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

JonLewis wrote:
1 hr ago
Hi Wendy, this could be a few genera and I can’t see it well enough to be sure of the ID. Cheers, Jon

Formicidae (family)
DiBickers wrote:
1 hr ago
It looks a lot like our description of Calopompilus affectata (Spider wasp). I don’t know this taxon well & I can’t see enough of the abdomen to confirm the two uppermost segments are orange (though it does appear so on the very right-hand side if you zoom in & look closely). I might see if @MichaelMulvaney can have a look for us.

“Large spider wasp. The forewings are orange with a black apex and a black subapical band. The body, including the head, is covered with a silvery pubescence on a base colour of black, except for the top of the first two abdominal segments which are orange. The appendages - legs and antennae - are orange.”

Pompilidae (family)
donhe wrote:
7 hrs ago
@lbradley : Any Melia azedarach nearby ?

Unverified Moth (Lepidoptera)
donhe wrote:
8 hrs ago
I think the thorax is damaged

Cryptophasa (genus)
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
Worn Thallogama aellographa?

Unverified Geometer moth (Geometridae)
811,124 sightings of 22,071 species from 13,821 members
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