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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11 Jul 2025

Hello everyone. Alison Milton has produced the June quarterly CNM newsletter. It has some interesting information about what the Nature Mappers have been doing and finding. We hope you enjoy the read....


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Discussion

JenniferS wrote:
23 min ago
Thanks everyone. I’m really interested to get an ID on this as I believe it’s the most southern sighting (on this platform anyway).

Geitoneura klugii
RogerF wrote:
1 hr ago
Does local mean a locally breeding species, if so Austracris is definitely not local but an immigrant like several other species.

Austracris guttulosa
RogerF wrote:
1 hr ago
Probably cold since it comes from the tropics

Austracris guttulosa
1 hr ago
@ibaird Please may you confirm this identification: _Melanitis leda_ .

Geitoneura klugii
1 hr ago
Don Herbison–Evans @donhe thank you very much.

Geitoneura klugii
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