Leitz Ortholux microscope
4X Leitz projection eyepiece plus 1/3x relay lens
Leitz 2.5X plan achromat objective.
Image No. 1, 50 images at .002 inch increments
Leitz dry darkfield condenser D 0.80
Image No. 2, 48 images at .002 inch increments
Leitz dry darkfield condenser D 0.80
Image No. 3, 48 images at .002 inch increments
Leitz dry darkfield condenser D 0.80
Image No. 4, 51 images at .002 inch increments
Reflected light, diffused fiber optic illumination
Image No. 5, 48 images at .002 inch increments
Reflected light, diffused fiber optic illumination
Canon 50D
Zerene and Photoshop processing.
Live subjects except for image number 4.
I have boiled down the early life cycle of the spider to 5 basic images in this post. Much more study is to be done but this specific species turned out to be very rewarding. All images are of the same species although 4 separate egg sacks at different stages of development were used.
Image 1 is from the earlier posting “Spiders No.6”.
Image 2 is the same egg sack after the spiderlings had removed themselves from the eggs, which are the dark objects that look like a crumpled up piece of paper. It is amusing to watch the entire brood erupt in movement if one of them should move a leg. At this point however they can’t leave, not even having developed eyes.
Image 3 shows a mass of mostly legs. Everyone inside is matured to the point that they will break free at any time.As the subject matter becomes less transparent the “X ray” affect of the dark ground becomes less affective. However it must still be employed to see anything at all. Reflected light bounces off the silk strands composing the sack and scatter too much light.
Image 4 is still another egg sack far more progressed that has already liberated 7 members. The clearly visible subject in the image still has some of its legs “stuck’ together due to the tight confines of the sack. Activity at this point is so dramatic that anesthetic measures had to be employed for stacking.
Image 5 is a free-living member of those in image 4, already house keeping in a web it constructed for itself.
Enjoy
Walt
