Domestic Spider literature (UK)

[Steven Williams]

The BAS is really nice. If you want spiders identified they list people who you can send them to or if you want information on British spiders you could contact them. Their newsletter is very good (I can't compare it with the BTS one as I have only just sent my form off), frequently featuring tarantula articles and the bulletin features papers on tarantulas as well. The Collins Field Guide is good, I agree with Grant that it is lacking in some identification information, (this is due to the fact Roberts was asked by Collins to reduce his three volume, A4 size pages, book on British spiders into a Field Guide) but never the less I use this book almost every day and it's size means that you can put it in a backpack or slip it onto a shelf without any worries. The Collins Gem, also seen on this thread, is not expensive and has many British spiders, as well as others, and I found this book very interesting when I started out in arachnology. I also think Dick Jones's book is well worth a read.

Steven

[Thomas Pitchford]

Hello Grant - I think (but will double check to be sure) the 3 volume work you mention is by Michael J Roberts - The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland. It was reprinted by Harley Books in paperback as a two volume work. I just went to quickly visit Harley's website and yes, they have left the business and their books are now available through apollobooks.com, but I did not see this work on the list. It is expensive, new or second hand and as Steve has mentioned above, MJR has replicated much of the work in the new Collins guide. I can try to compare the two works and give you some examples of their similarites and differences - if any. What you have probably been told, and is true, is the 3rd volume of the old set (2nd volume of the newer one) is BEAUTIFULLY illustrated - A4 size paintings of the selected species with a "lifesize" graphic printed underneath. It is arachnology's answer to Audubon.