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

Featured sightings

Trigonodes hyppasia (Triangle Owlet) at Bogan Gate, NSW - 11 Oct 2024 by Wolfdogg

Keyacris sp. (genus) (Matchstick grasshopper) at Cowra, NSW - 29 Aug 2024 by AnneG1

Diplacodes bipunctata (Wandering Percher) at Grenfell, NSW - 22 Jan 2011 by Harrisi

Danaus petilia (Lesser wanderer) at Tullibigeal, NSW - 24 Apr 2010 by Harrisi

Castiarina abdominalis (Jewel Beetle) at Tullibigeal, NSW - 29 Sep 2019 by Harrisi

Macrotristria angularis (Cherrynose) at Lake Cargelligo, NSW - 24 Jan 2008 by Harrisi

Latest sightings

Unidentified Leafhopper or planthopper (Hemiptera, several families) at Canowindra, NSW - 15 Mar 2025 by Bronj

Poecilometis patruelis (Gum Tree Shield Bug) at Koorawatha, NSW - 9 Mar 2025 by KooragindiJohn

Vespula germanica (European wasp) at Kandos, NSW - 25 Feb 2025 by aussiejai

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Announcements

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Hello NatureMaprs!Three new priority species lists of exotic freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, and vertebrates in the ACT have been added to NatureMapr. Uploading records of these species to N...

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Discussion

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

1 hr ago

Thanks Kim

Chalcopteroides spectabilis

ibaird wrote:

2 hrs ago

A first sighting of this species for NatureMapr's South Coast region. Excellent photo,

Araeopteron epiphracta

ibaird wrote:

2 hrs ago

Several hawk moth species have similalr looking caterpillars.

Psilogramma (genus)

ibaird wrote:

2 hrs ago

The brownish trailing edge to the forewings I find a useful marker to E. fractaria, of course also the distinctive 'ring' marks on the hindwings (sometime obscured) and the distinct 'dip' in the main dark centreline across the hindwings where it meets the central abdomen.

Ectropis fractaria

Anna123 wrote:

2 hrs ago

Thanks @PeterA, my size estimation may be out. However, is this potentially the smaller male since it doesn't have the darker first abdominal segment, or the black spot on the side of the second abdom. segment?

Leioproctus (Leioproctus) platycephalus