Insect field guide


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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Pyrrhocoris apterus (European Firebug)

Saissetia oleae (Black Scale or Olive Scale)

Samea multiplicalis (Salvinia Moth)

Sitona discoideus (Sitona weevil or Lucerne weevil)

Solenopsis invicta (Fire Ant, Red Imported Fire Ant)

Sphenophorus brunnipennis (La Plata weevil)

Stephanitis pyrioides (Azalea Lace Bug)

Symmetrischema tangolias (Andean Potato Tuber Moth)

Synanthedon tipuliformis (Currant Clear Wing, Currant Borer Moth)

Toxoptera citricida (Black Citrus Aphid)

Tribolium sp. (genus) (A flour beetle)

Trogium pulsatorium (Larger Pale Booklouse)

Tuberolachnus salignus (Giant willow aphid)

Vespula (Genus) (Vespula germanica or Vespula vulgaris)

Vespula germanica (German Yellowjacket Wasp (also known as European Wasp))

Wheeleria spilodactylus (Horehound plume moth)

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810,486 sightings of 22,050 species from 13,794 members
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