Insects

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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.

Insects

Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes)

Beetles (Coleoptera)

Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera)

Cicadas (Hemiptera, Cicadoidea)

Cockroaches (Blattodea, several families)

Dragonflies & Damselflies (Odonata)

Grasshoppers, Crickets & Katydids (Orthoptera)

Leafhoppers & planthoppers (Hemiptera, several families)

Moths (Lepidoptera)

Praying mantises (Mantodea)

Primitive insects

Psyllids, lerps, aphids & whiteflies (Hemiptera, several families)

Sawflies (Hymenoptera, Symphyta)

Scale insects & mealybugs (Hemiptera, Coccoidea)

Stick insects (Phasmatodea)

True bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera)

True flies (Diptera)

Wasps (Hymenoptera, Apocrita)

Other insects

Lacewings (Neuroptera)

Unidentified Insect Galls

Latest sightings

Unidentified Potter wasp (Vespidae, Eumeninae) at Ashtonfield, NSW by GemGem

Unidentified Wasp (Hymenoptera, Apocrita) at Rainbow Flat, NSW by KMcCue

Unidentified Beetle (Coleoptera) at Singleton Heights, NSW by SimonPDunstan

Papilio aegeus at Merewether, NSW by TheKewpie

Unidentified Darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) at Nulkaba, NSW by trevorpreston

Polyrhachis ammon (Golden-spined Ant, Golden Ant) at Nulkaba, NSW by trevorpreston

Unidentified Ant (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) at Nulkaba, NSW by trevorpreston

Paropsisterna beata (Blessed Leaf Beetle) at Nulkaba, NSW by trevorpreston

Unidentified Robber fly (Asilidae) at Nulkaba, NSW by trevorpreston

Unidentified Weevil (Curculionoidea) at Nulkaba, NSW by trevorpreston

Unidentified Click beetle (Elateridae) at Cessnock, NSW by jevongmany

Colepia malleola at Kurri Kurri, NSW by shadowfeet

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Discussion

HaukeKoch wrote:

1 Jan 2025

A. pallidicollis or A. porosus, difficult to tell without a view of the rear or underside.

Anoplognathus sp. (genus)

STJ wrote:

22 Oct 2024

Looks to be the larval stage of Harmonia conformis

https://ausemade.com.au/flora-fauna/fauna/insects/coleoptera/ladybirds-beetles-coccinellidae/harmonia-conformis/

Harmonia conformis

donhe wrote:

28 Jul 2024

Can you entice into crawling to get a photo of the head and thorax?

Lepidoscia lainodes

PaperbarkNativeBees wrote:

23 Jun 2024

I feel like this might be Nomia (Paulynomia) swainsoniae looking at PADIL - https://www.padil.gov.au/pollinators/pest/138543

Halictidae (family)

MichaelBedingfield wrote:

6 Feb 2024

Not a wasp, but a robber fly