For many years I have been using this old photo, which is also used by a few different websites (e.g. UFL). But it is a bit out of focus for the Varroa destructor (left). I remember taking it using my 3.2 megapix Nikon Coolpix 990 camera (a point and shoot camera, around 2001) and shot through the ocular lens, most likely.
So last year I said I needed to update the photo of both mites. so I shot 10-15 photos under a dissecting scope in China (Thanks to Fang Liu and Wenfeng Li, for allowing me to use their scope at Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, China). Finally I had time this last Friday to stack them together, using Zerene (a stacking software). This was done because I was asked to speak about Tropi on Feb 28th, at the MBA meeting at MSU’s Kellogg Center.
2. This is the normal back toward us direction, with light from the top. A little bit better than the one above! but I wish I had like 20 or 30 shots to stack from.
3. This is the normal position but with light coming from below. I think I did not have enough shots for the Varroa so right now it looked like upside down for the mite on left (Varroa) because you see internal structures and not the hairs on the back. But the Tropi at the right side is ok.
4. This photo is for upside down mites with lights from below. I think it is the 2nd best among the 4 photos here.
5. Finally upside down mites with normal lights. but not as sharp and I am not sure why. Perhaps not enough shots. I may reshoot them again if I can find one tropi mite somewhere inside alcohol. I can easily get Varroa mites here, of course.
I am adding a slide here to tease you, hoping someone might show up at the meeting because of this post :)
