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.



Page 1 of 2

26

Achaea (genus) (Calpinae)

Acraea terpsicore (Tawny Coster)

Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Rice Leaf Folder, Spilomelinae)

Crocidolomia (genus) (A Crambid moth)

Dudua aprobola (Mango Webworm)

Eublemma rivula (A Noctuid moth (Erebidae))

Euproctis fimbriata (A Noctuid moth (Lymantriinae))

Maruca vitrata (Beanpod borer)

Nodaria cornicalis (Magas Fruit-borer)

Olene mendosa (Lymantriinae)

Omiodes diemenalis (Bean Leafroller)

Pantydia capistrata (An Erebid moth)

Pantydia metaspila (A Noctuid moth (Eribidae))

Pelagodes veraria (A Geometer moth (Geometrinae))

Pericyma cruegeri (Poinciana Looper, Erebinae)

Periplaneta americana (American cockroach)

Phaulacridium vittatum (Wingless Grasshopper)

Pycnoscelus surinamensis (Surinam Cockroach or Greenhouse Cockroach)

1  2 

1,909,396 sightings of 21,462 species from 13,279 contributors
CCA 3.0 | privacy
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land and acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present.