Insect species

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MichaelMulvaney  |  donhe  |  AlisonMilton  |  RogerF  |  HarveyPerkins  |  mcosgrove  |  WingsToWander  |  JasonPStewartNMsnc2016  |  canberrabutterflies  |  Curiosity  |  MEJETEuge  |  KylieWaldon  |  Aussiegall

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Overview

A guide to Australian insect families (from CSIRO) can be found at:
http://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies/

Daley, A. & Ellingsen, K., 2012. Insects of Tasmania: An online field guide

A useful introduction to Insects, visit:
http://australianmuseum.net.au/uploads/documents/9362/invertebrate_guide.pdf

A diagram of Insect morphology illustrating terminology with legend of body parts:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_morphology#/media/File:Insect_anatomy_diagram.svg

A diagram of an insect illustrating terminology based on a worker ant, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaster_(insect_anatomy)#/media/File:Scheme_ant_worker_anatomy-en.svg

Photographing insects

There are two main ways to photograph insects with a camera: using a macro close-up lens or a zoom lens. If the insect tolerates your getting very close, then you can use the macro lens. For example, some moths will remain quite still when approached, believing they are camouflaged and invisible. However, many insects, especially those that can fly, will move away when you approach. This is especially true for insects like butterflies and dragonflies. So a good zoom lens is very useful for photographing many insects. If you are using a smartphone, then use a macro lens or a macro attachment. E.g. OlloClip for iPhone. If you want to have an insect identified to species then clear photographs are usually needed because minute parts of the anatomy may need to be checked. It is valuable to take several photos from various angles so that these anatomical details can be seen. Many insects are have particular plants that they feed on, and they can be identified more easily when the associated plant is known. So if the insect is resting or feeding on a plant, take note of what the plant is or ensure that a photo shows the plant clearly.

241 species

Aaaaba fossicollis (Raspberry jewel beetle)

Aaaaba fossicollis
Aaaaba fossicollis
Aaaaba fossicollis

Aaaaba nodosus (a Jewel beetle)

Aaaaba nodosus
Aaaaba nodosus
Aaaaba nodosus

Acroceridae (family) (Hunchback Fly)

Acroceridae (family)

Acrodipsas aurata (Golden Ant-blue)

Acrodipsas aurata
Acrodipsas aurata
Acrodipsas aurata

Acrodipsas brisbanensis (Bronze Ant-blue)

Acrophylla titan (Titan Stick Insect)

Acrophylla titan
Acrophylla titan
Acrophylla titan

Amycterus carteri (Ground weevil)

Amycterus carteri

Anisynta monticolae (Montane grass-skipper)

Anisynta monticolae
Anisynta monticolae
Anisynta monticolae

Anomis (genus) (An Erebid moth)

Anomis (genus)
Anomis (genus)
Anomis (genus)

Anomis lyona (An Erebid moth)

Anomis lyona
Anomis lyona

Anthela denticulata (Toothed Anthelid)

Anthela denticulata
Anthela denticulata

Aphanosperma orientalis (Longhorn beetle)

Aphanosperma orientalis
Aphanosperma orientalis

Aphneope sericata (Longhorn beetle)

Aphneope sericata

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  • Rare or uncommon native (change?)
    * designates formal legal status
  • All invasiveness levels (change?)

Insects

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2,193,616 sightings of 20,854 species in 9,202 locations from 12,623 contributors
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