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Book Review: The Complete Field Guide To Butterflies Of Australia

Jade Craven · March 2, 2020 ·

I love butterflies. They are one of the easier insect species to see in a garden and are very beautiful to examine up close. Observers will quickly learn that being easy to see doesn’t mean that a butterfly is always easy to identify.

The Complete Field Guide To Butterflies Of Australia aims to help readers learn how to identify various species. The guide features all of the butterfly species on Australia’s mainland and remote islands. This review explores whether the guide is useful for beginners.

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Book Review: A Naturalist’s Guide To The Insects Of Australia

Jade Craven · February 24, 2020 ·

I love trying to identify the insects in my backyard, but it can be tricky. There are a lot of great entomology books available, but very few targeted at the complete newbie.

A Naturalist’s Guide To The Insects Of Australia is one of just two books available targeted at beginners. It’s an identification guide that features 292 species of insect that are reasonably common in Australia. The simplicity makes it easier to try and figure out what species you have seen.

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Book Review: Colac Otway Birds

Jade Craven · February 17, 2020 ·

I’ve had close connections to the Colac/Otway region for most of my life. My aunt lives in Colac, and our family would often holiday in Apollo Bay. It is a tradition that I’ve continued as an adult. Now my visits are less about swimming and sandcastles, and more about discovering wildlife.

I was excited when I discovered this book. It focuses on a smaller geographic area than other guides about the region and goes into more detail. It isn’t as comprehensive as I would have liked; however, it’s a useful addition to your bookshelf if you frequently visit the area.

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Book Review: Forest Phoenix – How A Great Forest Recovers After Wildfire

Jade Craven · February 10, 2020 ·

In 2015, my parents’ bush block was impacted by the Scotsburn fires. The shed, cars and caravans were either destroyed or burnt out. In some areas, it felt like there were no signs of life. I tried to photograph how the area was recovering but I was flying blind. At the time, I was overwhelmed by all of the information about about how fire impacts on ecosystems. I resigned myself to just photograph what I could and make sense of it later.

This book has helped me make sense of it. Forest Phoenix is a short book that focuses on thearea of montane ash forest that was impacted by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. Through short essays and captioned photos, the authors share specific examples of how the 2009 fire impacted on the ecosystem. The unique approach allowed me to learn and understand more about the ecological recovery that takes place post fire.

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Book Review: Mosses Of Dry Forests In South Eastern Australia

Jade Craven · February 3, 2020 ·

Moss is fascinating. It is so easy to underestimate moss, especially when you consider it is seems to be everywhere. However, it can be difficult to learn more about moss once that interest has been piqued. Australian Mosses Online is a useful resource but it isn’t beginner friendly.

Mosses of dry forests in south eastern Australia aims to fill the gap in the niche. The guide focuses on the beginner-friendly mosses found in the dryer environments. It helps readers understand the basics of moss identification and gives them the knowledge-base that will allow them to seek out more advanced resources

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