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.
Announcements
Hello NatureMaprs!Three new priority species lists of exotic freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, and vertebrates in the ACT have been added to NatureMapr. Uploading records of these species to N...
Continue reading
NatureMapr now receives more records in NSW than ACT
NatureMapr Data Collector 6.2.1 update
Critical nature positive infrastructure update
IMPORTANT NatureMapr Data Collector 6.2.0 mobile app update
Discussion
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/219065312
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/217215559
Puzzling
This is a pair in cop so the big yellow patch is not a gender thing https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/239073783
Unverified Moth (Lepidoptera)
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/260184902
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?taxon_id=1030108
Metasia dicealis
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/25597013
Doesn't look nearly as finely marked as most of the other examples on NatureMapr.
Aponotoreas dascia
Significant sightings
- Lamprogaster relucens at Bandiana, VIC
- Callidemum hypochalceum at Albury, NSW
- Eurymela fenestrata at West Wodonga, VIC
- Lophyrotoma analis at Wodonga, VIC
- Laccotrephes tristis at Hamilton Valley, NSW
- Comptosia stria at Wodonga
Recent activity
Papilio aegeus at Wirlinga, NSW
Utetheisa pulchelloides at West Albury, NSW
Utetheisa pulchelloides at West Albury, NSW
Oedaleus australis at Wodonga, VIC
Cerceris sp. (genus) at Wodonga, VIC
Gastrimargus musicus at Wodonga, VIC
Chortoicetes terminifera at Wodonga, VIC
Phaulacridium vittatum at Wodonga, VIC
Top contributors
- kasiaaus 8.9K
- AlisonMilton 8.7K
- Hejor1 7.9K
- ConBoekel 4.8K
- jb2602 4.6K
- trevorpreston 4.5K
- Harrisi 3.3K
- TimL 3.3K
- MatthewFrawley 2.9K
- KylieWaldon 2.9K
Top moderators
- MichaelMulvaney 20.8K
- donhe 17.1K
- ibaird 14.4K
- AlisonMilton 10.6K
- KimPullen 5.8K
- RogerF 5.7K
- SuziBond 5.6K
- HarveyPerkins 4.7K
- MichaelBedingfield 4.3K
- owenh 3.8K
#/media/File:Scheme_ant_worker_anatomy-en.svg){kind=link}