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

ibaird wrote:
54 min ago
I could not find a convincing match to a named species in the Ardiosteres (genus).

Unverified Case moth (Psychidae)
RogerF wrote:
1 hr ago
Vth instar nymph

Oedaleus australis
ibaird wrote:
1 hr ago
Not all specimens of D. stigmaria have the coloured spot it seems. D. estigmaria more likely I suggest because of the overall grey colouration

Dichromodes estigmaria
ibaird wrote:
2 hrs ago
I am not sure the pectinations in this speciemen are are as long as they are for the male U. pulchelloides shown on the page 'Utetheisa - Separating species' 1/1. The male U. lotrix has short pectinations too.

Utetheisa (genus)
PJH123 wrote:
3 hrs ago
@donhe : Don, aetherialis has a white abdomen. While in brizoalis the triangular fascia near the apex on the forewing joins the triangular fascia near the apex on the termen often only by a series of faint dots or dashes.
There is a lot about aetherialis and brizoalis I cannot fathom. In the literature aetherialis is often shown as a synonym of brizoalis. In fact, the GloBiz website has it as such. The AFD only has aetherialis even though the type location for brizoalis is given as Hong Kong and “Moreton” Bay

Cirrhochrista sp. AAI4047 (BOLD)
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