Forty years ago Frances Murphy was a leading figure in the world of arachnology and in this book her extensive knowledge of the keeping tropical invertebrates found an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The book covers not just tropical spiders but also snails, millipedes, mantises, stick insects and a host of other creatures. Revised and updated.

by Hugh L. Keegan

The Mexican health authorities have estimated that between 1940 and 1958 several Centruroides species were responsible for over 20,000 deaths - three quarters of whom were children under the age of 3. Written by Major Keegan, while head of the 406 Medical Laboratory in Japan and supported by the leading researchers on scorpions from all over the world – the book is famous for its outstanding illustrations of the world’s most deadly scorpions by Japans leading medical illustrators. Another classic book.

by Andrew Smith

Selling for hundreds of dollars second hand, this publication (augmented with Brent Hendrixon’s revision of the Aphonopelma and Jorge Mendoza’s revision of Brachypelma) is still the major reference work published on North American tarantulas. Covering both Aphonopelma and the Brachypelma of Mexico – the scope and breadth of this classic publication has been described as awesome. On publication it was responsible for a major upsurge in research as it gave all researchers access (for the first time) to the world’s type collections. 

This is the great American tarantula classic. Possibly the most important book ever published on tarantula spiders by a Kansas doctor of entomology who devoted much of his life to their study. First published in 1958 by Kansas University Press – only 500 hundred copies were printed. Andrew Smith said that it was one of the proudest moments of his life when he was responsible for republishing it – and not only republishing but printing a beautiful folio version. 

by Andrew Smith

Published in 1990, this is another classic reference work by Fitzgerald Publishing. Again when augmented with the revision work by Richard Gallon - Baboon Spiders is still the only major reference work on the theraphosid spiders of the African continent. Packed with over a thousand illustrations of the type specimens housed in the European collections – plus a chapter on dissection and folklore and mythology.  

Published in 1985, this was a ground-breaking publication that for the very first time gave a basic description of 95% of the tarantula spiders which had been described up to that date. Based on the classification schemes of Roewer and Petrunkevitch, it summarised the scientific descriptions contained in the works of hundreds of obscure and difficult to access scientific papers and is now viewed as a classic publication in the field of theraphosid books. The success of this book enabled the author, Andrew Smith to obtain a Research Associate position at the BMNH which enabled him to examine the type material that resulted in the now classic research books; Baboon Spiders & Tarantulas of the USA & Mexico. Both of these classic university library books, retailing for hundreds of pounds second hand, are now available on this download.

by Paul Brock

This book is another classic university library publication by Fitzgerald Publishing, which appears here for the first time as an e-book. The author is one of the world’s leading experts on Phasmids and this unique field guide lists all of the stick insects, which are found within the bounds of the books title. It not only gives you a diagnostic description but also a complete list of all the collections sites, for those who wish to try their hand at finding and photographing these elusive insects.

by Vincent Hull-Williams

The second book in this classic Fitzgerald series, which pioneered the keeping of scorpions in captivity. The author was a renowned field collector and this book not only tells you about keeping them in captivity, but also gives you a series of diagnostic descriptions of key species and medical advice. First published in 1986, it was revised and reprinted three times. The is the 1988 version.

Breeding Live Food for

Reptiles & Tarantulas