Life Cycles of British and Irish Butterflies

[Neil Hulme]

I'll have to reserve final judgement until I've fully read one of my two copies, which will have to wait, as the British brood of Long-tailed Blue is now starting (and should be spectacular). However, the look and feel of the book ooze quality. I have little doubt that the content will surpass even the aesthetics. Unsurprisingly brilliant! Congratulations, Pete.
BWs, Neil

[Nicola Main]

Have done a little review on the NHBS website

[Pete Eeles]

Mine not arrived yet...hope there is not a problem

If you ordered from NatureBureau, then the sequence of sending is 1. Supporters (where most of the feedback has come from this far), 2. Pre-publication offer and 3. The most recent orders.

Apparently there is quite a backlog (many more pre-publication orders than anticipated) and it will take a while to get through them all. You could always try contacting NatureBureau to confirm your order.

If you ordered it from somewhere else, then I suggest you check with them.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Neil! Can't wait to hear of your latest LTB exploits!

Have done a little review on the NHBS website

Many thanks Nicola - much appreciated!

Cheers,

- Pete

[essexbuzzard]

What can I say that hasn’t been said already? Phenomenal, simple phenomenal, Pete.

I cannot begin to imagine the work that has gone into it. The quality of the images is amazing!

This is a book that will find its place alongside the great historical volumes.

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Mark!

Cheers,

- Pete

[cecropia117]

Got mine today.

Awesome!

[David M]

I had a second arrive this morning.

I'm only up to Brimstone in the first!!!

[Pete Eeles]

I had a second arrive this morning.

I'm only up to Brimstone in the first!!!

We made a late decision to provide all supporters with a free signed copy. So any supporter that also ordered a book will get 2 copies

Cheers,

- Pete

[peterc]

Thank you very much, Pete.

My second copy has just arrived.

From what I've read so far a brilliant piece of work - a classic

ATB

Peter

[David M]

We made a late decision to provide all supporters with a free signed copy. So any supporter that also ordered a book will get 2 copies

Ah! I hadn't noticed that my first copy had been signed.

It gets even better! I'm now up to Scotch Argus and I don't want it to end.

Fancy doing one for France?

[bugboy]

Having just read the Large Blue entry (I'm didn't start at the beginning of the book) I know understand why I came across that very fresh Large Blue female late in the season at Daneways earlier this year. I knew the basics of how some colonies had altered their phenology to adapt but not the finer details, fascinating stuff!

[Pete Eeles]

Having just read the Large Blue entry (I'm didn't start at the beginning of the book) I know understand why I came across that very fresh Large Blue female late in the season at Daneways earlier this year. I knew the basics of how some colonies had altered their phenology to adapt but not the finer details, fascinating stuff!

Thanks buggy ... I must admit, it was a joy writing that particular species description!

Cheers,

- Pete

[MrSp0ck]

Only had a quick 10 minute look at the Launch of the Brilliant Butterfly Banks project, did find a few errors in that time unfortunatly, on the Glanville Fritillary pages, a 5th Instar larvae is called "Fully Grown" on the photograph, only to have following 6th and 7th Instars afterwards, so not fully grown. i didnt have time to read the text fully.

[bugboy]

Only had a quick 10 minute look at the Launch of the Brilliant Butterfly Banks project, did find a few errors in that time unfortunatly, on the Glanville Fritillary pages, a 5th Instar larvae is called "Fully Grown" on the photograph, only to have following 6th and 7th Instars afterwards, so not fully grown. i didnt have time to read the text fully.

In the context of how it's written and what it's illustrating calling mid instar larvae 'fully grown' is correct since it's showing how they change appearance during an instar, i.e. a freshly moulted 5th instar looks different to a fully grown 5th instar. This terminology is used throughout the book where appropriate so this isn't an error, quite the opposite in fact

[MrSp0ck]

In the context of how it's written and what it's illustrating calling mid instar larvae 'fully grown' is correct since it's showing how they change appearance during an instar, i.e. a freshly moulted 5th instar looks different to a fully grown 5th instar. This terminology is used throughout the book where appropriate so this isn't an error, quite the opposite in fact

For 100s of years Fully Grown Larva means the end of it last instar, so i think a lot will not agree with your description. Late, mid or early 5th instar would be correct but not fully grown. As the larva is the only stage tha grows, fully grown would be to its maximum length of the larva in iits life cycle.

[MrSp0ck]

In the context of how it's written and what it's illustrating calling mid instar larvae 'fully grown' is correct since it's showing how they change appearance during an instar, i.e. a freshly moulted 5th instar looks different to a fully grown 5th instar. This terminology is used throughout the book where appropriate so this isn't an error, quite the opposite in fact

For 100s of years Fully Grown Larva means the end of it last instar, so i think a lot will not agree with your description. Late, mid or early 5th instar would be correct but not fully grown. As the larva is the only stage tha grows, fully grown would be to its maximum length of the larva in its life cycle.

I will ask my friends at the Natural History Museum what fully grown larva means it will be interesting to hear their answer.

As ive only seen 1 or 2 pages i cannot review or comment on it in general until i have a copy myself, all books have errors and omitions mainly in the paste up, tranposing of pictures etc, the early Millenium Atlas had photos of Large Skipper as Small Skipper pages. The Surrey Atlas has more than 10 errors the worst being photos of Large White on the Small White page. Many of these are not the fault of the Author. Last instar would refer to most of the larvae in the book, and only 4 species have 7 instars Large Skipper and the melitaea Fritillaries

[David M]

There's always one.....

[Pete Eeles]

Well, I'm quite happy to receive constructive feedback (and already have from a couple of people), but I'm not sure what to do with this.

First off, as others have said, the use of "fully grown" is consistent throughout. How else would you describe a larva that has reached its full size within a given instar? Context is everything, and there is such a thing as a fully grown 1st instar, as well as a fully grown larva.

did find a few errors in that time

Which are?

Last instar would refer to most of the larvae in the book

No it doesn't - far from it. Just within Glanville Fritillary there are 14 images of larvae, and only one is final instar.

BTW - the Hutchinson's Bank Glanville Fritillary colony isn't mentioned because I decided not to mention unauthorised releases (I might have taken a different stance if the colony was holding its own without top-ups from the Isle of Wight), and this also includes the Black Hairstreak colonies at Ditchling and another in Surrey, and a Mazarine Blue colony oop north (that not many people know about).

Cheers,

- Pete

[MrSp0ck]

A 5th Instar larvae would be fully grown in most cases except the blues, hairstreaks and a few others.

as i said late "4th Instar" would describe a 4th instar that has reached its skin change, Ive seen such in many books and pictures. Its a matter of wording that is the problem with Fully Grown, a 4th Instar larva of Dark Green Fritillary is not Fully Grown whatever the status in that instar. I wonder what Guys or Neils view is too.

i didnt mention the Glanvilles at Hutchinsons Bank, in my reply, i didnt even get time to read the text.

I didnt introduce the Glanvilles to Hutchinsons Bank, Officers of Butterfly Conservation did in 2011, so what ever people say it was done by them by their officals whatever is said now.

There have been no top ups from IOW since 2013, so it has maintained since then, even with Beast from the Easts etc. Even BC head office now have excepted its established.

Part of the Brillant Butterfly Banks project to to officially introduce 5 species to the sites, and its part of the Butterfly Conservation backed project, so Glanville may or may not be on that list, that is for the project and its advisors of which i am one to decide.

I dont have a copy of the book yet and would like to see what i spotted in a quick look at the launch, i will probably find minor errors that always slip through. I hope to get one at the Sussex AGM, but probably after this it will not get signed, like the Sussex Atlas was.

From what i have seen of the book it is a great book and it will happily sit with the others in my bookcase.

Having worked at Kew and for several museums wording out of context in scientific publications and displays is not a good practice although in most cases it doesnt matter to the general readers, and its better to have it availiable to the masses than 100% correct.

The other minor comments/errors would go to Pete in a PM and not in public having pulled up dates in tables that were consistant eg 1 July, and then on a couple of tables in the same info 08-Jul in others not only the leading 0 but 3 digit month. in the Surrey Atlas.