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

ibaird wrote:
9 min ago
Similar to Leptogeneia genus)?

Unverified Moth (Lepidoptera)
WendyEM wrote:
2 hrs ago
A suggestion - very worn Taxeotis endela - but I am not sure

Scopula (genus)
WendyEM wrote:
2 hrs ago
Scopula eyes are smaller in proportion to head, don't have as long palps, tend to tuck there heads under in life and antennae are attached further forward. I am still trying to work out an alternative ID.

Scopula (genus)
JonLewis wrote:
2 hrs ago
Thanks Con. Beautiful photos of the flower-covered nest. Could be one of several Iridomyrmex which construct raised areas of vegetable matter to catch the sun and make a warm place to raise brood. Below is a quote from Shattuck, S. O., & McMillan, P. (1998). Revision of the species of the Iridomyrmex conifer group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), with notes on their biology. Australian Journal of Zoology, 46(3), 301–315. https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO98033.

"The conifer species-group of the ant genus Iridomyrmex .... The species I. conifer Forel, I. setoconus, sp. nov. and I. turbineus, sp. nov. are placed in the group, which is limited to south-western Australia. ... These ants show unusual nesting habits in that thatched mounds are used during the cooler winter months and subterranean nests are constructed during the hot summer months. This habit is not known to occur in any other ant."

Cheers, Jon

Iridomyrmex sp. (genus)
HelenCross wrote:
Yesterday
Thanks Alsion, removed the atomaria eggs

Paropsisterna cloelia
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