used in the production of lime. They’re also used in art, as poultry feed, musical instruments, and play a part in religion and spirituality. Throughout history, they’ve been used as decorative items, tools and currency.

Cuttlebone

Cuttlefish bone by Anna Gardiner via Flickr

Also known as a cuttlefish bone, the cuttlebone is a hard and brittle structure that forms an internal shell in all cuttlefish (order Sepiida). They can be found along the coast and have several historical uses. They were ground up to make polishing powder, which was used by goldsmiths and added to toothpaste. Cuttlefish bones were also used as an antacid. Today, they are more commonly used as a dietary supplement for pets such as birds, reptiles and shrimp, as they are rich in calcium.

Manmade

Sadly, you may also find a huge variety of manmade items on the beach. While beautifully painted tiles, sparkling sea glass and ancient treasures may be a highlight of your beachcombing trip, you are far more likely to see washed up fishing gear and plastic.

Fishing gear

Dumped fishing gear, both intentionally and accidentally, is thought to be the biggest contributor to marine litter. One study found that 70% of macroplastics on the surface of the ocean was related to fishing. Another study found that 86% of the macroplastic in the great Pacific garbage patch was fishing nets. These often also wash up on our beaches, tangled together with many different manmade and natural items, and even wildlife.

Other plastics

Beaches can be covered in plastic, particularly after a storm. This is especially true if there is no action plan in place for keeping the beach clean. There are many volunteer groups you can join, or you can organise one yourself, that complete beach cleans. While beachcombing, bringing a bucket or bag with you to collect any plastic or litter is a great way to help your local environment and community.

Q&A with Lynx Edicions

Lynx Edicions is a Barcelona-based publishing house, originally founded in 1989 to create the Handbook of the Birds of the World series. They are known for their fantastic ornithology titles, alongside a varied collection of general natural history. They have published over 150 titles, including field guides and bird checklists, and continually produce exciting works, such as their most recent publication Seabirds: The New Identification Guide, a full, 600-page treatment of all known seabird species.

Lynx Edicions are our Publisher of the Month for August and have taken the time to answer some questions about their background, motivations, and current major project.

Could you please tell us a little bit about Lynx Edicions and your mission as a publishing house?

Lynx Edicions is a publishing house committed to providing high-quality ornithology and natural history books. It was founded to create the 17-volume Handbook of the Birds of the World series, the first work ever to illustrate and describe in-depth each member of an entire Class of the Animal Kingdom: Class Aves. We then applied the same detailed treatment to Class Mammalia with the Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Our work has not stopped there, but rather it has grown from this strong foundation. Furthermore, we are proud to collaborate with many different organizations and professionals to publish a wide range of titles devoted to promoting understanding and appreciation of ornithology and nature, as well as its conservation.

What inspired you to create your flagship publication, the Handbook of the Birds of the World?

In 1980, Lynx Co-founder Josep del Hoyo took a 13-month trip to Africa to explore the wildlife with a special focus on birds. In preparation for the trip, he purchased several bird field guides to help identify the species that he would be seeing. On his trip, he soon discovered that the books were not as helpful as he had imagined – they lacked details and, in some cases, they even lacked species! The experience with the books was frustrating, but Josep just thought that he had purchased the wrong books and that certainly a definitive work covering all the birds existed. However, when he returned from the trip and searched for a comprehensive treatise dedicated to birds, he surprisingly found there was none. This inspired him to create one himself and he was fortunate to find two partners, Jordi Sargatal and Ramón Mascort, to join him in this monumental effort. Together they founded Lynx Edicions in 1989 and set to work on the Handbook of the Birds of the World project.

What is the process of creating handbooks of this scale? What are the challenges involved?

Creating handbooks of this large scale involve a huge amount of collaborative effort and intricate coordination of data, materials, processes and professionals. For example, the Handbook of the Birds of the World includes detailed texts and high-quality illustrations from 277 specialists and 33 illustrators from 40 countries. The impactful photographs are the contributions of more than 850 photographers from all over the world. Of course, behind the scenes is also the hard work of a carefully orchestrated team including editors, coordinators, and production staff, as well as those dedicated to the logistics of selling and distributing the books across the world.

In addition to the challenges inherent in producing such a vast work, there are also challenges related to the important focus of the handbooks – the birds and mammals themselves – with information on species sometimes hard to find. Luckily the international ornithological and mammalogical communities have been highly supportive of the Handbook projects and have come to our aid repeatedly with data, photographs and other help to treat all the world’s birds and mammals in detail. We hope that, in a small way, the Handbooks have also encouraged some professionals to investigate, photograph and even protect species that had formerly not received as much attention.

The Handbook of the Birds of the World includes sections on species known to be extinct; why was this information important to include?

Conservation has always been an important goal of our publications, and we believe that “you cannot protect what you do not know”. So, to start, we aim to explain and illustrate the wonders of the natural world, so that people can see its value and fight to protect it. Another aspect is showing the reality of extinction and those remarkable species that we have already lost, which will hopefully lead people to act to avoid more species crossing the line into extinction. In our Handbooks, Illustrated Checklists, Field Guides and most recently All the Birds of the World, we have included the IUCN/BirdLife International conservation status for every species to help call attention to these important data. We have been very fortunate to collaborate with BirdLife International, Conservation International, IUCN, Re:wild and other international organizations to pursue the important goals of conservation through our work.

One of the publishing house’s main areas of expertise is in ornithology, with publications including field guides, illustrated checklists, and guides to bird conservation. What, in your opinion, are the greatest threats to bird biodiversity?

Habitat loss is probably the greatest threat to biodiversity on Earth today and it is certainly a devastating threat to bird biodiversity. In turn, habitat loss is directly related to human action as we modify and reshape the Earth for our uses. For example, some of the top threats to birds are related to habitat destruction and degradation, like agriculture, logging, invasive species, and climate change. Action by humans has been especially detrimental to forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other freshwater habitats.

We feel it is important to educate people about the importance of birds and their natural habitats, so that they can be encouraged to protect them and to find ways to coexist harmoniously. This is what has also inspired us to pursue our Field Guide collection for birds, as well as our Illustrated Checklist collection for mammals, in order to give local communities and travellers the tools to discover and protect local species and their habitats.

A current, major project is the Lynx and BirdLife International Field Guide Collection. Can you tell us a little about the motivation behind this series and why it is so important?

Carrying on from the previous point, this project came to life after years of conversations motivated by a shared idea between Lynx and BirdLife International that the existence of country field guides is a basic element for the “emergence” and education of birdwatchers, ornithologists, bird guides and naturalists in any given country, which, in turn, has important repercussions on the conservation of nature and biodiversity, both locally and globally. The principal goal of this collection is to produce modern, standardized field guides, especially for countries without any recent or country-level guide. The main collection is produced in English, including local-language names for the species when an official list exists. But we also have a secondary goal of publishing several of the titles in their local languages to enhance the local effects of the work. We are delighted by the success of the collection so far, with a growing number of titles authored by top experts, and we look forward to producing more now that hopefully travel will increase again after the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NHBS Guide to UK Bat Identification

Bats are elusive creatures; they are nocturnal, and so you are less likely to spot them compared to other UK wildlife, despite bats making up almost a quarter of our native mammal species within the UK. Some species have experienced severe declines, although current trends indicate that a few of these are now recovering. There is still much to learn about bats, however, and ongoing monitoring plays an important role in improving our knowledge of bat population trends.

Where to find them?

Bats are more likely to be found roosting in natural crevices, as opposed to building nests like birds or other small mammals. They can roost in trees, roofs, or outdoor cavities in buildings such as houses, as well as other natural or manmade structures, such as caves and bridges. As they hibernate during the winter, bats are the most active between April and November, and the best time of day to watch them is at dusk. They’re found in many habitats, particularly woodlands, farmland and urban areas (such as gardens).

Identifying Bats:

There are 17 species of bats that have breeding populations in the UK. They are commonly identified by their calls, as the rhythm, frequency range and repetition rate varies between species. A bat detector can be used to easily identify individual bat species in the field; you can browse our range here. In this article, however, we will be looking specifically at the physical characteristics that aid in the identification of 11 of our more common bat species.

Their size, colouration, nose shape, and the size and shape of their ears are helpful features to look at when identifying them by sight. More complicated identification features include the presence and size of the post calcarial lobe, a lobe of skin on the tail membrane, and the length of the forearm.

Pipistrelles

The most common species, and the ones you’re most likely to see, are pipistrelles. There are three species, the common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), the soprano pipistrelle (P. pygmaeus), and the Nathusius’ (P. nathusii), with the first two being the most common and widespread of all UK bat species.

ID notes: All three species look very similar, with dark brown fur, a paler underside, and a darker mask-like pattern around the face. Nathusius’s pipistrelles are rarer, and slightly more easy to tell apart due to their lighter underside, larger body size, and furrier tail.

Size: 3.5-4.5cm in length (Nathusius’: 4.6-5.5cm)

Wingspan: 20-23cm (Nathusius’: 22-25cm)

Great and Lesser Horseshoe Bats

Latin names: Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and R. hipposideros

Lesser horseshoe bat by Alexandre Roux via Flickr

Great horseshoe bat by Nils Bouillard via Unsplash

ID notes: Both these species have a fleshy nose shaped like a horseshoe. The lesser horseshoe is much smaller, with greyish-brown fur on its back and a white underside, while the greater horseshoe is larger and has more of a reddish-brown colouration on its back and a cream underside.

Size: Lesser: 3.5-45cm in length, Greater: 5.7-7cm in length

Wingspan: Lesser: 20-25cm, Greater: 35-40cm

Whiskered Bat:

Latin name: Myotis mystacinus

ID notes: The whiskered bat is quite difficult to distinguish as they are visually similar to Brandt’s bats. They have brown or dark grey fur with gold tips, and a lighter grey underside. They have a concave posterior edge to their tragus, the piece of skin of the inner ear in front of the ear canal, whereas Brandt’s bats have a convex posterior edge.

Size: 3.5-4.8cm

Wingspan: 21-24cm

Daubenton’s Bat

Latin name: Myotis daubentoniid

Daubenton bat by Gilles San Martin via Flickr

ID notes: This bat has brown fur, a paler underside that appears silvery-grey, and a pink face. This species is most likely seen around water as they forage for small flies above and on the water’s surface.

Size: 4.5-5.5cm

Wingspan: 24-27cm

Brown and Grey Long-eared Bats

Latin name: Plecotus auratus and P. austriacus

Brown long-eared bat by Javier Ábalos via Flickr

Grey long-eared bat by Alexandre Roux via Flickr

ID notes: These bats, as their names suggest, have very long, large ears which can be almost the same length as their bodies. These species look very similar, with greyish-brown fur, although the grey long-eared bat has a darker face.

Size: Brown: 3.7-5.2 cm, Grey: 4.1-5.8cm

Wingspan: Brown: 20-30cm, Grey: 25-30cm

Natterer’s Bat

Latin name: Myotis nattereri

ID notes: The Natterer’s bat has a bare, pink face and light brown and grey fur on its back, with a paler underside. Its ears are quite long, and it has bristles along its tail membrane.

Size: 4-5cm

Wingspan: 24.5-30cm

Bechstein’s Bat

Latin name: Myotis Bechsteinii

ID notes: The Bechstein’s bat has long ears which, unlike the barbastelle’s, do not meet at the forehead. Their fur is reddish-brown with a paler, grey underside, and a pink face.

Size: 4.3-5.3cm

Wingspan: 25-30cm

All bat species are European protected species, therefore they and their breeding and resting sites are fully protected by the law. It is important to note that a licence is required for capturing and handling bats, as well as for any activity that may disturb a bat roost, including photography.

The NHBS Introduction to Habitats: Heathland and Moorland

In our new NHBS Introduction to Habitats series, we will be exploring the various habitats found in the UK. In this article, we will take a look at the first habitat of the series, heathland and moorland. Featuring prominently in famous novels such as Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, heathland is a unique habitat. Originally manmade, it is a product of agricultural grazing and tree clearing practices originating thousands of years ago. Unlike the heathland in countries such as Australia and South Africa, European heathland is relatively low in flora species variety. It is characterised by heather species (Family Ericaceae), but also other plant species such as gorse (Ulex spp.) and bracken (Pteridium spp.).

As this habitat is manmade, it requires management to be maintained. This usually involves a variety of methods such as using grazing animals, removing older species and trees, and controlling the encroachment of scrub. They can even be managed by controlled burning. If neglected, the heathland would be overtaken by successive species and become woodland.

There are several different types of heathland, depending on physical factors such as soil drainage, terrain, and altitude. These types include lowland, chalk, and wooded heath. Lowland heath can be further divided into wet, dry, and humid heath, and upland heath is more commonly known as moorland. The types of species found can vary between these habitats.

What species can you find here?

Flora:

While there may not be a large variety of flora, the species present all play important roles within the habitat. There are also some iconic species within the heathland.

Bell Heather (Erica cinerea)

Between June and September, bell heather blooms across the heathland, creating a blanket of purple. This species is an important nectar source for many invertebrate species, such as the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and the silver-studded blue butterfly (Plebejus argus).

It is similar to another heather species, cross-leaved heath, but the flowers of the bell heather are smaller and occur around the stem, rather than clustered on one side.

Common Gorse (Ulex europaeus)

Flowering from January to June, this bright yellow plant provides an early source of food for many invertebrates. As a large evergreen shrub, it also provides shelter for many species, including Dartford warblers (Curruca undata) and linnets (Linaria cannabina).

Common gorse is also very similar to two other gorse species, western (Ulex gallii) and dwarf (Ulex minor). The easiest way to identify the species is by the time of year that they flower and their height, as common gorse grows much taller and can reach up to 2.5 metres.

Common Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)

The UK’s most common fern species, it grows in dense groups on heathland and moorland. A bright green during spring and summer months, this species dies back in winter, creating a sea of brown fronds. Bracken is poisonous to grazing livestock, therefore it needs to be cut back to maintain heathland habitats. If left to grow, it can dominate the habitat and out-compete other plant species, such as bell heather, for nutrients, light, and water.

Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile)

Heath bedstraw is a mat-forming herb found in heathland habitats. It is a fairly common species, found widespread across most of the UK. The white petalled flowers bloom between June and August. This species is a key food source for Britain’s only true alpine butterfly species: the small mountain ringlet (Erebia epiphron).

Key identifying features of heath bedstraw are its square, hairless stem and its white, four-petal flowers that give off a sickly, unpleasant smell.

Fauna:

Heathland supports a large variety of species, particularly invertebrates, but also birds, mammals and reptiles. Several rare species present here are hardly found in any other habitat.

Silver-Studded Blue Butterfly (Plebejus argus)

Silver-studded blue butterfly by gailhampshire via Flickr

This species is found mainly in heathland, chalk grassland, and sand dune habitats, and is almost entirely restricted to southern England. It is a rare species, with the adults appearing between July to September.

This species is sexually dimorphic, meaning the males and females look different. The males (pictured) are blue with a darker border, while the females are brown with red spots along their border. Both have the pale fringe to their wings.

Golden-Ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii)

Golden-ringed dragonfly by Paul Albertella via Flickr

This species, found in heathland, freshwater, and wetland habitats, is easy to identify, due to its distinctive yellow and black markings. Their larvae are aquatic, and so rely on streams or standing water within the heathland to breed. While voracious predators in their own right, they are also an important food source, along with other dragonfly species, for many nesting birds such as the hobby (Falco subbuteo).

Dartford Warbler (Silvia undata)

Dartford warbler by Steve Herring via Flickr

The Dartford warbler suffered a population crash in the 1960s but has since begun recovering. It is a ground-nesting bird, living on lowland heath and relies on gorse for a protective covering. Within the UK, this species is also mostly restricted to southern England. However, there are populations of this species within western Europe, particularly within the Iberian peninsula.

Stoat (Mustela erminea)

The stoat, also known as the short-tailed weasel or Eurasian ermine, is a small member of the mustelid family, related to otters (Lutra lutra) and the very visually similar weasel (Mustela nivalis). While stoats are slightly larger, the key to discerning this species from the weasel is the tail – stoats have a longer tail with a black tip.

Heathland can also support all six UK reptile species and several of our amphibian species. For more information on those, be sure to check out our NHBS Guide to UK Amphibian Identification and to UK Reptile Identification.

Heathland threats:

Lack of management is one of the main threats that heathland faces. This habitat needs variety, for example, dry heath, wetter areas such as bogs and ponds, patches of older vegetation, and areas of bare, sandy ground. This all improves the biodiversity of the area and helps to strengthen the ecosystem. Without management, these areas could all be taken over by scrub and tree cover.

Clearing for urban development, ploughing, and quarrying also threaten this habitat, and are some of the main causes of heathland loss over the last few decades. Further threats include the expansion and planting of forests, overgrazing, and uncontrolled fire.

More than 80% of heathland in the UK has been lost during the past 150 years, but widespread conservation efforts hope to reverse this. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan, for example, aims to restore 58,000 hectares of heathland, with further plans to recreate 6,000 hectares.

Areas of significance:

Upland heathland or moorland:
– Exmoor, Dartmoor, and Bodmin Moor
– Pennines
– Brecon Beacons
– Other areas such as Yorkshire, Northumberland, Greater Manchester, and the Peak District.

Lowland heathland
– The New Forest
– Ashdown Forest
– South Purbeck Heaths
– Other areas such as Cornwall, Devon, Surrey, and Pembrokeshire

Please note this is not an exhaustive list.

NHBS In the Field – EasyLog USB Temperature and Humidity Logger with LCD Screen

The Easylog USB Temperature and Humidity Logger with LCD Screen (EL-USB-2-LCD) from Lascar electronics is a great addition to any field kit bag. This is one of the most popular models in the EasyLog range, offering a very high degree of accuracy for its recordings, measuring a range from -35°C to + 80°C, plus a humidity range from 0 to 100% RH.

What’s in the box

The EL-USB-2-LCD is packaged inside a static shielding bag and comes with a translucent plastic cover to protect the USB stick. A quick start guide is included with clear step-by-step instructions on set up, replacing the battery and a mini-guide to the different LED flash alarms.

Setting up

The first step in preparing to use your EL-USB logger is to download the EasyLogUSB software from the website here.

The software is free to download and is compatible with 32 bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7, 8 and 10. Please note that the software is not compatible with Apple or other devices not specified.

Once installed you will need to insert the logger into a USB port and click the Setup and Start USB data logger which will take you through a series of steps to calibrate and personalise your logger, ready for use. This will give you the opportunity to set the parameters of the logger to your requirements.

Some of the features of the logger that can be customised include:

Logger name
°C / °F
Logging rate (10s, 1m, 5m, 30m, 1hr, 6hr, 12hr)
High and low alarms
Immediate, delayed, and push-to-start logging
Display off, on for 30 seconds after button press, or permanently on
Data rollover (allows unlimited logger by overwriting the oldest data when memory is full)

Once the setup is complete, you will receive a confirmation message and the logger should then be removed from the USB port, to preserve its battery life and cool down before use. It is now ready to go.

Use in the field

We tested the logger on the banks of the River Dart in south Devon in early August 2021. We set the logger to record every 10 seconds and monitored the site from mid-morning to early afternoon.

When using the logger, always keep the clear plastic cap on to protect it from the elements. When ready, start the recordings using the single button.

This button can be used to navigate between settings, although we found it rather stiff, requiring a firm push for activation. The LCD screen then displays the live temperature or humidity reading (you can switch between the two) and previous maximum and minimum readings for both too. The little LED for both will also flash to indicate when recording is in progress and will alert you to any temperature or humidity alarms, if reached, too.

In many circumstances, where the logger is being used to record temperature or humidity at a static field site, it can be attached to a tree, cane or post via a cable tie or tape, or placed in a secure location. Alternatively, it can be simply carried or clipped onto a belt/lanyard if needing to accompany a surveyor along a route.

We found the accuracy of the readings superb and far more sensitive than those that might be produced by, for example, a phone. The device is small, lightweight, and easy to navigate, so is ideal for taking out into remote or inaccessible locations. It can be equally as helpful for constant monitoring, for instance when checking incubators, animal habitats and enclosures, or even a room or fridge. With an impressive battery life lasting up to two years and the capacity to store 16,000 temperature and humidity readings, it’s a particularly versatile logger, suitable for many circumstances.

The EL-USB-2-LCD is also one of the EasyLog’s most robust models with a sturdy casing that has been tested to IP67 standards. And so, when the protective cap is correctly fitted, it has excellent protection against water and dust.

Software

Once you have collected your readings, insert the logger back into a USB port and click the Stop USB Data Logger and Download Data. The data will then be transferred to your computer and can then be viewed. The display will first default to show your temperature, humidity, and dew point readings all in an axis graph.

Here is an example we produced from our readings:

Below is a key to the graph information.

Vertical axis, including scale and unit
Horizontal axis, including time-related information
Data logger name
Low alarm trigger level, a horizontal dashed line
High alarm trigger level, a horizontal dashed line
Plotted data line
Marker line that follows the mouse pointer
Marker line data for the current marker line position, or the logging period if no marker line is shown

Within the top toolbar, there is the option to save, export, zoom in and out, and switch from a graph to a data view. Under the view tab, you can also sort and organise your data under very useful different parameters that include data range, gridlines, mark samples, statistics, and data view.

Each of these tools can help further filter or analyse your results. Then using the Export function, you can easily produce and extract professional reports saved as either CSV data files, JPEG images, a PDF document of the data, a graph summary, or an Excel spreadsheet.

We found that extracting specific information from the data was quick and straightforward with these functions. The toolbar is kept simple so that the display does not appear cluttered with too many options and functions. Overall, the software is very intuitive to navigate.

Summary

Although there is now a wide range of temperature and humidity loggers available to choose from, the outstanding accuracy of this model, alongside its customisable features and tough weather-proofing makes the EL-USB-2-LCD a standout choice.

The EasyLog range starts with the entry-level EasyLog Mini USB, which is limited to only recording temperature and at 30-minute intervals. At the top end of the range is the EasyLog Professional Data Logger which covers the greatest temperature ranges, offers the longest battery life (3 years), recording capacity (32,000) and the most flexible parameter settings, including the option to record every second.

We find the EL-USB-2-LCD to be the best ‘all-rounder’ within the range, covering both humidity and dew, as well as a wide range of temperature recordings, all at an affordable price. We also feel it has an advantage over the similar EasyLog USB Temperature and Humidity Logger. For a relatively small increase in price, we found the LCD screen a particularly useful addition when out in the field, as we could check the live temperature or humidity before starting a survey or prolonged recording session. This screen also reassures you that your logger is working correctly, which is valuable if taking the logger out to a remote location, for example.

Users can rest assured knowing that their readings will be highly accurate and that their data can be also quickly converted into effective reports through the excellent software.

Overall, we found the EL-USB-2-LCD superb and would recommend this model for its versatility, accuracy and fantastic settings that should cover most needs and circumstances.

The EL-USB-2-LCD can be found here. Our full range of EasyLog products can be found here.

If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.

British Wildlife: highlights from the past year

The August issue of British Wildlife is now out, marking the completion of the magazine’s 32nd volume and – more notably – the first since its expansion. The increase from six to eight issues per year has allowed more space for articles on the usual eclectic mix of topics from natural history, conservation and environmental policy. With the selection below we hope to give a taste of the variety that readers have enjoyed in recent months – for a full list of previous articles, see the British Wildlife website.

Species: in-depth profiles of individual species or groups have been a mainstay of British Wildlife since its inception. Highlights from this latest volume have included an introduction to the remarkable life histories of cephalopods in British seas; work to unravel the distribution and habitat associations of truly Wild Apples; the myths and misconceptions surrounding pollinating insects; ecological insights from efforts to conserve the Ring Ouzel; and the surprising history of Water Voles in terrestrial habitats.

Places: the magazine continues to celebrate the most important wildlife sites in Britain through regional features and reserve profiles. Recent articles have described work to conserve the botanical treasures of the Lizard, in Cornwall, and the unexpectedly rich biodiversity of conifer plantations in south Wales, while, from East Anglia, we have seen accounts of Holkham NNR – an exemplar of the benefits of large-scale habitat creation and a flexible approach to management – and the contrasting fortunes of two broadland reserves, Sutton and Catfield Fens.

Conservation: British Wildlife aims to tackle current controversies in conservation and shed light on long-term and pervasive threats to the natural environment. Volume 32 has highlighted the potential to eradicate mink from East Anglia and, possibly, from Britain as a whole; the catastrophic impact of nitrogen pollution on bryophytes and lichens; and the environmental impacts of salmon farming in Scotland. On top of this, we have continued to explore the role of rewilding in Britain through the ‘Wilding for Conservation’ series, which most recently has considered the economics of rewilding and lessons from observations of woodland dynamics in European Strict Forest Reserves.

The August issue itself includes articles on the painstaking efforts to save the Pine Hoverfly, one of Britain’s rarest insects; the importance of long-term ecological studies; the potential for biological recording to influence – and help to defeat – planning applications; insights from studies of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly in Cornwall; and the amazing diversity of wildlife recorded at WWT London Wetland Centre during its first 20 years of existence.

And to give a hint of what is to come in volume 33, subscribers can look forward to articles on Humpback Whales in British seas, the significance of climate change in invertebrate declines, the restoration of dynamism to dune systems, and work to protect the critically rare Narrow-headed Ant, along with more from the Wilding for Conservation series, the usual selection of columns, news and features, and much more.

Subscriptions to British Wildlife start from £35 – for more information or to subscribe, visit the website. Individual back issues are available to purchase through the NHBS website.

The Big Butterfly Count: NHBS Staff Results

We have reached the end of the Big Butterfly Count 2021, which took place between Friday 16th July and Sunday 8th August. It’s the world’s biggest survey of butterflies and is aimed at assessing the health of our environment by recording the number of our most common butterflies and day-flying moths.

But don’t worry if you didn’t get to take part this year; it is an annual event, so make sure to look out for it next year! To take part, all you need to do is spend 15 minutes counting butterflies on a sunny day. You can count from anywhere you like, such as in the garden or park, in the woods or fields or wherever you find yourself outdoors. You can submit your results online on the Big Butterfly Count website. For a list of handy butterfly ID guides as well as some tips on how to distinguish certain species, take a look at our previous blog post here.

This count is extremely important as butterflies are vital to the ecosystem, as pollinators and within the food chain. Populations have decreased significantly since the 1970s, therefore monitoring butterfly numbers is crucial. We hope that more people have taken part this year, and, as always, many of our staff got involved. Scroll down to see what we found.

We’d also love to see what you’ve spotted if you took part – why not let us know in the comments below.

Results

Catherine spotted all of these butterflies during her lunch break:

Small White: 10

Meadow Brown: 5

Gatekeeper: 9

Gemma found:

Large white: 2

Meadow brown: 2

Ringlet: 1

Red admiral: 1

Tonie did the butterfly count by the coast:

Meadow browns: 5

Red admiral: 2

Large white: 2

Small skipper: 2

Marbled white: 1

I managed to complete a butterfly count at the end of a hike on Dartmoor:

Small white: 1

Meadow brown: 4

Gatekeeper: 1

Red admiral: 1

Angeline completed her big butterfly count in Plymouth:

Ringlet: 3

Small skipper: 2

Silver-Washed Fritillary – by A. Rietveld

Oli spotted:

Gatekeeper: 2

Small tortoiseshell: 1

Red admiral: 1

Peacock: 1

Ringlet: 1

Meadow brown: 1

Butterfly Conservation

For more information on UK butterflies and how you can help them, please visit Butterfly Conservation.org. Here you will find a wealth of information to help you find and identify butterflies and moths.

The NHBS Guide to UK Ladybird Beetle Identification

Colloquially known as ladybugs or ladybirds, these species are a well-known part of UK wildlife. Appearing in the nursery rhyme ‘Ladybird ladybird’, as the symbol for Ladybird Books, and in arts and crafts activities at school, they are a familiar sight for most of us from a young age.

Ladybirds are beetles and belong to the family Coccinellidae. There are 26 species in the UK and they can be found in a variety of habitats such as grassland, woodland, and even your garden. There are several ways to survey ladybirds, for instance a sweep net or beating tray can be used to collect ladybirds, or you can fashion your own ladybird catcher by cutting off the top of an old plastic bottle. Holding the bottle upside down, a stick can be used to tap bushes and trees so that ladybirds can fall in the bottle. Please remember to be gentle and to return them to where you found them, or instead search for ladybirds by eye.

Other useful equipment include a hand lens, a field guide that also includes larval stages, and a pen and some paper to note your identifications. You can help broaden our knowledge of populations and distributions by recording your sightings through iRecord or by using the iRecord Ladybird apps.

Identifying ladybirds is usually based on colouration and the number and pattern of spots, although these can sometimes vary between individuals of the same species. In this article, we’ll show several species you may encounter when looking for ladybirds.

7-spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)

Distribution: Widespread, common

What to look for: This species has a bright red wing case with seven black spots, and a black and white pronotum (the hard plate behind the head). There is a very similar species named the scarce 7-spot ladybird (Coccinella magnifica). It is difficult to tell the two apart but the 7-spot has slightly smaller and rounder spots.

7-spot ladybird by Martin Cooper via Flickr

22-spot ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata)

Distribution: Widespread across England but rarer in Scotland and Wales.

What to look for: The 22-spot ladybird is one of the smaller UK species. It has a bright yellow wing case with 22 black spots, plus a yellow pronotum with 4 black spots.

22-spot ladybird by hedera.baltica via Flickr

Adonis ladybird (Hippodamia variegata)

Distribution: Scattered populations across Britain, numbers are increasing and can be quite frequent in suitable habitats

What to look for: This species has a more orange-red wing case, with several black spots and two white markings at the front. The number of black spots varies between individuals and can be between 3-15. Their pronotum is black and white, and they have either black or brown legs.

Adonis ladybird by Lucas Large via Flickr

14-spot ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata)

Distribution: Widespread

What to look for: This species is yellow, with black, rectangular spots that meet each other, giving it an almost chequered appearance. They can, however, vary greatly in colour and pattern. Their wing cases can have a background colour of cream all the way to a lighter orange. Despite its name, it can have anywhere from 4-14 spots.

14-spot ladybird by gailhampshire via Flickr

Larch ladybird (Aphidecta obliterata)

Distribution: Widespread in Britain

What to look for: The larch ladybird is a light tan brown, with muted patterning. There is occasionally a dark line along the back of the wing case where the two sides meet, and the occasional speckling of spots. The pronotum is usually a lighter, beige colour with an M-shaped mark in darker brown.

Kidney-spot Ladybird (Chilocorus renipustulatus)

Distribution: Found across England and Wales, but only in some parts of Scotland.

What to look for: The kidney-spot ladybird is black, with two large red spots, one on each wing casing. There is a distinctly flattened rim around the edge of the wing casing. This species is usually found in well-wooded areas – look on tree trunks!

Kidney-spot ladybird by S. Rae via Flickr

Water ladybird (Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata)

Distribution: Widespread and frequent across England and Wales, but not in Scotland or Ireland.

What to look for: This species changes colour throughout the year! It has a more beige colouring, except in April-June when it turns a reddish colour. It is an elongated and flattish ladybird, with between 15-21 black spots. As its name suggests, it is usually found by the water, living in reedbeds and wetlands.

Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

Distribution: Widespread in England, spreading in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

What to look for: There is a large variation in the appearance of this species. They have brown legs and can have a red, orange, yellow, or black wing casing with up to 21 spots. The black forms usually have between 2-4 spots. Their pronotum may have several spots fused in an M or solid trapezoid shape. They are a large species, at approximately 7-8mm in length.

Did you know? This is an introduced species and is considered invasive, as it outcompetes our native species, such as the 7-spot ladybird, for resources. It even eats other ladybirds’ eggs and larvae!

Harlequin ladybird by hedera.baltica via Flickr

16-spot ladybird (Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata)

Distribution: Widespread in southern England, occasionally found in parts of Wales.

What to look for: It has a beige colouration, although there are darker forms that appear more yellow or even slightly orange. It can have between 13-18 spots, with three to four fused together forming a line on either side of the wing case. It also has a solid black line down the middle of the wing case, and some spots on its pronotum.

16-spot ladybird by gailhampshire via Flickr

Useful resources

Ladybirds
Paperback | May 2013

This revised and updated edition of Ladybirds provides a succinct but comprehensive and accessible overview of the biology of ladybirds and their parasites, focusing on ecology in an evolutionary context.

Field Guide to the Ladybirds of Britain and Ireland
Paperback | November 2018

This illustrated field guide covers all 47 species of ladybird occurring in Britain and Ireland in a handy and easy-to-use format. Each species account includes a description of field characters, similar species, life-cycle, food source, habitat and distribution.

A Field Guide to Harlequins and Other Common Ladybirds of Britain and Ireland
Paperback | March 2021

The invasive Harlequin ladybird can be very difficult to identify, with huge variation in colouration and pattern. This comprehensive photographic field guide is the first complete guide to identifying Harlequin ladybirds found in Britain and Ireland. It also covers all the other 25 conspicuous ladybird species that occur.

Guide to Ladybirds of the British Isles
Unbound | April 2006

In Britain, some 46 species belong to this family, although only 26 of these are recognisable as ladybirds, all of which are featured in the guide. The guide features clear colour illustrations grouped by appearance to help with identification, with information on colour pattern, habitat and distribution and hints to aid identification provided in a comprehensive table.

Guide to the Ladybird Larvae of the British Isles Unbound | August 2012

Ladybird Larvae are often found, but not well known, as they look so different from adult ladybirds. This 8-panel fold-out chart with illustrations of the larvae of the 26 ladybird species featured on the earlier Guide to Ladybirds of the British Isles and a selection of photographs of pupae.

RSPB ID Spotlight: Ladybirds Unbound | May 2023

This reliable fold-out chart presents illustrations of 27 of our most widespread and familiar ladybirds by renowned artist Richard Lewington. This ID chart is grouped by family with artworks shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference. The reverse of the chart details the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of ladybirds, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how we can support them.

Insect Survey Equipment

Standard Sweep Net

This simple and well-designed sweep net is ideal for students and those new to entomology. It is made from durable fabric and is designed for sweeping through grass or other foliage to catch ladybirds and other bugs. The sweep net is easy to use, the frame is lightweight aluminium, and the soft calico bag attaches to this using strong velcro.

Opticron Hand Lens 23mm 10x Magnification

The Opticron Hand Lens contains a high quality 23 mm doublet lens and provides excellent distortion-free magnification. The 10x magnification gives great detail when examining insects and would be perfect for general observations. To use a hand lens, hold it close to your eye then bring the specimen up to the lens until the point where it is in focus.