Fly Face - 10 X Image
Jan 18, 2019 21:12:10 #
My 10X microscope objective arrived today so I had to try it out. The snow is starting to melt but it's far from critter friendly here so I have to resort to whatever I can find and this is one of my long departed green bottle flies. Of course they have seen better days and the color has long gone from their complex eyes.
I'm going to try to wash him but it might simply disintegrate in the process but if I can get him clean I'll do another session to compare it to this one.
Thanks as always in advance to those who view and all comments, suggestions and critique are highly appreciated.
I'm going to try to wash him but it might simply disintegrate in the process but if I can get him clean I'll do another session to compare it to this one.
Thanks as always in advance to those who view and all comments, suggestions and critique are highly appreciated.
Jan 18, 2019 22:34:09 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
That is a WOW image.My 10X microscope objective arrived today so I had... (show quote)
Jan 19, 2019 04:15:26 #
I see lots of potential in this, have you tried snow crystals yet while you still have some?
Jan 19, 2019 06:28:17 #
Jan 19, 2019 09:17:40 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
My 10X microscope objective arrived today so I had to try it out.
I'm going to try to wash him but it might simply disintegrate in the process but if I can get him clean
I'm going to try to wash him but it might simply disintegrate in the process but if I can get him clean
washing flies
your a desperate man.i think your 10x is going to be good when you get some fresh meat 
Jan 19, 2019 09:22:21 #
Brenda, snow was in abundance recently and yes, I gave it a try...and failed to get a single flake to stay long enough to get a shot.
I have a rigid piece of black plastic that I left outdoors to be at the outdoor temperature. I even set my camera on the porch so that the lens would acclimate also.
My difficulty with this snow was that it was very wet and heavy. As soon as flakes would land the would liquify. Snow falling on accumulated snow would build over time (we ended up with 10-12 inches).
Winter is unfortunately still young and there is snow in our forecast now so the odds are eventually in my favor.
Now....snow and finding a Snow Scorpion....That would be my Crown Jewel..!
I have a rigid piece of black plastic that I left outdoors to be at the outdoor temperature. I even set my camera on the porch so that the lens would acclimate also.
My difficulty with this snow was that it was very wet and heavy. As soon as flakes would land the would liquify. Snow falling on accumulated snow would build over time (we ended up with 10-12 inches).
Winter is unfortunately still young and there is snow in our forecast now so the odds are eventually in my favor.
Now....snow and finding a Snow Scorpion....That would be my Crown Jewel..!
Jan 19, 2019 09:31:28 #
Oh how I long for a fresh meat specimen. I may have to resort to a road trip to Texas before winter's cabin fever drives me mad.
Jan 19, 2019 10:53:03 #
Wow, now that is a closeup! The download makes you back away from your screen. 
Jan 19, 2019 11:32:38 #
Looking good! There must be methods of cleaning specimens that are not too onerous. A way to restore the compound eyes is described here: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36652&highlight=ammonia
Jan 19, 2019 11:54:39 #
Mark, thanks for the link and it will surely come in handy. I never realized how dirty insects are until you examine them in high detail.
My attempt to wash the fly worked but it also had a diminishing result as well. I put him in a solution of alcohol with a few drops of dish soap and gently swooshed the bottle around. It did clean it but he had been so dead for so long that what little bit of flesh that remained just melted away and a lot of its hairs fell out. Perhaps that's what happened to me too.
So...goodbye poor dead fly, may you rest in pieces.
My attempt to wash the fly worked but it also had a diminishing result as well. I put him in a solution of alcohol with a few drops of dish soap and gently swooshed the bottle around. It did clean it but he had been so dead for so long that what little bit of flesh that remained just melted away and a lot of its hairs fell out. Perhaps that's what happened to me too.
So...goodbye poor dead fly, may you rest in pieces.
Jan 19, 2019 12:34:15 #
Washing them might be helpful, but...
.. best to hydrate them first overnight at high humidity so they don't fracture so easily.
.. possibly washing will always be too damaging for very delicate specimens like flies. Things like beetles might be ok.
I was looking for info on Photomicrography.net. Too many hits for my general search term, but I did see people describe picking off stuff with a single hair as a pick up tool, working under a microscope or dissecting scope of course. The latter would not invert the view. Also silly putty can work. But I suppose there are limits to how much this effort is worth the trouble.
.. best to hydrate them first overnight at high humidity so they don't fracture so easily.
.. possibly washing will always be too damaging for very delicate specimens like flies. Things like beetles might be ok.
I was looking for info on Photomicrography.net. Too many hits for my general search term, but I did see people describe picking off stuff with a single hair as a pick up tool, working under a microscope or dissecting scope of course. The latter would not invert the view. Also silly putty can work. But I suppose there are limits to how much this effort is worth the trouble.
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