Under Observation

I found my beloved Observer's books when I was sorting through stuff at the family home yesterday. A friend at primary school gave me the Observer's Book Of Common British Insects And Spiders for my birthday. A leopard doesn't change its spots, I loved them then and I love them now, even though I have been waging war against insect pests all my working life.

Does anyone else remember these great little books? I used to pore over British Birds and British Wild Flowers and very recently was able to identify a grass from The Observer's Book Of Grasses Sedges And Rushes when all other methods failed.

I chose a pair of mating soldier beetles to photograph knowing that they would be too absorbed to beetle off before I got a pic. :) The book underneath is The Oxford Book Of Insects.