Keys for the identification of British Chironomidae

Over 600 species of Chironomidae are now on the British check list, up from 389 in the Handbook published by Coe et al  in 1950.   The most recent treatment is by Langton & Pinder, Keys to the Adult Male Chironomidae of Britain and Ireland, published by the Freshwater Biological Association in 2007, available at https://www.fba.org.uk/shop/p/book-38.  This is in two volumes, the first containing the keys and the second with illustrations of the male genitalia.

The British species are classified in eight subfamilies which are keyed here.  This document now includes a detailed illustrated essay on the morphology of Bryophaenocladius vernalis.  This is to help understand the terminology of an adult Chironomid.

A key to help identify the females of members of subfamily Orthocladiinae with macroscopic hairs on the wings is provided here: