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

RogerF wrote:
12 min ago
Just about 50m NNW of a large population of Ks first located in 2023

Keyacris scurra
kasiaaus wrote:
54 min ago
Thanks @Jimbobo . I don't know what plant it was. It looked like some sort of fabaceae to me too. It was part of a whole lot of planted trees and bushes in this area. I will take a better photo of the plant as a separate sighting next time I'm there.

Pseudoperga sp. (genus)
jb2602 wrote:
1 hr ago
Very similar to Leptozestis sp. on p 98 Moths in the ACT. Elachistidae, Parametriotinae

Leptozestis sp.
PeterA wrote:
1 hr ago
I've found lots of these bees, particularly in the ANBG, but they seem to be under-reported.

Leioproctus (Exleycolletes) tuberculatus
803,360 sightings of 21,776 species from 13,578 contributors
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