"British soldierflies and their allies" now published!

The much-anticipated second edition of "British soldierflies and their allies" has now been published – hurrah!  

NEW: see also our notes page giving additional guidance for the identification keys in this book.

Congratulations to the authors, Martin Drake and Alan Stubbs, and to all the hard-working volunteers on the British Entomological and Natural History Society publications committee, for revising this excellent book and making it available again. This is the definitive guide to the species covered by the recording scheme, and it includes:

• Information on how to find and record soldierflies and their allies
• Habitats and life histories
• Comprehensive, well-illustrated keys to adults of all the British species, and to larvae and pupae of many species
• Detailed species accounts
• Colour plates of museum specimens

No new species have been discovered in Britain during the twelve years since the first edition, so the plates are unaltered (apart from two small corrections to the identification of the Chrysops specimens illustrated). There are also a few minor corrections to the keys here and there, plus a more substantial improvement in the keys to Tabanidae (horseflies). The additional 16 pages of the new edition arise mainly from incorporating many observations on the biology and distribution of the flies that have been made and published during the last twelve years.

The book is available from the BENHS Sales Secretary via Malthouse Books, as well as from other booksellers. If you are a member of the BENHS or of Dipterists Forum you are eligible for a reduced price of £20 via Malthouse Books, which is an excellent incentive for joining one of those organisations if you haven't done so already!