These insects feed on dozens of garden vegetables, ornamentals, native plants and weeds. They look like moths, jump like fleas, and their nymphs have long waxy filaments coming out of their abdomens. Would you be able to identify a passionvine hopper?
A notorious pest from a family of notorious pests, these caterpillars will feast on almost anything, and thrive on vegetables and poisonous weeds. Could you identify a cluster caterpillar?
They are easily mistaken for the funnel-web spider, mouse and even trapdoor spider. They are much more widespread than funnel-web spiders but not nearly as venomous. Would you be able to recognise a wishbone spider? (Image Credit: Cael David-Gallery, Aname comosa) Common name: Wishbone spider Scientific name(s): Family Anamidae (part of the Family Nemesiidae until very recently). Description: Wishbone spiders are easily confused for other mygalomorphs, including the funnel webs, mouse spiders, and various trapdoor spiders. Many wishbone spider species are […]
Most people would recognise a praying mantis (although they can be hard to spot), but would you be able to identify a mantis egg case? Common name: Praying Mantis, also known as mantids Scientific name(s): Any insect in the Order Mantodea, with over 2,400 species in about 460 genera and 33 families. There are approximately 160 species known in Australia. Description: Praying mantises are well-known enough to need little description, and are named for their upright stance and folded grasping […]
These pests may be living under your very roof, but will only suck your blood out of desperation. Would you be able to identify a bird mite? Common name: Bird mite Common species in Australia include the tropical bird mite (AKA starling mite) and red poultry mite (AKA roost mite). Bird mites are sometimes mistakenly called bird lice (adult mites have eight legs, lice have six legs). Scientific name(s): Family Macronyssidae, including Ornithonyssus bursa (tropical bird mite) and Dermanyssidae, including […]
This cockroach lives in gardens and greenhouses. The cockroaches are nearly all female, but that hasn’t stopped them spreading to many parts of the world. Would you be able to identify a Surinam cockroach?
These tiny beetles have a wildly indiscriminate diet, and notorious relatives, but from some angles barely resemble beetles at all. Would you be able to ID an Australian spider beetle?
Most potter wasps build their nests from mud, but resin potter wasps use the clear sap collected from plants to build their hard nests. Learn more…
Every year this insect emerges to defoliate eucalyptus and delight with their festive colours. But their numbers seem to have crashed in recent years. Would you be able to identify a Christmas beetle?
They closely resemble, and are closely related, to the notorious black widow and redback spiders. They’re commonly found inside houses, which gives rise to another of their common names, the cupboard spider. Would you be able to recognise a false widow? Common name: False widow, cupboard spider, dark comb-footed spider, and brown house spider Scientific name(s): Steatoda grossa, in the family Theridiidae Description: They are small spiders just over 1 cm in length. Females have black legs and a large, […]
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