Terrestrial invertebrates AIDGAP
Terrestrial invertebrates AIDGAP is an identification guide to the larger invertebrates (> 2 mm length) found on land in Britain and Ireland.
- For use with living animals
- Illustrated with line drawings throughout
- Suitable for users with some experience of using identification keys (typically age 16+)
Many identification guides assume that you know which order the invertebrates belong to. But what if you’re not sure whether you have caught a bug or a beetle? A hoverfly or a bee? A harvestman or a spider?
Terrestrial invertebrates AIDGAP bridges the gap between popular wildlife guides and more specialist identification manuals. It uses a clear set of dichotomous keys to help users identify terrestrial invertebrates with confidence. The author keeps technical jargon to a minimum, making the guide accessible to non-specialists.
The author has deliberately avoided using features that require specialist expertise or expensive equipment. Instead identification is based on external characters visible with a hand lens or a low-power binocular microscope. Each group also includes ecological notes to aid understanding. The taxonomy is fully up to date. The guide includes non-native invertebrates occasionally found in the wild, such as scorpions and stick insects.
AIDGAP Freshwater invertebrates is part of Field Studies Council’s AIDGAP series (Aids to Identification in Difficult Groups of Animals and Plants). Our AIDGAP guides are accessible identification keys, suitable for non-specialists from age 16+. As with all guides in the series, the Terrestrial invertebrates AIDGAP underwent extensive testing before publication, by beginners and specialists alike. The author has revised this, the first published version, in the light of the testers’ experience.
