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

ChrisBAllen wrote:
2 hrs ago
These traits do not match Myrmecia gulosa (which has black mandibles and a larger size) or Myrmecia pyriformis (which is more uniformly reddish-brown). Instead, this ant is more consistent with:

Myrmecia fucosa
Size: Medium (~20–25 mm)
Coloration: Reddish-brown body with darker abdomen
Mandibles: Often pale or light brown, not black
Distribution: While more common in Victoria and SA, it may occur in southern NSW

Also M. fucosa is less aggressive so the fact that you got a ruler next to it long enough to take the photo makes this more likely (despite the range extension)

Myrmecia gulosa
ChrisBAllen wrote:
2 hrs ago
These traits do not match Myrmecia gulosa (which has black mandibles and a larger size) or Myrmecia pyriformis (which is more uniformly reddish-brown). Instead, this ant is more consistent with:

Myrmecia fucosa
Size: Medium (~20–25 mm)
Coloration: Reddish-brown body with darker abdomen
Mandibles: Often pale or light brown, not black
Distribution: While more common in Victoria and SA, it may occur in southern NSW

Also M. fucosa is less aggressive so the fact that you got a ruler next to it long enough to take the photo makes this more likely (despite the range extension)

Myrmecia gulosa
JenniferS wrote:
3 hrs ago
An ok. Must be more since I looked at the sighting locations…

Melanitis leda
SuziBond wrote:
3 hrs ago
Nice find, they're a lovely butterfly. There are records down to Wollongong for this species.

Melanitis leda
PJH123 wrote:
6 hrs ago
@ibaird @WendyEM @donhe I had a reply from Ian Mcmillan regarding this species; "Probably Cryptophasa chionodes, a sexually dimorphic species. Males are black and very much smaller. Graham Cocks found it in Townsville. Also known as Cryptophasa sp. ANIC74."

Cryptophasa (genus)
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