Pollen - Plectranthus zuluensis

[RudiV]

My pollen collection is growing, I managed to add a few today, there is Plectranthus zuluensis, a tiny blue flower that I can find in the garden 12 months of the year.

Plectranthus zuluensis pollen, 20x objective, 28 image stack.



And with a 40x objective, 37 image stack.



Thanks for looking,
Rudi

[Johann]

Great shots - which scope in your growing collection did you use for these images?

[billbillt]

It just gets better and better!.. Wonderful, clear and sharp..

BillT

[RudiV]

Great shots - which scope in your growing collection did you use for these images?

Thanks! This was one of the BH-2's with DPlan Apo objectives.

[RudiV]

It just gets better and better!.. Wonderful, clear and sharp..

BillT

Thanks BillT!

Rudi

[KurtM]

Beautiful images!

You may already be aware of this, but here goes just in case: If you take a bit of natural unprocessed honey, add water, blend well, place a drop of the dilution on a slide, add a slip, and check it out under the microscope, you should be able to see pollen from the flowers the bees made the honey from. This gets especially fun once you get familiar with your local pollen cast of characters, and buy local honey.

A few of us are bound to become palynologists (or apiarists) yet!

[RudiV]

Beautiful images!

You may already be aware of this, but here goes just in case: If you take a bit of natural unprocessed honey, add water, blend well, place a drop of the dilution on a slide, add a slip, and check it out under the microscope, you should be able to see pollen from the flowers the bees made the honey from. This gets especially fun once you get familiar with your local pollen cast of characters, and buy local honey.

A few of us are bound to become palynologists (or apiarists) yet!

Thanks Kurt!

No, I did not know that! Learned something today! I have friends who keep bees as a hobby and they often give me honey, will have a look.

I am also involved with a research project on bees, trying to find out why their numbers are dropping so fast. My side of the project involves capturing male bees (drones) in flight using pheromones and a specially designed and built drone (multi rotor).

Will have a chat to my co-researchers about some honey samples

Thanks for the info!
Rudi

[billbillt]

Beautiful images!

You may already be aware of this, but here goes just in case: If you take a bit of natural unprocessed honey, add water, blend well, place a drop of the dilution on a slide, add a slip, and check it out under the microscope, you should be able to see pollen from the flowers the bees made the honey from. This gets especially fun once you get familiar with your local pollen cast of characters, and buy local honey.

A few of us are bound to become palynologists (or apiarists) yet!

Thanks Kurt!

No, I did not know that! Learned something today! I have friends who keep bees as a hobby and they often give me honey, will have a look.

I am also involved with a research project on bees, trying to find out why their numbers are dropping so fast. My side of the project involves capturing male bees (drones) in flight using pheromones and a specially designed and built drone (multi rotor).

Will have a chat to my co-researchers about some honey samples

Thanks for the info!
Rudi

Hi Rudi,

Please keep us up to date on your studies on this fascinating subject!.. Would love to see a few pics of your drone..

BillT

[RudiV]

Hi Rudi,

Please keep us up to date on your studies on this fascinating subject!.. Would love to see a few pics of your drone..

BillT

I BillT.

Will do!

I have designed and built more than 75 drones in recent years, mostly for specific jobs ranging from photography, search and rescue to nature conservation.

Here are 2 of them. Sorry for the off-subject post everyone! But I think they can be used for sample collection?





There are also fixed-wing long distance and high altitude models. Many moons ago I did similar work for the defense industry.

Rudi

[billbillt]

Thanks for sharing!.... What a fascinating subject... How were you able to capture bees with it?..

BillT

[RudiV]

Thanks for sharing!.... What a fascinating subject... How were you able to capture bees with it?..

BillT

We tow a very long net below/behind it with pheromones (slowly released) inside, towards the closed end, that attracts male bees, they then get stuck in the net and are collect after landing. The drone simulates a female/queen bee. Even the motor/propeller combination is chose to generate a sound like a lot of bees.

The idea is to catch the male bees on their mating flight. It works quite well.
Rudi

[KurtM]

Well ... dang. I think it's a cinch that you get the Mad Scientist of the Day award!

[apochronaut]

Why is it called the defense industry, instead of the offense industry?

[exmarine]

Hi RudiV,

I have been keeping bees for 17 years and if I can be of any help please get in touch. I have obtained all the British Beekeeping written modules and the microscopy module so I have some idea of what is expected re; drones.

I also have a big collection of pollen grains.

Good luck to you for the future.

[RudiV]

Well ... dang. I think it's a cinch that you get the Mad Scientist of the Day award!

[RudiV]

Why is it called the defense industry, instead of the offense industry?

I suppose it depends on how you apply the product? My "devices" were used in both roles I suppose....

[RudiV]

Hi RudiV,

I have been keeping bees for 17 years and if I can be of any help please get in touch. I have obtained all the British Beekeeping written modules and the microscopy module so I have some idea of what is expected re; drones.

I also have a big collection of pollen grains.

Good luck to you for the future.

Thanks for the offer, appreciate it! Will dig a bit deeper and shout when I get stuck.

Thanks again,
Rudi

[Peter]

It seems obvious to me why there's a decrease in bee numbers; all the drones are mating with drones not queens. (My first ever use of a "smilie", I now feel dirty).

[exmarine]

Hi Peter,

Do you realize what you are implying?

Drone mates with drone never been heard of. The virgin queen will mate with up to 17 different drones on the wing.

[Peter]

Hi Peter,

Do you realize what you are implying?

Multi level pun intended.

[gekko]

Beautiful pollen images.