Insect species

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The following moderators provide knowledge and expertise for Insects:

donhe  |  AlisonMilton  |  RogerF  |  HarveyPerkins  |  mcosgrove  |  WingsToWander  |  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/

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.

5758 species

Suniana sunias (Wide-brand Grass-dart)

Syllitus grammicus (Longicorn or longhorn beetle)

Syllitus grammicus
Syllitus grammicus
Syllitus grammicus

Syllitus microps (Longicorn or Longhorn beetle)

Syllitus microps
Syllitus microps
Syllitus microps

Syllitus rectus (Longhorn beetle)

Syllitus rectus
Syllitus rectus
Syllitus rectus

Syllitus sp. (genus) (Syllitus longhorn beetle)

Syllitus sp. (genus)
Syllitus sp. (genus)
Syllitus sp. (genus)

Symphypleona sp. (order) (Globular springtail)

Symphypleona sp. (order)
Symphypleona sp. (order)
Symphypleona sp. (order)

Symphyta (suborder) (Unidentified Sawfly)

Symphyta (suborder)
Symphyta (suborder)
Symphyta (suborder)

Symphyta nyctopis (A Bombycoid Moth (Lasiocampinae))

Symphyta nyctopis
Symphyta nyctopis
Symphyta nyctopis

Symphyta psaropis (A Lappet or Snout moth)

Symphyta sp. (genus) (A moth in the family Lasiocampidae)

Symplecta (Trimicra) pilipes (A limoniid crane fly)

Symplecta (Trimicra) pilipes
Symplecta (Trimicra) pilipes
Symplecta (Trimicra) pilipes

Sympycnodes arachnophora (A Wood moth (Cossidae))

Sympycnodes arachnophora
Sympycnodes arachnophora

Sympycnodes dunnorum (A Wood moth (Zeuzerinae))

Sympycnodes dunnorum
Sympycnodes dunnorum

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Conservation level

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Invasiveness

Insects

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2,163,239 sightings of 20,528 species in 6,681 locations from 11,847 contributors
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