MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Fun catch Did you attempt to pin it down with the cover slip? I find it works well as it not only holds the specimen still, but also holds it up against the cover slip - which improves the image. It takes a bit of practice but by judiciously adding water (I use a split toothpick) and subtracting wa...

Finally! I photo of something that isn't trying to kill you. This by by reckoning a copepod known as a cyclops because he only has the one eye. Personally, I think they should be called a Balor; from Celtic mythology. Balor was the king of the Fomorians and had an evil eye he could light up and des...

Very nice and congratulations on the find! Many years ago when I was a wee lad I happened upon a stentor that built a case, or tube, that he lived in. But that was the only time I had ever seen one in the wild. It really is wonderful when you come across these -- They really are quite spectacular. ...

These are incredibly beautiful images! You guys with DIC have all the fun!

But really -- Thanks for posting these. The color and clarity are simply incredible.

Very nice and congratulations on the find! Many years ago when I was a wee lad I happened upon a stentor that built a case, or tube, that he lived in. But that was the only time I had ever seen one in the wild. It really is wonderful when you come across these -- They really are quite spectacular.

That last one looks to be a gastrotrich -- I found my very first one not too long ago as well. They are very cool beasties to be sure!

Finally! I photo of something that isn't trying to kill you. This by by reckoning a copepod known as a cyclops because he only has the one eye. Personally, I think they should be called a Balor; from Celtic mythology. Balor was the king of the Fomorians and had an evil eye he could light up and dest...

Has anyone tried raising them? I'm going to try -- Well, at least try to grow the lichens they like. Otherwise, I don't know offhand of anyone who has. I know people do grow them as you can buy tardigrade cultures online. One person who I talked with, who cultures many protists and other animals, s...

Very cool -- Thanks for your response! And no worries about how long you took -- I posted it not too long ago. The water bear I found was in a bit of moss I found by a pond behind my house. I only ever found the one, and just never got around to trying lichens. So, this spring I'll be out looking f...

Some people think the internet is for cats. I, on the other hand, believe it is for water bears. Keep posting your images -- Even though this isn't stacked it is still a very good image. And just wait until Spring when I too shall overwhelm for forums with awesome photos of water bears! Muahahaaaaa!...

Very cool -- Thanks for your response! And no worries about how long you took -- I posted it not too long ago. The water bear I found was in a bit of moss I found by a pond behind my house. I only ever found the one, and just never got around to trying lichens. So, this spring I'll be out looking fo...

A couple questions for you: 1. How did you manage to keep the water bear still while you took several images of him to stack? 2. I'm curious about where and how you collect the lichen you're finding the water bears on. Here in the Great White North it is still cold and snowy, but when things thaw ou...

John is quite right! I expect to mess up each time I take the cover off my microscope! :D I've really enjoyed seeing your photos and reading about your adventures and seeing your reactions to all these really quite amazing things that live quite un-noticed in a drop of water. There is always somethi...

These guys are very cool -- I've never seen them before. I'll have to keep a look-out for their collectives floating about trying to take over the pond. Thanks for posting.

billbillt wrote:Thanks for posting... I have never seen either of them..

BillT

And with any luck you never will again!

Another really great image. I too think it looks like feathers!

Those are very cool photos; I really like the colors. It's good seeing what it is I eat before trying to go sleep as well!

McConkey wrote:I would agree!! Your stacking is turning out exceptionally well! Gary looks incredible! Great detail throughout and awesome colour! Having dealt with the likes of Gus before I refuse to compliment him no matter how detailed he is!!

Thanks Karl!

McConkey wrote:Avoid motels in Ohio! aha good to know! Never heard of the rotting raspberry tactic before thats really good to know! Thanks!

I wish I had known of it before -- I had no idea and I had never encountered them before. Live and learn!

vasselle wrote:Very nice

Thanks!

Avoid motels in Ohio! aha good to know! What verdict... May I declare that not long ago I stayed in a decent motel in Ohio (50-70 USD daily rate, depending on season), on several winter and summer weekly or longer vacations, and it was clean and comfortable and reliable and respectable, not a singl...

It's a broken Arcella shell...occupant long gone. ;) Thanks for your identification. One thing I'm curious about -- It looks like there is some sort of structure within the shell. Is that normal? I had thought of the tests as being more like a pot without a divider. Or, am I just seeing it wrong?

I'll not hazard a guess here -- I just want to say those are a couple wonderful images!

I believe that is an amoeba test. A broken one. Of course I am often wrong. CE I sort of thought that as well but then there's the very delicate structure on the outside (tests seem to be much more rough) and the internal structure that looks like a dividing wall. Could this be a type of diatom? Of...

Take no shame! Most things I have no idea of as well. But I post them here and often times someone knows exactly what it is. For me, I see anything I don't recognize as a learning opportunity. Sadly, I too have no idea what it is you photographed but it is a very nice image. There is always somethin...

I would agree!! Your stacking is turning out exceptionally well! Gary looks incredible! Great detail throughout and awesome colour! Having dealt with the likes of Gus before I refuse to compliment him no matter how detailed he is!! :D Agreed! Gus' tribe is NOT welcome anywhere near me. Sadly, I kno...

Really happy to hear its not from a live blood sample!! :shock: Thanks for the supplier info! Always good to know where slides are available from! Took a look at the anthrax image you reference! Really amazing stuff! You wouldn't know that these were your first oil immersed 100x images! Great work!...

Hey everyone. So, of course I had to post these -- You can thank me later. One is a portrait of Gus the bedbug and the other is his friend Gary the human body louse. A better pair of friends can scarce be found! But not so much for you and me. They were both taken at a total magnification of 40x; Gu...

Sorry -- I forgot to post the source (this isn't from my own blood sample!). This was taken from a slide I bought from Triarch Inc. in Ripon, Wisconsin. They have quite a variety of slides of many subjects and they have reasonable prices. Pathogens are something that I'm quite interested in -- Paras...

Here is a photo I took of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, or the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness. This is a truly terrible disease spread by the tsetse fly in many parts of Africa. It is one of the few pathogens that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier which makes it truly dangerou...