Ellura Sanctuary, Swan Reach, SA, 5354
                 
It's possible 20 different species can look identical (needing dissection to differentiate); as such many id's here don't go to species level
Stat'
Notes
Thumbnails: 444.   48 native species (0 introduced) listed, with 38 natives (0 introduced) from Ellura
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Mantises (Mantodea); 11 species, 10 from Ellura - Bark Mantis (Amorphoscelidae); 2 species from Ellura
One-horned Grass Mantid
Glabromantis unicornis


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Thank you Matthew Connors for identifying this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
Formerly Phthersigena sp. Female ~29mm
Females have slightly reduced wings (shorter than body) and much smaller Ocellii compared to the males. Males are fully winged.
We asked Matthew if the projections out the rear end of the female were eggs. He said "No that's a normal part of the end of the abdomen, the ventroterminal lobes. They're very obvious in this one though!".
Matthew also said "Great photo of the little horn on the head!"
Imaged 4(2M,2F) in Jan(2:1M,1F) & Feb(2:1M,1F)
Imaged between 13-Feb-2010 and 30-Jan-2023
🔍S1, Male, dorsal
🔍S2, Female, dorsal
🔍S1, Male, dorsal, close
🔍S2, Female, dorsal, close
🔍S1, Male, profile
🔍S2, Female, profile
🔍S1, Male, profile, close
🔍S2, Female, Head & Front Leg
🔍S2, Female, Face
🔍S2, Female, Pronotum
🔍S2, Female, Head
🔍S2, Female, Inner Front Leg
Southern Boxer Bark Mantid
Paraoxypilus tasmaniensis


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Thank you Matthew Connors for identifying and Janet Whitington for confirming the id of this species for us

These are a small mandid. The females we found range in size from ~8 (nymphs) to ~17mm (adult) long, are wingless, and have a very sculptured body. Adult males are ~16-17 mm long. Male nymphs seem larger than the female nymphs, at ~13mm long.
Juvenile males are recognised by having wing buds.
Matthew said "Distinguished by prominent dorsal spines on the abdomen which it shares only with P. verreauxii"
Imaged 18(10M,8F,2J) in Jan(2F), Mar(1:1M,1J), Apr(8:7M,1F), Oct(3:1M,2F), Nov(2:1M,1F,1J) & Dec(2F)
Imaged between 30-Apr-2015 and 10-Jan-2025
🔍S2, Female Nymph, dorsal
S3, Female Nymph, dorsal
S4, Male Nymph, dorsal
S5, Male Nymph, dorsal
S6, Female Adult, dorsal
🔍S14, Male Adult, dorsal
S3, Female Nymph, close up
S4, Male Nymph, close up
S5, Male Nymph, close up
S2, Female Nymph, profile
S3, Female Nymph, profile
S4, Male Nymph, profile
S5, Male Nymph, profile
S6, Female Adult, profile
🔍S14, Male Adult, profile
🔍S15, Female Adult, profile
🔍S15, Female Adult, Antennae
S4, Male Nymph, Face
S6, Female Adult, Face
🔍S14, Male Adult, Face
S2, Female Nymph, Head
S4, Male Nymph, Head spines
S6, Female Adult, Head Spines
🔍S15, Female Adult, Head Spines
🔍S14, Male Adult, Pronotum
🔍S14, Male Adult, Pronotum & Front Leg
S2, Female Nymph, Inside Leg
S3, Female Nymph, Inside Legs
S4, Male Nymph, Inside Leg
S5, Male Nymph, Inside Leg
S6, Female Adult, Inside Legs
🔍S15, Female Adult, Inside Front Leg
🔍S14, Male Adult, Front Leg Colour
S2, Female Nymph, Thighs
🔍S2, Female Nymph, posterior
S4, Male Nymph, posterior
🔍S14, Male Adult, posterior
S2, Female Nymph, ventral
S3, Female Nymph, ventral
S6, Female Adult, ventral
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Mantises (Mantodea); 11 species, 10 from Ellura - Praying Mantis (Mantidae); 9 species, 8 from Ellura
Large Brown Mantis
Archimantis latistyla


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Other Common NameGrass Mantid

Thank you Matthew Connors & Aidan Beutel for confirming the id of this species for us

~90mm long Female (S2).
Normally there are 2 spots on the forewings, but here only one is seen clearly. There is a "smudge" where the second spot should be.
You can also see 2 spots on the hindwing. This is actually damage as it's not on the other side.
The female, as shown here, has short wings. The adult male has wings that go to the cerci (anal projections).
These can be green or brown, colour is not diagnostic of species. It's more about camouflage with their local environment.
Matthew indicated that the cerci are helpful in determining species (ie diagnostic). Notice here how thick the cerci are compared with the very similr A . sobrina.
Imaged 2F in Mar
Imaged between 19-Mar-2014 and 02-Mar-2023
🔍S2, Adult Female, drosal
🔍S1, Adult Female, profile
🔍S2, Adult Female, profile
S1, Adult Female, Partial Wing
🔍S1, Adult Female, Wing
🔍S2, Adult Female, Wings
S1, Adult Female, Face
S1, Adult Female, Head & Neck
S1, Adult Female, Antennae Length
🔍S2, Adult Female, Forearm
S1, Adult Female, Cercii
🔍S2, Adult Female, Cercii
🔍S2, Adult Female, ventral
Mallee Grass Mantis
Archimantis sobrina


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Other Common NameLarge Brown Mantid

Thank you Ethan Beaver for identifying and Matthew Connors & Mark Hura for confirming the id of this species for us

Adult females have short/half length wings; while adult males have full length wings.
The adult females we have measured are from ~85mm long (excluding cerci) to over 100mm!.
Older nymphs have wing stubs which are similar to adult female short wings. But on comparison are obviously different.
The white stripe down the back is diagnostic for this species; easy to spot in all but the adult male.
These can be green or brown, colour is not diagnostic of species. It varies as camouflage in their local environment.
When determining the gender of nymphs Honglei Chen said "Male nymphs have longer and thicker antennae."
Imaged 10(9F,3J) in Jan(4:4F,1J), Feb(2F), Mar(1F), Jun(2:1F,2J) & Nov(1F)
Imaged between 19-Jun-2011 and 21-Jan-2025
S1, Female Nymph, dorsal
S5, Adult Female, dorsal
🔍S7, Adult Female, dorsal
S5, Adult Female, profile
🔍S6, Adult Female, profile
S5, Adult Female, close up
S1, Female Nymph, Head
S5, Adult Female, face
S5, Adult Female, oscelii
S1, Female Nymph, Forearm, inner
S1, Female Nymph, Forearm, profile
S5, Adult Female, inner forearm
S5, Adult Female, wings
S1, Female Nymph, Throat
S5, Adult Female, throat
S1, Female Nymph, ventral, abdomen
S1, Female Nymph, ventral
Dryland Mantis
Coenomantis kraussiana


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Thank you Matthew Connors, Aidan Beutel & Matthew Hildabrand for confirming the id of this species for us

Adult males ~52-55mm long, while the female nymph was ~29mm long.
The female nymph was very colourful. At first we didn't recognise it as the same species as the adults.
Matthew Hildabrand said of S3 "Some A. latistyla can have similar very similar colouring but the stripy eyes are a dead giveaway, if it's the south half of Australia."
Matthew Connors said "I don't think any other large Australian mantis has dorsal lobes on the abdomen" (he's referring to the protrusions on top, not the flappy paddles at the end).
Imaged 5(4M,1F,1J) in Jan(2M), May(1:1F,1J), Nov(1M) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 01-Dec-2021 and 04-Jan-2025
🔍S2, Male Adult, dorsal
🔍S3, Female Nymph, dorsal
🔍S1, Male Adult, profile
🔍S2, Male Adult, profile
🔍S3, Female Nymph, profile
🔍S2, Male Adult, Pronotum
🔍S3, Female Nymph, Thorax & Wing Buds
🔍S2, Male Adult, Front Leg
🔍S3, Female Nymph, Front Leg
S3, Female Nymph, Front Leg Spines
🔍S3, Female Nymph, Middle Leg
S1, Male Adult, Face
S2, Male Adult, Face
S3, Female Nymph, Face
S3, Female Nymph, Antenna
S3, Female Nymph, Back of Head
S3, Female Nymph, Top of Head
🔍S3, Female Nymph, Abdominal Lobes
S1, Male Adult, posterior
Australian Striped Mantid
Orthodera marginata


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Other Common NameGreen Mantid

Thank you Matthew Connors for identifying and Ethan Beaver for confirming the id of this species for us

We thought this was Orthodera gracilis.
Matthew & Ethan Beaver, another expert who has helped us out tremendously, wrote a paper to resolve this genus.
Matthew said the thick white stripe is diagnostic for this species. While O. margiata has a narrower white strip.
Imaged 7(2M,4F,1J) in Jan(2:1F,1J), Feb(2:1M,1F), Mar(2:1M,1F) & Apr(1F)
Imaged between 14-Apr-2016 and 12-Feb-2025
Australian Green Mantid
Orthodera ministralis


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Other Common NameGarden Mantid

Thank you Matthew Connors & (CesDaMess) for confirming the id of this species for us

The nymph we found at Ellura (S4) was ~33mm long, the adult in the Adelaide (S3) Hills only ~35mm, so the nymph was close to adult size.
Matthew Connors said "You can sex any mantis of any age by counting the segments on the underside of the abdomen - males have 8 and females have 6 (can sometimes look like 7)"
He later said "You can differentiate this from O. marginatus by the thicker pronotum and the inside of the forearm coluration is different".
Imaged 7(5J) in Jan(3J), Feb(1J), Mar(1), Apr(1) & Dec(1J)
Imaged between 05-Jan-2005 and 23-Jan-2025
Adult S3
Nymph S4, dorsal
Nymph S4, profile
Nymph S4, Wing Stubs
Nymph S1, Inside Front Leg
Grass Mantid
Rhodomantis disparilis


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SynonymRhodomantis pulchella

Thank you Matthew Connors, (MrRHydon) & Norbu (Nysfour) for confirming the id of this species for us

Females have been measured at ~50mm, males ~40mm & the nymph ~30mm.
They have a dark red hind wing not visible in the photo's.
Males have nearly full length wings, whereas females have very short wings.
Note the colour under the thorax, a very smooth/plain chestnutty brown; compared with the dapled top.
Imaged 7(1M,4F,1J) in Feb(2:1F), Mar(2:1M,1F), Apr(1F), May(1F) & Dec(1J)
Imaged between 25-Feb-2015 and 24-Feb-2020
S1, Female, dorsal
🔍S2, Male, dorsal
🔍S3, Female, dorsal
🔍S5, Nymph, dorsal
🔍S3, Female, profile
🔍S4, Female, profile
S1, Female, anterior
S2, Male, anterior
S1, Female, head
🔍S1, Female, Thorax
Burying Mantis
Sphodropoda tristis


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Thank you Matthew Connors for confirming the id of this species for us

Here we have a big old fella. These Mandids grow to 40mm ... hmm, sorry this great, great, great grandpa is 50mm.
They are brown & white .... hmmm sorry, he's so old he's litterally turned grey.
Oh and they have a white patch on their wings .... hmmm, sorry, that's faded long ago.
The shot of him in the Melaleuca lanceolata is when we released him. Seconds after that shot he flew to the top of the bush to find dinner.
How's that red-topped abdomen! And the orange lipstick. Notice the black mouth parts. Normally you'd think that's shadow in a photo, but by using lots of light, we are able to see it's black pigment. The wings aren't supposed to be clear like that, they've just worn off any pigment that was originally there

Why Burying? We suspect because the female has a large scoop/shovel like ovipositor she uses to bury her eggs in the ground.
Imaged 1M on 01-Apr-2021
🔍Male, dorsal
🔍Male, profile
🔍Male, Standing
🔍Male, released
🔍Male, Antennae
🔍Male, Inside Front Leg
🔍Male, Red Abdomen
🔍Male, Forewing Venation
🔍Male, Hindwing Venation
🔍Male, Ocelli
🔍Male, Black Lipstick
🔍Male, ventral
Purplewinged Mantid
Tenodera australasiae
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Imaged 2 in Feb(1) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 06-Feb-2006 and 28-Dec-2017
Nymph, Front
Nymph, dorsal
Green Mallee Mantis
Trachymantis dentifrons


iNaturalist
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Thank you Matthew Connors for confirming the id of this species for us

Female, ~65mm long
She didn't settle until we released her in the Melaleuca, then got some better shots; particularly of the blueness of the inside front legs. As well as the blue tinge on her back/front of her wings.
Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Apr(1F) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 14-Apr-2021 and 05-Dec-2021
🔍Female, dorsal
🔍Female, profile
🔍Female, inside leg
🔍Female, face
🔍Female, ocelli
🔍Female, ventral
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Owlfly (Ascalaphidae); 1 species from Ellura
Split-eyed Owlfly
Megacmonotus magnus


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Thank you John Luck for confirming the id of this species for us

This has to be the platypus of the insect world. Damselfly wings & tail, butterfly head & antennae and massive eyes from who knows where.
Thank you to Ken Harris for pointing out this specimen is a male. Ken said "Only the male has the forked and tufted prominence on a front segment of its abdomen"

Imaged 3(1M,2F) in Feb(1F), Mar(1F) & Nov(1M)
Imaged between 22-Nov-2012 and 10-Feb-2023
S1, Male, dorsal
🔍S2, Female, dorsal
🔍S3, Female, dorsal
🔍S1, Male, profile
🔍S2, Female, profile
🔍S3, Female, profile
🔍S2, Female, iso-view
🔍S3, Female, Face
🔍S1, Male, eye & antennae
🔍S2, Female, eye
S2, Female, antenna
S1, Male, abdomen
🔍S2, Female, abdomen
🔍S1, Male, wings
🔍S2, Female, wings
🔍S3, Female, Forewing, under
🔍S3, Female, Hindwing Venation
S2, Female, posterior
🔍S2, Female, ventral
🔍S3, Female, ventral
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Beaded Lacewing (Berothidae); 2 species from Ellura
Beaded Lacewing
Spermophorella sp


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Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

Imaged 6 in Jan(1), Feb(2), Oct(1), Nov(1) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 29-Dec-2015 and 25-Feb-2025
Dorsal + Hairy Wings
Profile
Head + Hairy Thorax
Slender-wing Beaded Lacewing
Trichoma gracilipenne


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Thank you Mark Hura for confirming the id of this species for us

~11mm long.
To the naked eye this looked like a grey moth with very little markings.
The white chequered wing edges are difficult to see.
Imaged 1 on 04-Oct-2020
🔍Dorsal
🔍Profile
🔍Antenna
🔍Body
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Green Lacewing (Chrysopidae); 5 species, 4 from Ellura
Green Lacewing
Chrysopidae sp
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Imaged 25 in Mar
Imaged on 02-Mar-2011
Eggs
Green Lacewing
Dictyochrysa peterseni
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Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

Imaged 6 in Mar(1), May(1), Sep(1), Oct(2) & Nov(1)
Imaged between 05-Mar-2011 and 19-Oct-2016
Dorsal
Green Lacewing
Mallada signatus


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Thank you Ken Harris for identifying and Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for confirming the id of this species for us

~10mm long
Imaged 5 in Mar(1), Oct(3) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 22-Oct-2012 and 31-Dec-2024
🔍S7, dorsal
🔍S7, profile
S1, Insect Art
🔍S7, ventral
Large Eyed Green Lacewing
Mallada sp
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Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

This species has incredibly long antennae.
Ken Harris said "Probably Mallada signatus, but the colour is just a bit different from most that I have seen".
Imaged 1 on 20-Dec-2016
Dorsal, ~8mm
Profile
Antenna
Ventral
Green & Blue Lacewing
Mallada tripunctatus


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Other Common NameGreen and Blue Lacewing

Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

Imaged 5(2J) in Sep(2), Oct(1) & Dec(2J)
Imaged between 22-Sep-2016 and 20-Oct-2023
Hairy Abdomen
Dorsal, ~8mm
Wing venation
🔍Head & Neck, dorsal
🔍Head & Neck, profile
🔍Cleaning it's Antenna
Ventral
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Dusty Lacewing (Coniopterygidae); 2 species, 1 from Ellura
Dusty Wing
Coniopterygidae sp


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Thank you Dr Chris Lambkin for confirming the id of this species for us

Tiny white lacewing with apparant dust covering it's body. It does seem to come off, as this is one specimen and looks less dusty after it's been in the fridge for a while.
Imaged 1 on 21-Nov-2016
Dorsal
Profile
Profile, less dusty
Ventral
Tiny Lacewing
Heteroconis maculata


iNaturalist
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Thank you Ken Harris for identifying this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
With only ~2mm body & head length, with a wingspan of only ~5mm, this little insect is easy to miss!
Imaged 1 on 17-Oct-2017
Profile
Ventral
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Brown Lacewing (Hemerobiidae); 5 species, 2 from Ellura
Small-footed Brown Lacewing
Carobius pedicellatus


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Thank you Matt Campbell, Ken Harris & Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for confirming the id of this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
~5mm long, came to night light.
The wing venation is asymmetric, making it difficult to use only venation to id these.
Imaged 3(2M) in Apr
Imaged between 15-Apr-2021 and 21-Apr-2021
Male, dorsal
🔍Male, profile
🔍Male, anterior
🔍Male, Anal Appendage
🔍Male, Anal Appendage
🔍Male, Anal Appendage
🔍Male, ventral
Australian Variable Lacewing
Drepanacra binocula


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Thank you Matt Campbell for confirming the id of this species for us

Imaged 1 on 10-Sep-2024
🔍S1, profile
Brown Lacewing
Hemerobiidae cf sp
Na
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Imaged 2J in May(1J) & Oct(1J)
Imaged between 15-May-2011 and 06-Oct-2015
Larva
Larva
Tasman's Lacewing
Micromus tasmaniae


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Thank you Matt Campbell for confirming the id of this species for us

~6mm body & length, ~20mm wingspan. The eyes can be either green or red. We removed a 11 dead ones from the car in Sept 2017 after one trip. We have found some individuals with darker wing patches (on the outer costa or leading edge) than others. We've shown this in one photo to highlight both the patch & the wing venation, which is very difficult to see properly with live specimens.
Typical lacewing shaped wings, with clear zig zag patterns. They are quite hairy all over (including the wings).
Imaged 9 in Jan(1), Jun(1), Sep(3), Oct(2), Nov(1) & Dec(1)
Imaged between 08-Oct-2016 and 09-Sep-2024
S12, dorsal
S12, profile
S13, profile, green eye
🔍S15, profile, green eye
S12, red eye
Forewing venation & dark patches
Hindwing venation & dark patches
Hairy Wing
Bowing Brown Lacewing
Psychobiella occidentalis


iNaturalist
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Thank you Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for identifying and Dr Chris Lambkin for helping with the id of this species for us

1st Live Photo on-line:
~6mm body length, with a much larger ~19mm wingspan.
We think this is a female. Came to a night light.
They look very similar to Tasman Lacewings, but the wing venation doesn't have the tell tale dark streaks.
While these shots are all of the same specimen, we flipped the images so the head points to the left (as is our practice anyway) but here it shows both sides in the same orientation. Notice the wing venation along the leading edge (at the arrow) varies considerably from side to side. This can also be seen on the ventral shot as well.
Imaged 1 on 19-Jul-2020
🔍Profile, normal posture
🔍Profile, head up walking
🔍Profile, showing antennae
🔍Antennae
🔍Ventral
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Mantidfly (Mantispidae); 2 species from Ellura
Mantis Lacewing
Campion callosus


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~9mm long. Distinctive red patch on each of it's fore & hind wings.
As the name suggests, the front legs are very mantis like. They have a large black patch on the inside which we weren't able to show clearly.
Imaged 3 in Apr(1) & Nov(2)
Imaged between 20-Nov-2020 and 08-Apr-2023
🔍Dorsal
🔍Profile
🔍Black Inner Front Thigh
🔍Face
🔍Front Leg
🔍Antennae & Neck
🔍Ventral
Black-striped Mantis Lacewing
Campion tenuistrigus


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~6.5 mm long. Smaller with quite different wing venation to our other Campion.
Also having a notable black stripe down it's side.
Imaged 1 on 09-Oct-2021
Dorsal
🔍Profile
🔍Neck, dorsal
🔍Wing Venation
Head, dorsal
🔍Front Legs
🔍Abdomen
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Net-winged Insects (Neuroptera); 24 species, 18 from Ellura - Antlion (Myrmeleontidae); 7 species, 6 from Ellura
Patched-wing Antlion
Austrogymnocnemia meteorica


iNaturalist
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Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

A small specimen at ~23mm. It's been 2 years since we've seen an Antlion, and suddenly 2 on one night. Came to our night light. A very distinctive dark patch on the rear wing.
Imaged 5 in Feb(1), Mar(3) & Apr(1)
Imaged between 21-Feb-2018 and 13-Mar-2021
Dorsal
Profile
Thorax
Face
Forewing Venation
Hindwing Venation
Ventral
Small Antlion
Bandidus sp


iNaturalist
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Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

~23mm long, with 2 pairs of claws per leg, which look very large compared with it's small size. Came to the night light. Small, barely visible, white patches on each wing.
Ken said of this specimen it's similar to ".... Bandidus ocellonotus for which all known specimens come from South Australia, but there are several reasons why I don't believe it to be that species." Thanks Ken

Imaged 3 in Jan(1), Feb(1) & Mar(1)
Imaged between 21-Feb-2018 and 22-Jan-2023
Dorsal
Profile
Thorax
Claws
Wing Venations
Ventral
Buzzing Antlion
Compsoleon cf bembicidis


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1st Record in SA on Atlas
2nd Record in Australia on Atlas:

~18mm long
We had 3 come to the night light on one night. Not observed before nor since. Perhaps they are short lived, so not observed very often?
Imaged 3 in Jan
Imaged between 26-Jan-2023 and 27-Jan-2023
🔍S1, dorsal
🔍S2, dorsal
🔍S3, dorsal
🔍S3, dorsal, Wings Open
🔍S3, profile
🔍S3, White Wing Marks
🔍S3, anterior
🔍S3, Abdomen
Striped-wing Antlion
Distoleon bistrigatus


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Thank you Ken Harris for confirming the id of this species for us

~31mm long. Came to the night light. Very distinctive stripe on it's rear wing (which are longer than the fore wings).
Imaged 1 on 20-Mar-2018
Dorsal
Profile
Thorax
Wing Venation
Ventral
Striped-antennae Antlion
Glenoleon osmyloides


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~16mm long (head & body)
Imaged 1 on 07-Dec-2022
🔍Dorsal
🔍Dorsal, close
🔍Profile
🔍Face
🔍Wing Venation
🔍Iso-view
🔍Ventral
Hairy Antlion
Heoclisis fundata


iNaturalist
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Thank you Ken Harris for identifying and Vladislav Grigorenko (Grigorenko) for confirming the id of this species for us

Females ~36mm to ~38mm long; Males ~33mm to ~42mm long, ~90mm wingspan.
These are very variable in colour (in both body & wing patches). The stripe pattern on the pronotum is consistent, as is the striped antennae & yellow mouth parts.
Males have 2 long anal appendages that female don't.
Imaged 9(2M,6F) in Jan(3:2F), Feb(3F), Apr(1F) & Dec(2M)
Imaged between 29-Dec-2015 and 13-Feb-2025
S1, Male, Dorsal, wings spread
S2, Male, dorsal
S2, Male, Antennae
S1, Male, Antenna & Neck
S1, Male, Yellow Mouth Parts
S2, Male, Eye
S1, Male, Back of Head
S1, Male, Forewing Venation
S2, Male, Wing Venation
S1, Male, Rearwing Venation
S1, Male, Shoulder & Wing Attachments
S1, Male, Tail Segment
S1, Male, Tail Tip + Hairy Wing Veins
S2, Male, Leg claws
S1, Male, Found on Shadecloth
🔍S1, Male, Released, Camouflage
S1, Male, Upper Body, ventral
S1, Male, Ventral
Painted-face Antlion
Myrmeleon pictifrons


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~27mm long, ~65mm wingspan.
Notice the white wing patches aren't surrounded by veins. As such, we're not sure these are true "Pterostigma".
Imaged 1 on 31-Dec-2024
🔍S1, dorsal
🔍S1, profile
🔍S1, Body
🔍S1, Mandibles
🔍S1, Head & Antenna
🔍S1, Eye & Antenna
🔍S1, White Wing Patch
🔍S1, Wing Venation
🔍S1, ventral
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Hawker Dragonfly (Epiprocta: Aeshnidae); 2 species from Ellura
Blue-spotted Hawker
Adversaeschna brevistyla


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Thank you Reiner Richter & Anthony Paul for confirming the id of this species for us

Notice with Dragonflies, they sit with their wings out flat, horizontally. The different sizes of the appendages between the male and female is very obvious in these images
Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Dec
Imaged between 14-Dec-2012 and 06-Dec-2016
Male, anterior
Male, profile
🔍Male, Wings & Back
🔍Male, Tail
Male, Head & Back
Male, Head & Antenna
🔍Male, Eyes
🔍Female, dorsal
🔍Female, Body
Australian Emperor
Anax papuensis


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SynonymHemianax papuensis

Thank you John Tann, Karen Weaving & Arthur Yang for confirming the id of this species for us

We caught 2 at the same time, a male and a female. They were the same length, ~64mm, but the female had a slightly larger wingspan of ~110mm, vs ~100mm for the male.
These are superficially similar to Tau Emeralds, but the abdominal (tail) patterns are quite different; and these are larger.
Notice the one with a damaged head; once we'd worked out this was a female, we surmised she has already mated as this is the area where the male clamps to.
Separating the genders is not as easy as with others in the odonata order.
John kindly sent us his descriptions which highglighted more differences between the genders than we had found.
The most obvious difference to us was in profile view, the male's thorax kicks up sharply where it joins the abdomen. The female has a gentle join.
In dorsal view, we found very little noticable difference in the wings. We find it easier to see the colour difference of the posterior pattern, and the male's significant waist, which the female is missing. John describes the female's appendages as split oval's; while he describes the male's a 'P' shaped. We were able to show these difference here, but it's not obvious in the field.
Imaged 8(5M,3F) in Jan(4:3M,1F), Mar(2:1M,1F), Nov(1M) & Dec(1F)
Imaged between 02-Jan-2011 and 30-Nov-2022
🔍S6, Female, dorsal
🔍S7, Male, dorsal
🔍S6, Female, profile
🔍S7, Male, profile
🔍S6, Female, Body, profile
🔍S6, Female, Thorax
🔍S6, Female, Face
🔍S6, Female, Appendages, profile
🔍S6, Female, Appendages, dorsal
🔍S7, Male, Appendages, dorsal
🔍S6, Female, Wing Venation
🔍S7, Male, Wing Venation
🔍S6, Female, Head, Damaged
🔍S7, Male, Head
🔍S6, Female, Wing Connections
🔍S6, Female, Close, ventral
🔍S7, Male, Close, ventral
🔍S6, Female, ventral
🔍S7, Male, ventral
S3, Female, Body
S3, Female, profile
S1 & S2 In flight
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Emerald Dragonfly (Epiprocta: Corduliidae); 1 species from Ellura
Tau Emerald
Hemicordulia tau


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Thank you Stephen Fricker for confirming the id of this species for us

Different to the Australian Emerald (H. australiae) in a few ways. The Tau has:
1. Orange leading wing veins & wing patch (pterostigma), rather than black
2. An orange spot at the end of it's tail (segment 10)
3. An inverted "T" on it's face (unfortunately we didn't capture this in the photo's, yet)
Imaged 22(11M,9F) in Jan(3M), Mar(4:1M,2F), Apr(1F), Sep(5:1M,3F), Oct(2M) & Dec(7:4M,3F)
Imaged between 24-Oct-2010 and 09-Sep-2023
Male, dorsal
Male, profile
Male, in flight
Male, Body
Male, Wing
Male, Clasps
Male, Secondary Genetalia
Male, ventral
Female, dorsal
Female, profile
Female, Body
Female, Face
Female, ventral
Pair Mating, male above
Pair Mating, rotated, male left
🔍Pair Mating, 3 pronged clasp
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Skimmer (Epiprocta: Libellulidae); 3 species, 2 from Ellura
Wandering Percher
Diplacodes bipunctata


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SynonymLibellula bipunctata

Thank you Reiner Richter & John Tann for confirming the id of this species for us

Notice with Skimmers, they sit with their wings out down, below horizontal. The males are similar to Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), but with more black markings.
Imaged 6(3M,2F) in Jan(1), Mar(1F), May(1F), Sep(1M), Oct(1M) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 17-Mar-2011 and 13-Sep-2024
S1, Female, dorsal
🔍S4, Teneral Male, dorsal
S4, Teneral Male, profile
S3, Male, profile
🔍S6, Male, profile
S2, Female, anterior
Scarlet Percher
Diplacodes haematodes


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Thank you Dr Christopher Burwell for confirming the id of this species for us

As the name suggests, very bright red males; but not always. The redder specimens have very few black markings compared with Wandering Percher males.
Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Sep(1F) & Nov(1M)
Imaged between 04-Nov-2021 and 12-Sep-2023
🔍Male, dorsal
Blue Skimmer
Orthetrum caledonicum


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Thank you Reiner Richter for confirming the id of this species for us

The recent male we measured was ~47mm long with ~77mm wingspan.
These can be difficult to distinguish as both genders are yellow and black when young. As they age they turn blue. The males go a bright, light sky blue; the females become grey blue.
All males have 3 longer appendages on the rear, the females 2 shorter appendages.
If you are able to take a ventral photo, the males have additional genetals near the join between body & tail. This is what the female connects to when they are mating.
There is another very similar species found in SA, called a Black-headed Skimmer (Crocothemis nigrifrons). As the name suggests, the male has a black head & face (the blue skimmer has a yellow face). The female is very pale grassy brown, with a think black line down it's abdomen.
Imaged 11(7M,4F) in Jan(1M), Feb(2F), Mar(1M), Apr(1M), Sep(1M), Nov(3:2M,1F) & Dec(2:1M,1F)
Imaged between 02-Jan-2011 and 13-Sep-2024
🔍Male, dorsal
🔍Female, dorsal
Male, dorsal
Young Male, dorsal
🔍Male, profile
🔍Female, profile
Male, profile
Male, profile
Young Male, profile
Young Female, profile
🔍Male, Wings
🔍Female, Wings
Male, Face
Female, Face
Male, Head
Female, Head
Young Male, anterior
Male, anterior
Young Female, anterior
🔍Male, Posterior
🔍Female, Posterior
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Damselfly (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae); 4 species, 3 from Ellura
Eastern Billabongfly
Austroagrion watsoni


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Similar Species: Red & Blue Damselfly (Xanthagrion erythroneurum)
Thank you Dr Christopher Burwell for identifying this species for us

Females ~27mm to ~29mm long, our male was ~27mm. Our 1st 2 females were very yellow compared to most, and quite different to the blue males normally seen. S2 has more blue.
They are impossible to see when flying, for such a long species they are so thin.
We originally thought this was an Orange Threadtail (Nososticta solida), but on capture realised the head markings were different. So then thought Red & Blue Damselfly (Xanthagrion erythroneurum) ... but it was sooooo yellow!
Christopher kindly helped us out and said "One of the best characters to separate Red and Blue Damsel from Eastern Billabongly - especially useful for the females which are most similar - it the black streak low down on the side of the thorax the starts near the base of the abdomen. That streak is quite long in Eastern Billabonfly but very short in Red and Blue Damsel. It can get a bit tricky if there are shadows as the groove that the streak runs along can sometimes look dark."
We've marked the photo's to highlight the suture that Christopher is discussing.
Imaged 4(1M,3F) in Jan(2F) & Feb(2:1M,1F)
Imaged between 13-Jan-2023 and 07-Feb-2023
🔍S1, Female, dorsal
🔍S2, Female, dorsal
🔍S2, Female, profile
🔍S4, Male, profile
🔍S2, Female, Head stripe
🔍S4, Male, Head Stripe
🔍S1, Female, Abdomen, profile
🔍S4, Male, Abdomen, profile
🔍S1, Female, Stiped Legs
🔍S1, Female, Thoracic Mark
🔍S2, Female, Thorax, profile
🔍S4, Male, Thorax, profile
S1, Female, Face
S2, Female, Face
S4, Male, Face, upper
S4, Male, Face, lower
🔍S1, Female, Wing Venation
🔍S2, Female, Wing Venation
S1, Female, Tail Tip
🔍S4, Male, Mouth
🔍S4, Male, ventral
Aurora Bluetail
Ischnura aurora


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Thank you Graham Winterflood for identifying and Matt Campbell, Karen Weaving & Dr Christopher Burwell for confirming the id of this species for us

The green female measured at ~27mm long, while the male was slightly smaller at ~25mm; very small for an odonata.
Notice with Damselflies, they sit with their wings in vertically, flat along the body, or just above.
In relation to the differences between the females of I. aurora & I. heterosticta, Graham said "The blue spots on I. heterosticta are a larger diameter, and roundish. On I. aurora the spots are smaller and maybe triangular in shape. The location of the spots is slightly different too."
Imaged 12(5M,7F) in Jan(2:1M,1F), Feb(2M), Sep(2F), Oct(2:1M,1F), Nov(1F) & Dec(3:1M,2F)
Imaged between 19-Feb-2005 and 22-Sep-2023
S3, Male, dorsal
🔍S9, Green Female, dorsal
🔍S10, Male, dorsal
🔍S1, Male, profile
🔍S6, Female, profile
🔍S9, Green Female, profile
🔍S10, Male, profile
🔍S10, Male, Thorax
🔍S10, Male, Wings
🔍S10, Male, Abdomen
S2, Male, iso view
S4, Male, close up
S4, Male & Female, about to mate
S9, Green Female, Face
S10, Male, Face
🔍S9, Green Female, ventral
🔍S10, Male, ventral
Bluetail
Ischnura heterosticta
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Imaged 2(1M,1F) in Jan(1M) & Mar(1F)
Imaged between 09-Jan-2005 and 13-Mar-2011
Male, profile
Red & Blue Damselfly
Xanthagrion erythroneurum


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Other Common NameRed and Blue Damselfly

Similar Species: Eastern Billabongfly (Austroagrion watsoni)
Thank you Reiner Richter for identifying and Graham Winterflood for confirming the id of this species for us

~29 to ~32mm long.
The intensity of red with these varies dramatically. Adults that have emerged for some time go a deep fire engine red. Most of those we've seen though have been young, "teneral"; not yet reach their full colours. Tenerals are an off white / buff Damselfly with red / orange & blue highlights with light red / orange legs. Full coloured adults have red bodies.
Finely hairy body & head.
The tail has evenly distributed black bars on top, with blue rings at the segment joins. It is off white / buff underneath.
Each wing tip has an opaque section, with edges & veins being finely serated.
The 1st specimen we caught was was trapped behind flyscreen, so we grabbed a glass & plastic cutting board and caught it. Took these photos and then let it go.
You can see it's in poor condition, with over 7 ticks, damaged eye and missing part of it's wing tip.
Graham said "Males have rings on segments 8 & 9". This is important when separating teneral males from females (which are often not red in our experience)
There's a very similar, but less observed, damselfly in SA, Orange Threadtail (Nososticta solida). Reiner said "Male Xanthagrion erythroneurum shouldn't be an issue as they have a pale start to the tail and the last two segments are half pale.
1. Nososticta solida are always orange (never red) but will be quite pale when newly emerged.
2.Xanthagrion erythroneurum has a pale bar across behind the eyes while Nososticta solida has a pair of pale spots that may get darker and indistinguishable with age or on males (?).
3. Xanthagrion erythroneurum has paler face with some uneven black markings while Nososticta solida has a black face with a prominent rectangular pale bar, but not always."
Imaged 13(6M,7F) in Jan(1F), Mar(6:3M,3F), Apr(1F), Sep(1F), Oct(1M), Nov(2:1M,1F) & Dec(1M)
Imaged between 13-Mar-2011 and 21-Dec-2022
🔍S5, Female, profile
🔍S11, Teneral Male, profile
🔍S10, Teneral Male, profile
🔍S12, Male, profile
🔍S12, Male, dorsal
S5, Perspective with Flyscreen
S5, Female, Tail, dorsal
🔍S12, Male, Tail, dorsal
S5, Female, Tail, profile
🔍S5, Female, Thoracic Mark
🔍S5, Female, Wing Tips
S5, Female, anterior, body stripe
S5, Female, cleaning her eye
S5, Female, anterior, just because
S1 & S2, Pair skimming over tadpoles
🔍S1&2, Laying eggs on nardoo, with sawfly
S3 & S4, Depositing eggs under nardoo
Animals (Animalia) - Jointed Legs (Arthropoda) - Insects (Insecta) - Dragonflies (Odonata); 13 species, 10 from Ellura - Spreadwing (Zygoptera: Lestidae); 3 species, 2 from Ellura
Blue Ringtail
Austrolestes annulosus


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Thank you Reiner Richter & John Tann for confirming the id of this species for us

Notice with Spreadwings, they site with their wings in vertically, flat along the body, or just above, the same as Damselflies.
The females are a very different colour to the males. Males are vivid blue, where the female are off white, with metallic patches on their dorsal surface & head.
Imaged 12(7M,5F) in Jan(4:3M,1F), Feb(2F), Mar(2:1M,1F), May(2:1M,1F), Jun(1M) & Oct(1M)
Imaged between 27-May-2010 and 22-Jan-2025
🔍Female, dorsal
Female, profile
🔍Male, profile
Female, anterior
Female, Wing Venation
Female, Head
Female, Back of Head
Female, ventral
Male, dorsal
Male, profile
Got a mate
Depositing Fertilised Eggs into Water
Inland Ringtail
Austrolestes aridus


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Thank you John Tann for identifying and Reiner Richter for confirming the id of this species for us

~37mm to ~40mm long.
While we recognised the males a long time ago, we recently found a female (shown here as S13) that we thought was a Slender Ringtail (Austrolestes analis). John recognised it as this species and said: "Light-coloured band below humeral stripe has a wobbly boundary. There are about 4 strong wobbles for aridus cf more and flatter for analis
L-mark of analis is longer than L-mark of aridus 45% cf 39% to nipple on humeral stripe - here I measured it as 38%.
Female analis abdomen 8,9,10 light-dark boundary horizontal more-or-less cf aridus which slopes up - here that part of the tail slopes up which makes it a bit harder to see, but in photo #2, light colour of segment 9 slopes up toward tail tip". It shows how similar the females are of this genus.
Imaged 15(11M,4F) in Mar(4:3M,1F), May(1F), Aug(3:2M,1F), Sep(1M), Oct(1M) & Nov(5:4M,1F)
Imaged between 13-Mar-2011 and 28-Aug-2024
🔍Male, dorsal
🔍Male, profile
Male, body, dorsal
🔍Pair before Mating
Male, holding Female before Mating
Female, being held before Mating
🔍Teneral Female, profile
🔍Teneral Female, Thorax, profile
🔍Teneral Female, Head, dorsal
🔍Teneral Female, Head, profile
🔍Teneral Female, Face
Wandering Ringtail
Austrolestes cf leda
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Thank you Reiner Richter for identifying this species for us

Reiner says may be either A. leda or A. io
When comparing A. leda & A. annulosus, John Tann on iNaturalist said "Female annulosus abdomen has segments 4-7 with more-or-less similar sized light bands (segment 7 band may be marginally thinner), segment 3 band thinner - female leda has segments 3-6 with similar sized light bands, segment 7 usually thinner".
Imaged 1M on 19-Apr-2011
🔍Male, ventral

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