Acilius sulcatus larva

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:25 pm

This is a water beetle larva. Total length about 2.5 cm (1 inch). Found in a pond at my local nature reserve. A busy little chap.

The first image is using a Wild M8 stereo zoom microscope. The other two are macros taken with the camera plus an add-on lens from the scrap box. Both of these show the larva at rest taking air at the surface film.

I wasn't sure whether to put these in the micro or macro forum, but as I started with a micro image, this is where they ended up.

Wim van Egmond · Post by **Wim van Egmond** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 7:08 am

Graham!

It is an extreme wide angle micrograph!

Cute beasty! Did you also make a close up?

Wim

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 1:52 pm

I would say they came out rather nice Graham. Gets me thinking of making a small thin aquarium, maybe 6"x 6" , 1" wide out of window glass and taking macro shots of aquatic insects.

. I have seen them use something like that to take pictures of fish.

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:26 pm

Wim, I was not greatly successful with my attempts at closer views, but here is one for the record:

As for aquaria for macrophotography - here are what I use. They are about a centimetre in depth. Ruler propped up behind for an idea of the other dimensions

I also have some plastic lidded cells that are quite useful (originally from Millipore, the filter company):

... although the top views of this insect were taken in an open dish.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:16 pm

I guess I am thinking to big

That larvae has four eyes

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:17 pm

I think the features that can be seen around the eye area are actually highlights on the antenna segments and that it should only have two eyes - a bit tricky to interpret around the dark patches. Sorry I don't have a better close-up.

Wim van Egmond · Post by **Wim van Egmond** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:17 pm

Nice! It is an amazing animal. I remember Charlie made a picture of this animal with that strange smile.

I have used such a small aquarium in th epast. I should use it again. It is important to have good optical glass! Not just windowglass. If only for the side you photograph through.

Wim

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:25 pm

Hhmm... I'm thinking four eyes. This is a larva, so no compound eyes, just (in this case) real big ocelli. I can't find any solid references about this, but the pictures here look pretty clear -- not just the closeup but the outline in pic #2 of the first set.

--Rik