Mites and ticks belong to one of the most diverse group of all the arachnids and can range in size from minute up to 1 centimetre. Due to their diverse appearance a general description is difficult to give, however all have the following...
is one of the largest insect orders in the world and includes many familiar insects such as mosquitoes, midges, sand flies, house flies and blowflies. Many species of Diptera are important due to the role they play in disease transmission, which includes such things as mosquitoes that spread...
often brightly coloured, fast flying insects are well known and easily recognised. Dragonflies and damselflies are medium to large insects with body lengths ranging from 15-120 millimetres. They are often seen flying rapidly over streams and lakes, or through gardens at dusk, often following...
are usually less than 1 centimetre in body length however they can often have very long legs and are sometimes called 'daddy-long-legs'. They are commonly mistaken for spiders and should not be confused with the house-loving spider, which is often also known as a 'daddy-long-legs'. Harvestmen can...
are small to medium sized insects ranging form 3-20 millimetres in body length. These insects are not often seen although evidence of their presence is observable in the large mounds they construct or the damage they do to wood products...
mantids are often easily recognised due to their large size, which can range from 10 to 120 millimetres in body length and their characteristic way of standing with forelegs held together as if they were praying. All praying mantids have...
general form of cockroaches varies little, however their size can range from only a couple of millimetres in length up to 70 millimetres for the Giant Rhinoceros cockroach from Northern Queensland. There are just over 400 species of cockroaches in Australia out of 4000 worldwide, the best known...
in this order are extremely diverse in their size, shape and colour. There are about 6000 described species in Australia, ranging in size from 1 to 110 millimetres in length. The name Hemiptera means 'half wing' and all hemipterans share the following features: Oliarus lubra 2 pairs of wings...
fast running insects have become common inhabitants of manmade dwellings and are often found in dark sheltered areas about the home. Silverfish are usually less than 20 millimetres in length and silvery-grey in colour. They appear similar...
constitute the largest and most diverse order of insects on earth, making up about 30% of all animals. There are over 300 000 species of beetles worldwide and over 28 000 species spread across 117 families in Australia. Beetles come in a...