Home Insects [ sightings | field guide ]

Insects

Moderators

The following moderators provide knowledge and expertise for Insects:

canberrabutterflies  |  CarbonAI

Become a moderator

Overview

A guide to Australian insect families (from CSIRO) can be found at:
http://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies/

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.

22 species

Adversaeschna brevistyla (Blue-spotted Hawker)

Adversaeschna brevistyla
Adversaeschna brevistyla
Adversaeschna brevistyla
Adversaeschna brevistyla
Adversaeschna brevistyla
Adversaeschna brevistyla

Agonoscelis rutila (Horehound bug)

Agonoscelis rutila
Agonoscelis rutila
Agonoscelis rutila
Agonoscelis rutila
Agonoscelis rutila
Agonoscelis rutila

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee)

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta

Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee)

Amegilla sp. (genus)
Amegilla sp. (genus)
Amegilla sp. (genus)
Amegilla sp. (genus)
Amegilla sp. (genus)
Amegilla sp. (genus)

Austrolestes sp. (genus) (Ringtail damselfy)

Austrolestes sp. (genus)
Austrolestes sp. (genus)
Austrolestes sp. (genus)
Austrolestes sp. (genus)
Austrolestes sp. (genus)
Austrolestes sp. (genus)

Catopsilia pyranthe (White migrant)

Catopsilia pyranthe female
Catopsilia pyranthe female
Catopsilia pyranthe female
Catopsilia pyranthe
Catopsilia pyranthe
Catopsilia pyranthe

Chrysolopus spectabilis (Botany Bay Weevil)

Chrysolopus spectabilis
Chrysolopus spectabilis
Chrysolopus spectabilis
Chrysolopus spectabilis
Chrysolopus spectabilis
Chrysolopus spectabilis

Danaus petilia (Lesser wanderer)

Danaus petilia
Danaus petilia
Danaus petilia
Danaus petilia
Danaus petilia
Danaus petilia

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

Danaus plexippus MALE
Danaus plexippus
Danaus plexippus MALE
Danaus plexippus
Danaus plexippus
Danaus plexippus

Eurema smilax (Small Grass-yellow)

Eurema smilax
Eurema smilax
Eurema smilax
Eurema smilax
Eurema smilax
Eurema smilax

Heteronympha merope (Common Brown Butterfly)

Heteronympha merope MALE
Heteronympha merope FEMALE
Heteronympha merope
Heteronympha merope
Heteronympha merope
Heteronympha merope

Junonia villida (Meadow Argus)

Junonia villida
Junonia villida
Junonia villida Larvae
Junonia villida
Junonia villida
Junonia villida

Micraspis frenata (Striped Ladybird)

Micraspis frenata
Micraspis frenata
Micraspis frenata
Micraspis frenata
Micraspis frenata
Micraspis frenata

Nacaduba biocellata (Two-spotted Line-Blue)

Nacaduba biocellata
Nacaduba biocellata
Nacaduba biocellata
Nacaduba biocellata
Nacaduba biocellata
Nacaduba biocellata

Ochrogaster lunifer (Bag-shelter moth)

Ochrogaster lunifer
Ochrogaster lunifer
Ochrogaster lunifer
Ochrogaster lunifer
Ochrogaster lunifer
Ochrogaster lunifer

Ocybadistes walkeri (Green Grass-dart)

Ocybadistes walkeri
Ocybadistes walkeri
Ocybadistes walkeri
Ocybadistes walkeri
Ocybadistes walkeri
Ocybadistes walkeri

Orcus australasiae (Orange-spotted Ladybird)

Orcus australasiae
Orcus australasiae
Orcus australasiae
Orcus australasiae
Orcus australasiae
Orcus australasiae

Orthetrum caledonicum (Blue Skimmer)

Orthetrum caledonicum
Orthetrum caledonicum
Orthetrum caledonicum
Orthetrum caledonicum
Orthetrum caledonicum
Orthetrum caledonicum

Polyrhachis semiaurata (A golden spiny ant)

Polyrhachis semiaurata
Polyrhachis semiaurata
Polyrhachis semiaurata
Polyrhachis semiaurata
Polyrhachis semiaurata
Polyrhachis semiaurata

1  2 

Conservation Level

  • All conservation levels (change?)

Invasiveness

  • All invasiveness levels (change?)

Insects

Machine learning

Machine learning is not enabled.

Follow Insects

Receive alerts of new sightings

Subscribe

Share field guide

Share link to Insects field guide

2,089,768 sightings of 18,688 species in 5,464 locations from 9,583 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.