The Insects & Australian Wildlife Gift Shop

Identifying insects is a process in which one goes about collecting information on said insect, reviewing the information in comparison to other field notes and delivering a verdict on what the insect in question is.

If you are an 'insect hunter', that is, someone out to enjoy and observe the interesting habits of insects, be sure to take the following three items into consideration:

Habitat: Pay attention to the environments of specific insects. If you're looking for a certain species of insect, know where to look for them to find them. Gardens are a good source to finding many different species, from spiders to butterflies and bees to wasps. Fields are another good source for crickets and spiders. Forests and swampy areas attract special species as well. Don't forget that bodies of water are also a good source (mosquitoes and spiders). Be careful when trying to locate insects in areas surrounded by rubble or refuse. You might come across dangerous insects such as the Brown Recluse spider (poisonous) or hidden bee and wasp hives. Perhaps coming across a snake as well is NOT out of the question. Be on your guard!

Time of Day: For most insects, activity will peak at midday, typically when the temperature is at it's highest (bees and butterflies). Some insects will become more active at dawn or dusk (mosquitoes) but most are busiest at night (spiders).

Equipment (Optional): A magnifying glass or digital camera. A magnifying glass will (naturally) let you view the details of an insect that you would otherwise miss when viewing with the naked eye. A digital camera will allow you to take a snapshot of an insect for further review or research. Though optional, having these two items will take your insect viewing experience to a new and appreciative level.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself when trying to identify an insect that you have found - either outdoors or indoors:

How many legs does it have?
If the answer is 6, you are looking at an insect. if your answer is 8, you are looking at a spider.

Does the insect have any wings?
This will tell you if it is a walking insect or a flying insect. Some insects do have wings but they are not suitable for flying long distances.

Does the insect have any antennae or feelers?
If so, do they end in a point or are they 'knotted' at the ends?

Are there any moving jaw or mouthparts?
This will tell you allot about the types of food the insect eats. Spiders will usually have biting pincer-like parts whereas a butterfly will have a straw-like mouth part for sucking (nectar).

Body Parts of an Insect
There a three basic parts to an insect - the head, thorax (the central portion of the body) and abdomen (the ball typically seen on many insects).

The head of an insect is where the main receptor parts are located. Typically, you will find the eyes, mouthparts constituting the mouth and biting parts (which also serve to guide food into the mouth), and a pair of antennae, which are sensory organs that allow the insect to use it's smell, taste, touch and 'hearing' abilities. The head of the insect is the most powerful part of it's body and is built from several connecting plates. The eyes of an insect are known as 'compound eyes' meaning that they are made up of several smaller eyes functioning in unison.

The thorax, or mid-section, typically holds the wings (if the insect can fly), usually two pairs (for a total of 4 wings) and 3 sets of legs (for a total of 6 legs). The thorax is also the central location of the more powerful muscles used in operating the wings and legs of the insect. The wings of most insects are setup with a support structure of thickened veins. The pattern of these veins varies from insect to insect. The feet-tips of insects will usually contain sticky pads, hooks or suckers of some type which allow the inset to cling to various types of surfaces or to clasp on to it's prey.

The abdomen makes up the last, and probably the most recognizable, part of the insect. This section of the body stores the bug's digestive system, reproductive organs and sting organs (if applicable). The abdomen is a reactive part of the insect body, meaning that it can expand when the insect feeds.

The body of an insect is does not mature like the body of a human does. The body of an insect must 'molt' or shed it's skin in an effort to grow. Once the insect has shed it's old skin, it then takes in air or water into it's new skin to 'blow' it up to it's new size. This must be done before the exoskeleton hardens once more, or else the insect will not grow into it's new larger size. Some insects have been know to molt over 20 times in their lifetime, but this process ceases when the insect has reached maturity in it's adult stage.

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