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:
51 min ago
Yes, an important sighting. it's an extraordinary year (in recent times) for Bogong Moths in Canberra judging by the numhers of records we have been getting on NatureMapr in our region and anecdotally Also one seen on the ceiling of my regular gym in Belconnen by the proprietor last Friday (confirmed by me); and reports by him of the same species entering his block of flats in Belconnen also.

Agrotis infusa
MarkH wrote:
1 hr ago
Hi Christine, unfortunately they are 2 different species 😊. The first picture is Castiarina sexplagiata while the other two are interstitialis.
Can you please set them up as 2 different sightings?
Cheers

Castiarina interstitialis
jb2602 wrote:
Yesterday
Haven't seen such a Bogong aggregation for decades. There were at least 50.

Agrotis infusa
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
Erechthias (genus)?

Gelechioidea (superfamily)
SenexRugosus wrote:
Yesterday
Thanks for the ID!

Syneora praecisa
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