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:
3 min ago
https://bold-au.hobern.net/specimens.php?taxid=197608
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?taxon_id=528915

Palimmeces variegata
KorinneM wrote:
1 hr ago
Nice!

Rhyothemis braganza
DiBickers wrote:
1 hr ago
Looks like a good fit for Euodynerus angulatus.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213332482

Euodynerus sp. (genus)
WendyEM wrote:
1 hr ago
https://bold-au.hobern.net/specimen.php?processid=ANICQ1245-11
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?verifiable=true&taxon_id=485956&place_id=6744&preferred_place_id=6744

Stericta carbonalis
KorinneM wrote:
1 hr ago
Harder one for me, but looking at the shape of the abodmen and what can be seen of the wings, everything seems to be ruled out except for Pygmy Percher.

Nannodiplax rubra
811,257 sightings of 22,073 species from 13,828 members
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