Am I being overly sensitive?
Am I being overly sensitive?
Ok, stupid question from a newbie..
I just scored a halfway decent scope and accessories off craigslist to keep me entertained while the sky is screwed up for astro stuff. While trying to get some pollen off a rose a few bugs fell out. Tiny damn things too. so I throw a slide cover on and hoped to catch on.
It took three tries but I finally got one! The view was mesmerizing! Until I noticed that there was digestion going on. And it had a broken antenna that was leaking out dark fluid. I realized that this was a living creature and I was kind of torturing it for my own viewing pleasure.
So let's hear it!
Am I being stupid?
I just scored a halfway decent scope and accessories off craigslist to keep me entertained while the sky is screwed up for astro stuff. While trying to get some pollen off a rose a few bugs fell out. Tiny damn things too. so I throw a slide cover on and hoped to catch on.
It took three tries but I finally got one! The view was mesmerizing! Until I noticed that there was digestion going on. And it had a broken antenna that was leaking out dark fluid. I realized that this was a living creature and I was kind of torturing it for my own viewing pleasure.
So let's hear it!
Am I being stupid?
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
No ... Not stupid, but thoughtful
You may find this discussion from 2019 interesting:
viewtopic.php?t=7795
MichaelG.
You may find this discussion from 2019 interesting:
viewtopic.php?t=7795
MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
Hi there!
I've had this problem before, but not with insects... when it comes to microbes, they're tiny, so they don't really care and I usually just put them back in the culture so to them it was just a really weird earthquake or something.
Insects and insect larvae are a problem though. They're bigger than microbes and the cover slit usually crushes them very very sad, so what I try to do is look at them in their natural habitat, observe their behavior and look at a few specimens under the microscope, just to see what they're like up close.
After I identify them, I try to avoid catching more specimens with similar behavior, as I probably already know what they are.
I did this for midgefly larvae, not sure if it would work for your bugs. If they're big enough, you can also use a magnifying glass or a good camera to look at them without hurting them!
In short, no, you're not being stupid, this is a very good thing to think about, in my opinion. It shows you actually care, not just about the cold scientific aspects of these guys, but also about them as individuals and as fellow inhabitants of our universe :3
Hope this helps!
~ Tenshi
I've had this problem before, but not with insects... when it comes to microbes, they're tiny, so they don't really care and I usually just put them back in the culture so to them it was just a really weird earthquake or something.
Insects and insect larvae are a problem though. They're bigger than microbes and the cover slit usually crushes them very very sad, so what I try to do is look at them in their natural habitat, observe their behavior and look at a few specimens under the microscope, just to see what they're like up close.
After I identify them, I try to avoid catching more specimens with similar behavior, as I probably already know what they are.
I did this for midgefly larvae, not sure if it would work for your bugs. If they're big enough, you can also use a magnifying glass or a good camera to look at them without hurting them!
In short, no, you're not being stupid, this is a very good thing to think about, in my opinion. It shows you actually care, not just about the cold scientific aspects of these guys, but also about them as individuals and as fellow inhabitants of our universe :3
Hope this helps!
~ Tenshi
This is my 'spirit', my 'intellect'. I am alive.
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Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
It's good to be sensitive about dealing with the creatures of the earth no matter how small. So how come I don't feel this way about mosquito larvae?
Greg
Greg
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Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
I kept the tick that gave me Lyme disease, made her a nice little home of sticks and dead vegetation and let her gestate her eggs in a peaceful and relaxed envionment. Her larva as they grew to healthy nymphs were a wonder to behold. I used to let them frolick and play in the warm security of my arm hairs, playful little darlings that they were. Eventually the nymphs grew and prospered, becoming just what I had hoped for them, all models of a strong, vital and responsible tick , quite brilliant they were actually , too. They all could easily find the spot with the richest and most productive blood supply in very short order. I sent them off into the wide world, fully engorged with Borellia Burdorferi awaiting yet further adventures and fully confident thst they will enjoy a long and fruitful life. In fact, I 'm expecting my first postcard any time soon!
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
.apochronaut wrote: ↑Wed Oct 28, 2020 12:41 pmI kept the tick that gave me Lyme disease, made her a nice little home of sticks and dead vegetation and let her gestate her eggs in a peaceful and relaxed envionment. Her larva as they grew to healthy nymphs were a wonder to behold. I used to let them frolick and play in the warm security of my arm hairs, playful little darlings that they were. Eventually the nymphs grew and prospered, becoming just what I had hoped for them, all models of a strong, vital and responsible tick , quite brilliant they were actually , too. They all could easily find the spot with the richest and most productive blood supply in very short order. I sent them off into the wide world, fully engorged with Borellia Burdorferi awaiting yet further adventures and fully confident thst they will enjoy a long and fruitful life. In fact, I 'm expecting my first postcard any time soon!
Its a shame we can't rate these posts this one would get a 5 out of 5.
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Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
I had Lyme and it went undiagnosed for nearly a decade. It was hell! I still have lingering effects that I deal with everyday. I'm not so sure I would feel bad about destroying the source of my disease, however, killing it certainly would not put a dent in the problem. He was only doing his job.apochronaut wrote: ↑Wed Oct 28, 2020 12:41 pmI kept the tick that gave me Lyme disease, made her a nice little home of sticks and dead vegetation and let her gestate her eggs in a peaceful and relaxed envionment. Her larva as they grew to healthy nymphs were a wonder to behold. I used to let them frolick and play in the warm security of my arm hairs, playful little darlings that they were. Eventually the nymphs grew and prospered, becoming just what I had hoped for them, all models of a strong, vital and responsible tick , quite brilliant they were actually , too. They all could easily find the spot with the richest and most productive blood supply in very short order. I sent them off into the wide world, fully engorged with Borellia Burdorferi awaiting yet further adventures and fully confident thst they will enjoy a long and fruitful life. In fact, I 'm expecting my first postcard any time soon!
For the most part I find fully intact dead bugs to look at. I also collect Victorian specimens and those mounts are much better than I can make. However, if one has a practical purpose I don't have a problem with killing them. I would make it as painless and quick as I can.
Sometimes mistakes happen. I went to top off a petri dish of microbes the other day and for some dumb reason I picked up a container of 70% alcohol instead of water. They weren't too happy but I immediately set them free. I wont' be getting a post card from that lot!
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Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
a stereo microscope is better for observing insects without crushing them. Insects are too big for compound microscopes. Even a digital microscope is a good insect watching option. I really do feel guilty abut all the thousands of microbes I destroyed. I don't know what to say about that. I just absorb the guilt.
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Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
if you dont get embalmed you can look forward to letting lots of microbes flourish in your corpse after you die, so that's something
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
Thanks, everyone. I feel better now.
I definitely won't be viewing any insects. At least with this microscope. Not really sure how deep I want to go into this particular rabbit hole yet. Even though I was looking at some $1500 objectives .
I definitely won't be viewing any insects. At least with this microscope. Not really sure how deep I want to go into this particular rabbit hole yet. Even though I was looking at some $1500 objectives .
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Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
Live view through the stereo microscope is good for everyone. Found this little lady crawling across my shop floor and she agreed to a few quick pics with my cell phone. My basement is a favorite hideout for Wolf spiders. They're a very effective and inexpensive pest control solution!
Kirby
Kirby
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
that is why i quit doing pic of spiders...suddenly the house was taken over...
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Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
Millions of these things are destroyed every day to safeguard your health in both water and sewage plants and in food preparation, but when it's you doing it things can get personal.
I remind myself that when my life is over and they lay my body in the ground, these things will certainly have their revenge.
I remind myself that when my life is over and they lay my body in the ground, these things will certainly have their revenge.
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
Now that's freaking cool!Element 56 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:53 amLive view through the stereo microscope is good for everyone. Found this little lady crawling across my shop floor and she agreed to a few quick pics with my cell phone. My basement is a favorite hideout for Wolf spiders. They're a very effective and inexpensive pest control solution!
IMG_28102020_215003_(600_x_800_pixel).jpg
IMG_28102020_214858_(600_x_800_pixel).jpg
Kirby
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
this made my day......week
apochronaut wrote: ↑Wed Oct 28, 2020 12:41 pmI kept the tick that gave me Lyme disease, made her a nice little home of sticks and dead vegetation and let her gestate her eggs in a peaceful and relaxed envionment. Her larva as they grew to healthy nymphs were a wonder to behold. I used to let them frolick and play in the warm security of my arm hairs, playful little darlings that they were. Eventually the nymphs grew and prospered, becoming just what I had hoped for them, all models of a strong, vital and responsible tick , quite brilliant they were actually , too. They all could easily find the spot with the richest and most productive blood supply in very short order. I sent them off into the wide world, fully engorged with Borellia Burdorferi awaiting yet further adventures and fully confident thst they will enjoy a long and fruitful life. In fact, I 'm expecting my first postcard any time soon!
Re: Am I being overly sensitive?
Even when moving down from insects to ciliates, you'll notice that although lacking a nervous system or nosiceptors, Ciliates will behave in what appears to be a painful way, when adding a drop of alcohol to your slide sample, just before lysis or turning into a cyst. Is it cruel? .. maybe, but just think that anything from washing your hands, to heating up your food will have the same effect on a microscopic level.