hitchhikers

[Wim van Egmond]

Perhaps water fleas are the most ordinary microscopy subjects but there is always something interesting so see. Here you can see hitch hiking Brachionus rotifers. In the bottom one it is almost like she wears a dress.

Wim

[pierre]

Impressive.

Thanks Wim

[RogelioMoreno]

Wim,

Very nice!.

Rogelio

[Mitch640]

Wow, very nice. I know that's not a face, but it looks like a face with an expression on it.

They may be common, but I have not found a Daphnia yet. Nor seen a rotifer like that.

[Wim van Egmond]

Thank you, Mitch, Do you have a plankton net? Do try to buy one, or make one. With such a net you can collect fresh water plankton which will probably have Daphnia in it. And rotifers as well. And marine plankton is also a great subject!

Wim

[Mitch640]

Wim,

I do have a very fine mesh net on a 4 foot metal handle. I got it late last fall and only had the chance to use it a few times before the river froze up. I did use it on the side of dock floats, to scrape off some growth, and along the shore to get sediment in the shallows, but never thought to just sweep it through the open water. I'll do that this spring though and see what I get.

[Wim van Egmond]

Hello Mitch,

You don't have to wait for spring. There is always something to find. So if there is no ice on the water it is worthwhile to use a net. If the mesh is too wide you can even use a coffee filter. Perhaps put it in the net?

When there are not that many organisms you just have to sweep longer.

Wim

[Mitch640]

Wim, that's the problem here, there is ice still, on the river. The ice may still be a foot thick or more. I know people are still driving their cars on it. The fools. LOL