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:
Yesterday
OK, I think your moth looks very like this one, but I don't find the single Holbern B. phoenochyta photo to be a convincing match to either, but I could be wrong. It will be interesting to see what the experts on iNaturalists say to your suggested ID,

Barea (genus)
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
Or Teras mersana?
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1586091-Teras-mersana

Tarachota mersana
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
Quite worn, but I think the darks head fitd the species.

Taxeotis intextata
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
Certainly I agree it's likely to Xylorycta (genus), but given there are several very similar looking species in this genus, I'm personally unable to be sure it's this suggested species. I note there are only a few records of this species from life online mainly from southern Victoria, so it would appear this record would extend the recorded distribution significantly.

Xylorycta (genus)
AlisonMilton wrote:
Yesterday
@Miranda Thanks Miranda. This can happen. I think it is when you click Report sighting before the photos have fully uploaded even though the location seems to have been found.

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