Literature
This page provides a list of literature which contains books that can be recommended in my opinion in order to determinate Lepidoptera and to obtain information on their ecology etc. Some information e.g. about species distribution on this website has been extracted from the books of this list.
The list does not claim to be complete!
  • HAAHTELA, T, SAARINEN, K, OJALAINEN, P, AARNIO, H (2011): Butterflies of Britain and Europe: A Photographic Guide

    Very nice and compact excursional handbook with good photos of living butterflies and short but mostly precise ecological information.

  • LAFRANCHIS, T. (2004): Butterflies of Europe. New field guide and key. – 351 S.; Paris (Collection Parthénope).

    Goog determination book for all of the European butterflies with photos of living butterflies and determination keys. Only very fragmetal ecological information (seldom even mention of hostplants).

  • EBERT, G. & RENNWALD, E. (Hrsg.) (1991): Die Schmetterlinge Baden-Württembergs, Bd. 1: Tagfalter I. und Bd. 2: Tagfalter 2- Ulmer, Stuttgart.

    EBERT, G. (Hrsg.) (1994-2003): Die Schmetterlinge Baden-Württembergs, Bd. 3-9: Nachtfalter. - Ulmer, Stuttgart.

    The standard book for butterflies and moths in Southwest Germany (written in German). To be recommended strongly for those who understand German.

  • SBN - SCHWEIZERISCHER BUND FÜR NATURSCHUTZ (Hrsg.) (1987): Tagfalter und ihre Lebensräume - Arten, Gefährdung, Schutz. Fotorotar, Egg.

    SBN - SCHWEIZERISCHER BUND FÜR NATURSCHUTZ (Hrsg.) (1997): Schmetterlinge und ihre Lebensräume - Arten, Gefährdung, Schutz. Fotorotar, Egg, 679 pp. Hesperiidae, Zygaenidae etc.

    SBN - SCHWEIZERISCHER BUND FÜR NATURSCHUTZ (Hrsg.) (2000): Schmetterlinge und ihre Lebensräume - Arten, Gefährdung, Schutz. Fotorotar, Egg, 914 pp. Lasiocampidae, Notodontidae, Arctiidae etc.

    All three volumes are very interesting not only for Swiss entomologists. They are written in German but there is a French edition, too.

  • NAUMANN, CM., TARMANN, GM., TREMEWAN, WG. (1999): The western palaearctic Zygaenidae. Apollo books, Stenstrup, 304 pp.

    If you are interested in Burnets and Foresters and aspects of their ecology and life cycles even outside of Central Europe I can recommend this book rather than others which are more expensive.

  • WEIDEMANN H-J. (1995): Tagfalter - beobachten, bestimmen. Naturbuch-Verlag, Augsburg, 659 pp.

    WEIDEMANN H-J., KÖHLER J. (1996) Nachtfalter. Spinner und Schwärmer. Naturbuch-Verlag, Augsburg, 512 pp.

    Written in German. Very intersting books from a German pioneer in Lepidoptera ecology which opened the mind of many former pure imaginal scientists and collectors.

  • FORSTER, W. & TH. A. WOHLFAHRT (1984 a): Die Schmetterlinge Mitteleuropas, Bd. II: Tagfalter/Diurna (Rhopalocera und Hesperiidae). - 3. Aufl., Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart.

    FORSTER, W. & TH. A WOHLFAHRT. (1984 b): Die Schmetterlinge Mitteleuropas, Bd. III: Spinner und Schwärmer (Bombyces und Sphinges). - 2. Aufl., Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart.

    FORSTER, W. & TH. A. WOHLFAHRT (1980): Die Schmetterlinge Mitteleuropas, Bd. IV: Eulen (Noctuidae). - Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart.

    FORSTER, W. & TH. A. WOHLFAHRT (1981): Die Schmetterlinge Mitteleuropas, Bd. V: Spanner (Geometridae). - Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart.

    The Forster-Books (written in German) only provide old, scarce and partial wrong ecological data. However, for determination purposes with moths (Noctuidae, Geometridae) they are still useful in some cases.

  • FIBIGER, M. (EDIT.): Noctuidae Europaeae, Volumes 1-13

    Relative up-to-date book series in many expensive volumes which is especially interesting for determination purposes of European noctuids. For this purpose it is the best and most complete work in Europe. However, ecological data is often very scarce and distribution maps are sometimes not reliable, even in cases where sufficient data would have been available. It would have been better to publish distribution maps with points of actual records rather than to interpolate large areas with no real populations to the distribution area.

  • BECK, H. (1999-2000): Die Larven der europäischen Noctuidae. Revision der Systematik der Noctuidae. Volumes 1-4

    Very interesting Books (German language) mostly for true noctuid specialists which concentrates on larval morphology. This work fills a long lasted gap to former purely imaginal concentrating works. For interested laymen I recommend especially Volume 3 where there are photos of most European species (caterpillars). Further information: http://www.dr-beck.net

  • AHOLA,M & Silvonen, K.: Larvae of Northern European Noctuidae. Vol. 1. -3 (2005-2011)

    A very good work with many photos of caterpillars. It also covers most of Central European species and gives short information on ecology such as hostplant.

  • HAUSMANN, A. (EDIT.): Geometrid Moths of Europe

    Book series in expected 6 volumes for determination of European Geometridae. Very recommendable and contains further information on the ecology of the species as far as data is available.

  • ROBINEAU, R. (Editor) (2007): Guide des papillons nocturnes de France.

    Nice, inexpensive and compact Book (chromaticities with preparated specimens) with all species that have been recorded in France (without Zygaenidae and Microlepidoptera). Written in French.

Moreover, there are many other Books, e.g. smaller field guides which often have the disadvantage not to cover all species. But these field guides provide an inexpensive entry to the world of Lepidoptera.

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