A face even it's mother probably couldn't love!

Post your images made through a compound microscope or made with a stereo/dissecting microscope in this gallery. Images may be of any subject natural or unnatural, living or non-living.

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Charles Krebs
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Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:50 am
Location: Issaquah, WA USA

A face even it's mother probably couldn't love!

Post by Charles Krebs »

Image

This is a species of cranefly that is quite common here in the NW. They are large and gangly, and fly around as if they were intoxicated. Once they get in my house their sole purpose in life becomes harassing me.... they drop down on my book after hitting the overhead reading light, bounce around off the computer screen, and at night when you are trying to sleep, you think the world's largest mosquito is trying to get at you! :shock:

Zeiss 2.5X Plan, Olympus 2.5X photoeyepiece. Canon 10D. Fiber optic illuminator directed from above, with some condenser "darkfield" thrown in for a lilltle "back-light". HF with a goodly number of images.

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micron
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Post by micron »

Good one Charlie. :) I have thought about imaging these characters but they are so ugly I could not get myself to take the picture!

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Kenv
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Post by Kenv »

What Ron said is right Charlie, this is one ugly ugly face, a very courageous shot Charlie.
Kenv
Ken

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Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

A very unusual image. That is one ugly insect. You almost feel a bit of compassion for it. :|
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Reposts of my images within the galleries are welcome, as are constructive critical critiques.

Wim van Egmond
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Post by Wim van Egmond »

You shouldn't judge this crane fly for its looks! I am sure it has a great personality! :D

Did you try and capture the halteres, the rudimentary posterior wings on these flies?

Wim

lacerta
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Post by lacerta »

It is the projecting mouth parts that really give this guy some character. Do craneflies even feed as adults ?? I know some ephemoral forms such as mayflies don't eat as adults. They are not Diptera with characteristic halteres as Vim mentioned, but do they also bear vestigial mouthparts ?
George

Charles Krebs
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Location: Issaquah, WA USA

Post by Charles Krebs »

Wim... funny you should mention the halteres, it was the first thing I looked at and photographed... guess I'll post them now!

George... The halteres on these guys are quite large. I've read that the adult feeding situation is not well known, although some cranefly species apparently do sip flower nectar.

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