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

WendyEM wrote:
1 hr ago
looks like a shed skin or dehydrated dead caterpillar. Can see the row of prolegs

Lepidoptera unclassified IMMATURE
WendyEM wrote:
1 hr ago
iNat (Canadian) FREQUENTLY has different nomenclature to Australia (AFD)

Unverified Noctuoid moth (except Arctiinae)
WendyEM wrote:
1 hr ago
Not Myrioblephara sp.. Myrioblephara sp - lacks hunched over pose, has dots not dashes along termen, has striped legs, stripe forms and positions on wings don't match ......

Geometridae sp. (family)
WendyEM wrote:
2 hrs ago
BTW Peter - what is that fabulous creature under the moth's 'chin' ? I can see frog (unlikely) beetle ? bug ? blattid? ????

Eulechria hymenaea
arjay wrote:
4 hrs ago
Gosh.

Coccinellidae sp01
818,452 sightings of 22,366 species from 14,084 members
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