Chaoborus, (clear, "glass-like" rendition)

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 12:43 pm

While they are very common I really don't see many of these in my samples. They are fantastic under all types of polarized light... a veritable laser light show of muscle structure.

But they are commonly known as "glassworms" (they are really midge larvae) because of their amazingly clear bodies, and that characteristic tends to get lost in polarization. Also (at least on the species I find) their eyes and air sacs are very interesting. These details often tend to be obscured when using crossed polarizers. So here I tried to emphasize the brilliant red eye, the air sacs, and the "glass-like" body.

Nikon MM-11, Olympus 10/0.30 PLFLN, Canon 50D

vasselle · Post by **vasselle** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 12:51 pm

Superbe

carlos.uruguay · Post by **carlos.uruguay** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 1:43 pm

Very very very nice!!

Tom Jones · Post by **Tom Jones** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 7:19 pm

Wow!

Tom

Jacek · Post by **Jacek** » Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:58 pm

piermicro · Post by **piermicro** » Sun Sep 07, 2014 1:57 am

Very well.

arturoag75 · Post by **arturoag75** » Sun Sep 07, 2014 3:53 am

Superb job

Olympusman · Post by **Olympusman** » Sun Sep 07, 2014 7:36 am

Fantastic! It looks like a combination of toplight and darkfield.

pwnell · Post by **pwnell** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:51 am

Tried is the wrong word. You nailed it! What kind of environments are the best to find these larvae? I have never found one in any of my samples.

Jacek · Post by **Jacek** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 10:13 am

Waldo, in Poland sell them as food for aquarium fish

RogelioMoreno · Post by **RogelioMoreno** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:25 am

Very very nice! Beautiful details.

Rogelio

jswatts · Post by **jswatts** » Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:03 pm

Wow, Charles! I'm at a loss for words. I've seen a lot of images of glassworms, but never anything like this. The air sacs in particular are unique. Bravo!

For what its worth to others wanting to try their hands at these critters, you can buy them in the US as fish food, as well. If you want to collect them yourself, it seems plankton netting at night may be the way to go.

harisA · Post by **harisA** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 4:42 am

This is an amazing image.

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:25 pm

Thanks for the kind remarks.

These were caught in a plankton net in a freshwater marsh.

Olympusman...

It looks like a combination of toplight and darkfield.

Exactly. I used the same little device that was used for an earlier midge pupa shot.

This time I used two fiber optic light guides, and the live specimen was in a plastic petri dish. I can illuminate the lower ping-pong ball hemisphere (for a "soft" darkfield) and also do strong side lighting at the same time.

Chaoborus, (clear, "glass-like" rendition)

Chaoborus, (clear, "glass-like" rendition)

Charborus