Noctuidae Europaeae Essential is based on the 13-volume series Noctuidae Europaeae by Michael Fibiger, which was published between 1990 and 2011 by Entomological Press and is now out of print.
This book deals with all 1623 known species of European Noctuids. The concise text describes habitats, flight periods, larval food plants and distribution of every European species and their distribution outside Europe. Other topics, including subspecies, generations, frequency and pests are also covered. The European distribution for every species is shown on a clear map, and the text and maps are fully updated.
The book contains photographs of more than 1500 living species of European moths, at rest in typical natural situations, and of more than 1000 of their larvae. All the species are also displayed as set specimens in natural size across 92 colour plates. This is an essential all-in-one book that is a must-have for experienced naturalists, and because of the user-friendly layout, it will also be of great use to the interested amateur lepidopterist.
"[...] I just love this book. It is without question one of the most mouth-watering moth books it has been my privilege to own [...] If you run moth-traps in Europe, then this tome is utterly invaluable. I'll stick my neck out and say that nothing remotely matching it is likely to be produced again, so get one now! [...] Noctuidae Europaeae Essential is superlative; an absolute tour de force in this field. I simply cannot comprehend the work that has gone into it and the authors are to be congratulated for the immense efforts"
– Paul Harris, Atropos 73, July 2024