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

RogerF wrote:
30 min ago
Can’t see any legs - could be Diptera.

Unverified Insect
nancyp wrote:
2 hrs ago
Jon, Simon and anyone else, I am sorry to say my phone has given a very wrong location. Photo was taken at 770 Jamberoo Mountain Road. No drone involved.

Leptomyrmex sp. (genus)
SimonDunstan wrote:
3 hrs ago
nice, Drone :)

Leptomyrmex sp. (genus)
SimonDunstan wrote:
3 hrs ago
Hello!

M.gulosa would be my ID also, best picture to go off of is the last one.

M.fucosa also have are closer to the jumping jack side of species selection but also have a very distinct pale mandibles where the colouration flows onto the lower facial features(clypeus) where it turns to a more brown colour for the rest of the head.(wish it was one as they are pretty girls).
Location automatically would rule out them also :)

Colouration is great for narrowing down species, then location, but its looking for the nuance of teeth distribution, slight colouring of their feet, mandibles and gaster that will bring closest ID.

Sisters from the same nest will vary in size depending on the food available at the time of larval growth and the position in the colony they may have been selected to be in(nanitics/nanny ants are tiny compared to the largest specimens in the same nest).

Myrmecia sp are mostly defensive in nature and will only act so if they are either at their nest or are startled but otherwise scavenging workers are rather placid and doubly so when its cold, most species of ants don't like to come out when surface temps are below 10 degrees.

Myrmecia gulosa
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