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

Yesterday
I only saw my first Spotted Jezebel yesterday in Braidwood. Last year, I had Black, Imperial and Spotted most days from mid-December and all through January and February, so a distinct difference this year.

Delias aganippe
ibaird wrote:
Yesterday
The Giant Wood Moth (E. cinereas) has not been recorded from Tasmania. I'm suggesting E. literatus (recorded extensively in TAS) but I;m not sure of the specie. A female?
https://tasmanianinsectfieldguide.com/hexapoda/insectsoftasmanialepidoptera/superfamily-cossoidea/cossidae-wood-moths/genus-endoxyla/

Endoxyla lituratus
Yesterday
Hi BloomingAussie, thanks for your sighting. The media you provided is missing. To help us verify this sighting, please upload a photo or 2.

Unverified Insect
HelenCross wrote:
Yesterday
Well done Frecko!

Calyptomyrmex beccarii
AndyRoo wrote:
3 Feb 2026
Thanks @Curiosity for your curiosity! Good to also have this resolved. I have another previous sighting (Tenodera australasiae) at this site yet to be resolved - interestingly Carbon AI has suggested Tenodera australasiae! Unfortunately the resolution of my pics is pretty crappy - they were cropped from my pics of the plant (Blue Devil) that was my focus at the time i.e. it was something that I noticed only when prepping the Blue Devil sighting for upload to CNM.

Tenodera australasiae
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