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

donhe wrote:
3 hrs ago
@LisaH : congrats getting the underside shot before it flew off. Have popped a copy into
http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/hade/oenolopha.html
I hope that is OK ?

Elusa oenolopha
donhe wrote:
3 hrs ago
Some photos of this show off-white rather than yellow wings. Is this a sex difference?

Thallarcha mochlina
PJH123 wrote:
Yesterday
Excellent, completely missed it

Thallarcha mochlina
PJH123 wrote:
Yesterday
Legs, Antennae, palps and cilia all correct for Xylorycta luteotactella. It seems to be missing the ochraceous costa as described. However this is also missing on several images on BOLD and based on their barcode the all (with or without an ochraceous costa) fit within the same Bin

Xylorycta (genus)
PJH123 wrote:
Yesterday
Excellent Wendy, I believe you are correct. My specimen fits well with the original description for Xylorycta luteotactella and its synonym, Cryptolechia cognatella

Xylorycta (genus)

Recent activity

Myrmecia sp. (genus) at Adelaide, SA

821,152 sightings of 22,458 species from 14,159 members
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