The Royal Entomological Society (RES) and Wiley-Blackwell are proud to present this landmark publication, celebrating the wonderful diversity of the insects of the British Isles, and the work of the RES (founded 1833). This book is the only modern systematic account of all 558 families of British insects, covering not just the large and familiar groups that are included in popular books, but even the smallest and least known. It is beautifully illustrated throughout in full colour with photographs by experienced wildlife photographers to show the range of diversity, both morphological and behavioural, among the 24,000 species. All of the 6,000 genera of British insects are listed and indexed, along with all the family names and higher groups. There is a summary of the classification, biology and economic importance of each family together with further references for detailed identification. All species currently subject to legal protection in the United Kingdom are also listed. The Royal Entomological Society is one of the oldest and most prestigious of its kind in the world. It is the leading organisation for professional entomologists and its main aim has always been the promotion of knowledge about insects. The RES began its famous Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects in 1949, and new works in that series continue to be published. The Royal Entomological Society Book of British Insects has been produced to demonstrate the on-going commitment of the RES to educate and encourage each generation to study these fascinating creatures. This is a key reference work for serious students of entomology and amateur entomologists, as well as for professionals who need a comprehensive source of information about the insect groups of the British Isles they may be less familiar with.

Peter Barnard has enjoyed a lifetime's fascination with insects since early childhood. He carried out taxonomic research on several insect groups for over 30 years at London's Natural History Museum, where he edited the book Identifying British Insects and Arachnids (1999). In 2007 he was appointed Director of Science at the Royal Entomological Society, becoming the first full-time entomologist to be employed by the Society since its inception in 1833.

Preface vii

Foreword by Quentin D. Wheeler ix

Acknowledgements xi

1 General introduction 1

PART 1 ENTOGNATHA 17

2 Order Collembola: the springtails 19

3 Order Diplura: the two-tailed or two-pronged bristletails 25

4 Order Protura: the proturans 27

PART 2 INSECTA – 'APTERYGOTA' 29

5 Order Archaeognatha or Microcoryphia: the bristletails 31

6 Order Zygentoma: the silverfi sh and fi rebrats 33

PART 3 PALAEOPTERA 35

7 Order Ephemeroptera: the mayflies or upwing flies 37

8 Order Odonata: the dragonflies and damselflies 42

PART 4 POLYNEOPTERA 49

9 Order Dermaptera: the earwigs 51

10 Order Dictyoptera: the cockroaches, termites and mantids 54

11 Order Orthoptera: the grasshoppers, crickets and bush-crickets 57

12 Order Phasmida: the stick-insects 64

13 Order Plecoptera: the stoneflies 67

PART 5 PARANEOPTERA 71

14 Order Hemiptera: the true bugs 73

15 Order Phthiraptera: the sucking and biting lice 106

16 Order Psocoptera: the booklice and barklice 112

17 Order Thysanoptera: the thrips 118

PART 6 ENDOPTERYGOTA 123

18 Order Coleoptera: the beetles 125

19 Order Diptera: the true flies 177

20 Order Hymenoptera: the ants, bees and wasps 226

21 Order Lepidoptera: the butterflies and moths 268

22 Order Mecoptera: the scorpionflies 308

23 Order Megaloptera: the alderflies 311

24 Order Neuroptera: the lacewings 313

25 Order Raphidioptera: the snakeflies 317

26 Order Siphonaptera: the fleas 319

27 Order Strepsiptera: the stylops 323

28 Order Trichoptera: the caddisflies or sedge flies 326

Index to taxa 337