Insects


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.

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Discussion

RogerF wrote:
55 min ago
Had another look and could just see wing buds!

Acrida conica
Yesterday
One of the weevil beetles – as you most likely already know.

Unverified Insect
WendyEM wrote:
Yesterday
they don't seem to have as orange palps but otherwise good match.

Plectophila sp. ANIC15
KimberiRP wrote:
Yesterday
I have it on authority from Dr Adam Slipinski (co-author of the CSIRO book series "Australian longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)" that this is an undescribed species, meaning it hasn't been formally named and diagnosed. It is a member of the subfamily Cerambycinae.

Cerambycinae (sub-family)
RogerF wrote:
25 Jun 2025
Back Creek TSR. Known Site

Keyacris scurra
827,612 sightings of 22,685 species from 14,283 members
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