Online resources to assist in identification.
This page contains links to websites and other online resources for each of the different taxonomic groups listed below.
Click on the group name to open the list of links for that group.
NOTE: Each of the links selected within the headings below will open in a new browser tab
There are also many local clubs and groups in Highland offering expertise and help in identification of different taxa (here).
Catalogue of keys for identification of different taxonomic groups (click to open):
Royal Entomological Society Keys (74 RSE Guides, now out of print – for download)
- Adults and Larvae of Hide, Larder and Carpet Beetles and their relatives (Coleoptera: Dermestidiae) and of Derodontid Beetles (Coleoptera: Derodontidae). Figures index.
- Adults and Larvae of Hide, Larder and Carpet Beetles and their relatives (Coloptera: Dermestidiae) and of Derodontid Beetles (Coleoptera: Derodontidae). Main text
- An introduction to the immature stages of British Flies. Diptera Larvae, with notes on eggs, puparia and pupae. Figures index.
- An introduction to the immature stages of British Flies. Diptera Larvae, with notes on eggs, puparia and pupae. Main text.
- Cicadellidae (Typhlocybinae) with a checklist of the British Auchenorhyncha (Hemiptera, Homoptera)
- Classification & biology of braconid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).
- Coleoptera – Coccinellidae & Sphindidae.
- Coleoptera – Heteroceridae.
- Coleoptera – Tenebrionidae.
- Coleoptera (Lagriidae, Aleculidae, Tetratomidae, Melandryidae, Salpingidae, Pythidae, Mycteridae, Oedemeridae, Mordellidae, Scraptiidae, Pyrochroidae, Rhipiphoridae, Anthicidae, Aderidae And Meloidae)
- Coleoptera (Pselaphidae).
- Coleoptera, Introduction and keys to families
- Coleoptera. Buprestidae.
- Coleoptera. Carabidae
- Coleoptera. Cerambycidae.
- Coleoptera. Histeroidea.
- Coleoptera. Hydradephaga
- Coleoptera. Phalacridae.
- Coleoptera. Rhizophagidae.
- Coleoptera. Scarabaeoidea (lucanidae, Trogidae, Geotrupidae, Scarabaeidae)
- Coleoptera. Scolytidae and Platypodidae.
- Coleoptera. Staphylinidae. Section (a) Piestinae to Euaesthetinae.
- Cuckoo-Wasps. Hymenoptera, Chrysididae.
- Dermaptera and Orthoptera
- Diptera – 1. Introduction and key to families.
- Diptera – 2. Nematocera: families Tipulidae to Chironomidae (Chironomidae).
- Diptera – 2. Nematocera: families Tipulidae to Chironomidae (Tipulidae).
- Diptera – 2. Nematocera: families Tipulidae to Chironomidae (Trichoceridae – Culicidae).
- Diptera – Agromyzidae.
- Diptera – Brachycera. Tabanoidea and Asiloidea.
- Diptera – Conopidae.
- Diptera – Cyclorrhapha Calyptrata, Section (b) Muscidae.
- Diptera – Cyclorrhapha. Calyptrata (1) Section (a) Tachinidae and Calliphoridae (Calliphoridae).
- Diptera – Cyclorrhapha. Calyptrata (1) Section (a) Tachinidae and Calliphoridae (Tachinidae).
- Diptera – Hippoboscidae and Nycteribiidae (Keds, Flat-Flies and Bat-Flies).
- Diptera – Nematocera. Mycetophilidae (Bolitophilinae, Ditomyiinae, Diadocidiinae, Keroplatinae, Sciophilinae and Manotinae).
- Diptera – Orthorrhapha Brachycera. Dolichopodidae.
- Diptera – Tephritidae.
- Diptera. Pipunculidae.
- Diptera. Syrphidae.
- Diptera: Bibionid and Scatopsid flies
- Dung Beetles & chafers – Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea.
- Ephemeroptera
- Hemiptera – Cicadomorpha – Deltocephalinae
- Hemiptera – Cicadomorpha (excluding Deltocephalinae and Typhlocybinae)
- Hemiptera – Fulgoromorpha
- Homoptera – Aphidoidea (Part) – Chaitophoridae & Callaphididae
- Homoptera – Psylloidea
- Hymenoptera – Aculeata (Scolioidea, Vespoidea and Sphecoidea).
- Hymenoptera – Bethyloidea (excluding Chrysididae).
- Hymenoptera – Formicidae.
- Hymenoptera – Ichneumonoidea (Pimplinae)
- Hymenoptera – Ichneumonoidea.
- Hymenoptera – Introduction and key to families (2nd edition).
- Hymenoptera – Pompilidae.
- Hymenoptera – Symphyta.
- Hymenoptera – Symphyta.
- Hymenoptera – Symphyta.
- Hymenoptera 2. Chalcidoidea Section (a).
- Hymenoptera 2. Chalcidoidea Section (b).
- Hymenoptera Ichneumonoidea key to subfamilies Ichneumoninae I
- Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea. Diapriidae subfamily Diapriinae.
- Hymenoptera. Cynipoidea. Eucoilidae.
- Hymenoptera. Cynipoidea. Key to families and subfamilies and Cynipinae (including galls).
- Hymenoptera. Proctotrupoidea. Diapriidae subfamily Belytinae.
- Ichneumonidae – Orthopelmatinae & Anomaloninae.
- Mecoptera Megaloptera Neuroptera
- Odonata
- Plecoptera
- Psocoptera
- Siphonaptera
- Thysanoptera
- Thysanura and Diplura
- Trichoptera
Bees, Ants, Wasps, Sawflies – Hymenoptera
- Ants: High-definition images
- Bees, Wasps & Ants
- Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society
- Beginner’s guide to identifying British ichneumonids
- British and Irish Sawflies
- Bees and Wasps – British Hymenoptera
- Bumblebees (Steven Falk’s excellent resource)
- Social Wasps: Identification (omits D. norwegica)
- Social Wasps: Part 1
- Social Wasps: Part 2
- Scottish Aculeate List
Bugs – Hemiptera
Beetles – Coleoptera
- UK Ladybirds
- Key to Beetle Families
- John Walters’ Beetle Guides
- UK Beetles Beetles
- British Beetles
- British Coleoptera
- Longhorn Beetles – Guide to Scottish species (pdf)
- Sexton (burying) Beetles – key to British Silphidae (pdf)
- Sexton (burying) beetles – key to British Silphidae
- Dung Beetles – key to British Geotropidae
- Ground beetles – keys to British Carabidae (Mike Hackston)
- Ground Beetles of Ireland
- Saproxylic Beetles (in dead wood) – key to British
- Sapoxylic beetles (Ross Piper’s site)
- Saproxylic Beetles – key to British species
- Site allowing comparison of beetle images
Butterflies and Moths – Lepidoptera
Caddis Flies – Trichoptera
Centipedes and Millipedes – Myriapods
Earwigs (Dermaptera), Woodlice and Waterlice
Dragonflies – Odonata
Flies – Diptera
- Barkflies
- Barkfly Recording Scheme
- Blowflies – illustrated .pdf guide to (most) of our blowflies
- Blowflies (Calliphoridae)
- Blowflies, Woodlice Flies – draft key to Calliphoridae and Rhinophoridae
- Craneflies of the World
- Dagger Flies – Empididae – Diptera (Mike’s Insect keys)
- Dagger Flies – Empididae – Diptera
- Flies and Midges – Diptera
- Horse flies, clegs & deer flies – Family Tabanidae
- Housefly Musca domestica identification
- Book: Hoverflies of Northwest Europe (Diptera: Syrphidae)
- Leaf miner flies – Agromyzidae of Great Britain and Ireland
- Louse flies and keds – Hippoboscidae
- Louse flies and keds – Northwestern European Hippoboscidae
- Stilt and Stalk Flies – Key to Finnish Micropezidae
- Robber flies – Asilidae (Excellent, but in Dutch (.pdf, 23Mb, best saved to disc)
- Soldierflies and Allies Recording Scheme
- Thick-headed flies – keys to Conopidae (Diptera)
- True Flies – keys to British Diptera
Grasshoppers and Crickets – Orthoptera
Alder flies, Dobson flies, Barklice, Booklice, Bristletails, Silverfish and Firebrats
Invertebrates
- Marine Bivalve Shells of the British Isles (Mollusca: Bivalvia)
- British Bryozoa
- Earthworm Key
- Update on native and alien land flatworms (2023)
- British_galls (Yahoo group)
- Leafminers and plant galls of Europe
- Leaf and stem miners – UK key
- Leafminers and plant galls of Europe
- Mollusc Identification Guides
- Sea slugs – Nudibranchs of the British Isles
- Slugs, Snails, Bivalves
- Conchological Society
- Money Spiders – Linyphiidae
- Spiders and Harvestmen – British Myriapods and Isopods
- Spiders North West Europe
- Spiders and Harvestmen
- Harvestmen (Opiliones) in the UK
- Stalked jellyfish – Stauromedusae – photographic guide
Amphibians & Reptiles
Birds
Flora – Vascular Plants and Mosses
- Botanical Society of Scotland (plants and fungi)
- BSBI Plant Crib
- BSBI – Plant ID: getting started
- Key to Plant Families
- Sedges: key to British Carex
- Vegetative Grasses – key
- Freshwater Diatom Flora of Britain and Ireland
- British Bryological Society – mosses and liverworts
- Mike’s Botany – mosses
- Mike’s Botany – flowers (focus is a guide to botany terms)
- Key to Groups of British Grasses
- Seaweed – Big Seaweed Search
- Seaweed identification (NHBS)
- Orchid observers Identification Guide (downloads a pdf)
- Orchid Observers Identification Guide
- Tree Identification Guide (Natural History Museum)
- Tree Identification keys
- Tree identification (Woodland Trust)
- Irish Wild Flowers
Fungi
Lichens
Mammals
- Bat Conservation Trust
- Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust – species identification
- UK Whales and Dolphins – species identification
- Identifying Wildcats and hybrids
- Mammal Society
- Mammal Society: British mammals
- Separating Polecat, Ferret, and hybrids
- How to identify wildlife in owl pellets
- Introduction to tracks and trails (Scottish Wildlife Trust)
- How to identify droppings (Wildlife Trusts)