Insects (class Insecta) are a diverse group of hexapod invertebrates and is the largest group within the phylum Arthropoda. The class includes butterflies, crickets, moths, ants, termites, mantids, grasshoppers, crickets, just to name some of them.
Check out some of the genus/species listed, and come back as we add more over time… “what a wonderful world… we live in…”
InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub
— see other individually listed insects below… “
— see our Spiders (Arachnida)…
An amazing diverse group of animals that have adapted to almost every environment on the planet earth, insects play an essential role in the web of life. The interaction of insects and plants plays a crucial role in pollination and is very important for the environment and the humankind.
Insects comprise 75% of all catalogued animal species. They have exoskeletons and three body parts (head, thorax and abdomen), six jointed limbs and a pair of antennae.
The orders that contain the greatest numbers of species include Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (true flies), Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps), and Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths).
Many insects are predators, parasites or parasitoids with a great diversity of hunting strategies and behaviours to capture or feed on their prey.
ANTS (FORMICIDAE)
FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis femorata (Southern Broad-nosed Spiny Ant) Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)
BEES
BeesBees Anatomy Bees Antenna It’s in the eyes Pre-pygidial fimbria Wings of the bee Bee Behaviour Bubbling Bees Buzz Pollination Operculum lifting behaviour Blogging Bees… Bees – image index Unidentified Australian Native Bees Amegilla Bees Apical tergites of females Amegilla Amegilla Bee Body Colour Amegilla adelaidae Amegilla aeruginosa Amegilla asserta Amegilla chlorocyanea Amegilla walkeri Teddy Bear Bees (Asaropoda) Apis mellifera Dark Apis mellifera Apis mellifera — Captured flora moments Austroplebeia australis Austrothurgus Austrothurgus rubricatus Braunsapis sp Ceylalictus perditellus Colletidae Amphylaeus obscuriceps Hylaeus spp – Masked Bee Callomelitta antipodes Leioproctus Neopasiphae mirabilis Paracolletes crassipes Paracolletes nigrocinctus Trichocolletes Euryglossinae Euryglossinae Index Callohesma Dasyhesma Euhesma Euryglossa Euryglossina Xanthesma Exoneura Hyleoides bivulnerata Lasioglossum Lasioglossum (Australictus) peraustrale Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) brunnesetum Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) willsi Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum Lasioglossum (Homalictus) urbanum Leioproctus pappus Lipotriches Lipotriches australica Lipotriches flavoviridis Lipotriches gracilipes Lipotriches muscosa Lipotriches phanerura Megachile Megachile Index Megachile aurifrons Megachile erythropyga Megachile (Eutricharaea) Megachile (Hackeriapis) canifrons Megachile (Hackeriapis) rhodura Megachile lucidiventris Megachile punctata Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii Megachile semiluctuosa Megachile (Thaumatosoma) Megachile ustulata Meroglossa Meroglossa impressifrons Meroglossa rubricata Stenotritidae Ctenocolletes albomarginatus Leioproctus (Protomorpha) sp Ctenocolletes rufescens Tetragonula Tetragonula carbonaria Thyreus Thyreus caeruleopunctatus Thyreus waroonensis Xylocopa Xylocopa aerata Xylocopa bombylans
BLATTODEA (COCKROACHES and TERMITES)
BlattodeaAmitermes meridionalis Anamesia sp Balta bicolor Bush Cockroach Ellipsidion Ellipsidion australe Ellipsidion humarale Nasutitermes triodiae Termite — Alate
BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA)
ButterfliesButterflies Index Acraea andromacha Caper White Butterfly Caper White Butterfly & Caper Bush Caper White Caterpillar and Instar Eggs of the Caper White Butterfly Caper White Butterfly Metamorphosis Chequered Swallowtail Butterfly Common Eggfly Butterfly Blue Moon Butterfly Meadow Argus Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly Pieridae Black Jezebel (Delias nigrina) Red Spotted Jezebel (Delias aganippe) Two-spotted Line Blue (Nacaduba biocellata) Yellow Palm Dart
CICADA (CICADOIDEA)
CicadaCicada Index Desert Screamer (Burbunga hillieri) — Cicada Double Drummer (Thopha saccata) — Cicada Floury Baker (Aleeta curvicosta) — Cicada Masked Devil (Cyclochila australasiae) — Cicada Orange Drummer (Thopha colorata) — Cicada
COLEOPTERA (BEETLES and WEEVILS)
ColeopteraColeoptera Index Rhinotia haemoptera Amarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus macleayi) Anoplognathus porosus Aphanestes gymnopleura Blackburnium cavicolle Buprestidae More Buprestidae Buprestidae Index Jewel Beetles Astraeus Bubastes pilbarensis Calodema plebeia Calotemognatha Castiarina Cyrioides Diadoxus Hypocisseis suturalis Diphucrania Julodimorpha saundersii Melobasis Merimna atrata Metaxymorpha grayii Metaxymorpha gloriosa Stigmodera Temognatha Torresita cuprifera Carphurus Carphurus Index Carphurus cyaneipennis Carphurus fasciculatus Carphurus frenchi Carphurus longicollis Carphurus pravus Cerambycidae Didymocantha obliqua Pachydissus sp Rhytiphora Chalcopteroides (Chalcopterus Beetle) Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles) Chrysomelidae Index Johannica gemellata (Pandorea Leaf Beetle) Pittosporum Leaf Beetle (Lamprolina impressicollis) Platymela hasenpuschi Coleoptera (Beetles) Curculionidae Chrysolopus spectabilis (Botany Bay Diamond Weevil) Lixus Perperus lateralis (White-striped Weevil) Dung Beetle Eretes australis Helea scaphiformis Hydrophilus Ladybirds (Beetles) Australoneda bourgeoisi Coccinella transversalis Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Harmonia conformis Olla v-nigrum Orcus australasiae Lepidiota Lucanidae Lucanidae Index Lamprima aurata Lissapterus obesus Prosopocoilus torresensis Lycidae Neospades sp Omorgus Paropsine Beetle Paropsis maculata Paropsis porosa Paropsis sospita Paropsisterna sp Paropsisterna Index Paropsisterna beata Paropsisterna fastidiosa Paropsisterna m-fuscum Paropsisterna pictipes Paropsisterna sexpustulata Phorticosomus sp Protaetia fusca Pterohelaeus sp Rhipiceridae Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata) Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera femorata) Scarabaeidae Scarabaeidae Index Bisallardiana Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles) Tenebrionidae Xylophilostenus octophyllus
CRABRONIDAE (Paraphyletic Group of WASPS)
DIPTERA
DipteraDiptera Index Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Balaana Beefly Bat Flies Bee Flies Chrysomya saffranea Clogmia (Moth Fly) Eristalinus punctulatus Miltinus stenogaster Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphidae Therevidae
DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES (ODONATA)
Dragonflies & DamselfliesDragonfly or Damselfly? Sex Lives and Dragonflies Damselflies Diplacodes haematodes Diplacodes melanopsis (Black-faced Percher) Hemicordulia tau Orthetrum caledonicum Orthetrum migratum Orthetrum villosovittatum
HEMIPTERA
HemipteraHemiptera Index Cicadellidae Cicadoidea Fulgoromorpha (Planthoppers) Heteroptera (True Bugs)
Heteroptera (True Bugs)
HeteropteraHeteroptera Index Hyocephalus aprugnus Ippatha australiensis Leptocoris Mictis profana (Crusader Bug) Reduviidae Assassin Bugs
MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA)
MothsMoths Index Aedia arctipennis Agape chloropyga Agrius convolvuli (Convolvulus Hawk Moth) Agrotis munda Anthela guenei (Four-Spot Anthelid Moth) Ardices curvata (Crimson Tiger Moth) Austrocaligula engaea (Mistletoe Emperor Moth) Calicotis crucifera Case Moths (Variety of Cocoons) Coenotes eremophilae Comocrus behri (Mistletoe Moth) Cosmodes elegans (Green-blotched Moth) Donuca spectabilis (White-spotted Owl-Moth) Diatenes gerula Endoxyla cinereus (Carpenter Moth) Eudesmeola lawsoni Four-spotted Cup Moth (Doratifera quadriguttata) Hippotion celerio (Vine Hawk Moth) Hyles livornicoides (Australian Striped Hawk Moth) Leaf Case Moth Metura elongatus (Saunders’ Case Moth) Ochrogaster lunifer (Bag-shelter Moth) Opodiphthera eucalypti (Emperor Gum Moth) Pararguda rufescens Plume Moth Ribbed Case Moth Sameodes cancellalis Spodoptera litura Trigonodes hyppasia Utetheisa (Rattlepod Moth)
ORTHOPTERA
OrthopteraAustralian Orthopteroid Index Garden Mantis Grasshoppers Katydids (family Tettigoniidae) Toadhopper (Buforania crassa)
STINK BUGS, SHIELD BUGS and ALLIES
Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and AlliesAmorbus
WASPS
WaspsWasps Index Australian Large Wasps Australian Mud Nest Wasps Mud Wasp Velvet Ants Abispa ephippium Acarozumia amaliae Aulacidae Australodynerus Bembix Bembicinae Bethylidae Blue Hairy Flower Wasp Braconidae Chrysididae Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp) Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Eumeninae Delta philantes Ferreola handschini (Orange-collared Spider Wasp) Flower Wasps Gasteruptiid Wasp Hairy Flower Wasps Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) Lissopimpla excelsa (Orchid Dupe Wasp) Mutillidae Paralastor sp. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Radumeris tasmaniensis (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Sceliphron laetum Thynnid Wasps Tiphiidae Torymus Yellow and Black Wasp
Other creatures sometimes referred to as insects include spiders and centipedes. Unlike the class Insecta, that only have six legs, spiders are in the class Arachnida and have eight legs.
SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Spiders Index Araneidae — Orb Weavers Arkys Australian Huntsman Spider Barking Spider Black House Spider Carepalxis sp Celaenia sp Crab Spiders Deinopidae — Net-casting Spiders Dolomedes sp Dolophones sp Euryopis umbilicate (Superb Ant-eater Spider) Flower Spiders Gnaphosidae (Stealthy Ground Spider) Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Herennia sp Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Molycria burwelli Mopsus mormon Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Nyssus coloripes (Orange-legged Swift Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Tetragnatha Thomisidae Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus) Wolf Spider
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal:
- Apterygotes
- Pterygotes
- Subclass:
- Archaeognatha
- Dicondylia
- Informal:
Footnote & References
- Insects (Class Insecta), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/47158-Insecta
- Insect Keys, NSW DPI, https://idtools.dpi.nsw.gov.au/keys/index.html
- Identification resources online, The Australian National Insect Collection provides web-based information and tools for the identification of insects and related organisms, CSIRO, https://www.csiro.au/en/research/animals/insects/id-resources
- Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) is recognised both nationally and internationally as a major research collection. It is the world’s largest collection of Australian insects and related groups such as mites, spiders, nematodes and centipedes, housing over 12 million specimens, https://www.csiro.au/en/about/facilities-collections/collections/anic
InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub
InsectsBees Bees Anatomy Bee Behaviour Blogging Bees… Bees – image index Unidentified Australian Native Bees Amegilla Bees Apis mellifera Austroplebeia australis Austrothurgus Braunsapis sp Ceylalictus perditellus Colletidae Euryglossinae Exoneura Hyleoides bivulnerata Lasioglossum Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Leioproctus pappus Lipotriches Megachile Meroglossa Stenotritidae Tetragonula Thyreus Xylocopa Beetles Blattodea Amitermes meridionalis Anamesia sp Balta bicolor Bush Cockroach Ellipsidion Nasutitermes triodiae Termite — Alate Butterflies Butterflies Index Acraea andromacha Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail Butterfly Common Eggfly Butterfly Meadow Argus Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly Pieridae Two-spotted Line Blue (Nacaduba biocellata) Yellow Palm Dart Coleoptera Coleoptera Index Amarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Aphanestes gymnopleura Blackburnium cavicolle Buprestidae Carphurus Cerambycidae Chalcopteroides (Chalcopterus Beetle) Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles) Coleoptera (Beetles) Curculionidae Dung Beetle Eretes australis Helea scaphiformis Hydrophilus Ladybirds (Beetles) Lepidiota Lucanidae Lycidae Neospades sp Omorgus Paropsine Beetle Paropsisterna sp Phorticosomus sp Protaetia fusca Pterohelaeus sp Rhipiceridae Scarabaeidae Tenebrionidae Xylophilostenus octophyllus Cicada Cicada Index Desert Screamer (Burbunga hillieri) — Cicada Double Drummer (Thopha saccata) — Cicada Floury Baker (Aleeta curvicosta) — Cicada Masked Devil (Cyclochila australasiae) — Cicada Orange Drummer (Thopha colorata) — Cicada Crabronidae Pison Diptera Diptera Index Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Balaana Beefly Bat Flies Bee Flies Chrysomya saffranea Clogmia (Moth Fly) Eristalinus punctulatus Miltinus stenogaster Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphidae Therevidae Dragonflies & Damselflies Dragonfly or Damselfly? Sex Lives and Dragonflies Damselflies Diplacodes haematodes Diplacodes melanopsis (Black-faced Percher) Hemicordulia tau Orthetrum caledonicum Orthetrum migratum Orthetrum villosovittatum Formicidae Formicidae Index Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis femorata (Southern Broad-nosed Spiny Ant) Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant) Hemiptera Hemiptera Index Cicadellidae Cicadoidea Fulgoromorpha (Planthoppers) Heteroptera (True Bugs) Heteroptera Heteroptera Index Hyocephalus aprugnus Ippatha australiensis Leptocoris Mictis profana (Crusader Bug) Reduviidae Assassin Bugs Moths Moths Index Aedia arctipennis Agape chloropyga Agrius convolvuli (Convolvulus Hawk Moth) Agrotis munda Anthela guenei (Four-Spot Anthelid Moth) Ardices curvata (Crimson Tiger Moth) Austrocaligula engaea (Mistletoe Emperor Moth) Calicotis crucifera Case Moths (Variety of Cocoons) Coenotes eremophilae Comocrus behri (Mistletoe Moth) Cosmodes elegans (Green-blotched Moth) Donuca spectabilis (White-spotted Owl-Moth) Diatenes gerula Endoxyla cinereus (Carpenter Moth) Eudesmeola lawsoni Four-spotted Cup Moth (Doratifera quadriguttata) Hippotion celerio (Vine Hawk Moth) Hyles livornicoides (Australian Striped Hawk Moth) Leaf Case Moth Metura elongatus (Saunders’ Case Moth) Ochrogaster lunifer (Bag-shelter Moth) Opodiphthera eucalypti (Emperor Gum Moth) Pararguda rufescens Plume Moth Ribbed Case Moth Sameodes cancellalis Spodoptera litura Trigonodes hyppasia Utetheisa (Rattlepod Moth) Orthoptera Australian Orthopteroid Index Garden Mantis Grasshoppers Katydids (family Tettigoniidae) Toadhopper (Buforania crassa) Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Amorbus Wasps Wasps Index Australian Large Wasps Australian Mud Nest Wasps Mud Wasp Velvet Ants Abispa ephippium Acarozumia amaliae Aulacidae Australodynerus Bembix Bembicinae Bethylidae Blue Hairy Flower Wasp Braconidae Chrysididae Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp) Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Eumeninae Delta philantes Ferreola handschini (Orange-collared Spider Wasp) Flower Wasps Gasteruptiid Wasp Hairy Flower Wasps Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) Lissopimpla excelsa (Orchid Dupe Wasp) Mutillidae Paralastor sp. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Radumeris tasmaniensis (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Sceliphron laetum Thynnid Wasps Tiphiidae Torymus Yellow and Black Wasp Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub