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

donhe wrote:
1 hr ago
Popped a copy into
http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/depr/diaula.html
I hope that is OK?

Eutorna diaula
kasiaaus wrote:
Yesterday
I think this ID is wrong @ibaird. I agree that it looks a bit like sighting 4387880 but that does not look to me like Bondia nigella either. It has upturned palpi. Hmmm...

Bondia nigella
RogerF wrote:
Yesterday
A nymph

Tasmaniacris tasmaniensis
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
Thes moths also identified as N. desmotes also have a 'hunched posture'.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/95139000
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25937236

Nola desmotes
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
After refering to the Moths of Victoria Visual Key to Oxycanus (genus) species (Part 6). i think the female antennae shown here (third photo) are a good match for Oxycanus rufrescens.

Oxycanus (genus)
821,968 sightings of 22,475 species from 14,170 members
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