Invertebrates Collection (#96)

Common blue butterflies C018 / 0883
Common blue (Polyommatus icarus) butterflies resting on a flower. Male uppersides are an iridescent lilac blue with a thin black border

Stag beetle C018 / 0869
Stag beetle. Lucanus cervus stag beetle with its wings spread. This is the best-known species of stag beetle in the West

Paper Wasps, Mauritius C017 / 6782
Paper Wasps (Polistes olivaceus) on a nest. Photographed in Mauritius

Midge larva, SEM C017 / 1912
Midge larva. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a buzzer midge (Chironomus plumosus) larva. The buzzer midge, is a species of non-biting midge

Long-winged planthoppers on a plant stem C017 / 6807
Long-winged planthoppers (family Derbidae) on a plant stem. Planthoppers (superfamily Fulgoroidea) feed on plant sap using their needle-like mouthparts

Hooded mantis C017 / 6813
Hooded mantis. Stals hooded leaf mantis (Choeradodis stalii) on a leaf. This species of praying mantis is found in Brazil, Ecuador, French Guyana, Panama, and Peru

Sea life, conceptual artwork C017 / 3641
Sea life, conceptual computer artwork

Giant Harvestman C017 / 6808
Giant harvestman on a leaf. Harvestmen (order Opiliones) are an order of arachnids that resemble spiders but are not closely related to them

Grain weevil. Coloured scanning electron micrograph of the thorax and head of a grain weevil (Sitophilus granarius). This beetle infests and damages stored grain

Coloured SEM of a horsefly (Tabanus bromius)
Horsefly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a horsefly (Tabanus bromius). This is a large blood-sucking insect which feeds mainly on horses and cattle

Fruit fly compound eye, SEM
Fruit fly compound eye. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the compound eye of a male fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster)

Dust mites, SEM Z445 / 0355
Dust mites (Dermatophagoides sp.) and dust debris, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Every house has millions of dust mites

Spiders web threads, SEM
Spiders web. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of gum drops on a strand of silk from the web of a garden orb spider (Araneus diadematus)

Coloured SEM of a Garden ant carrying a Rose aphid
Ant carrying an aphid. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a Garden ant Lasius niger with a Rose aphid nymph held in its mouthparts

SEM of the antenna of white butterfly
Butterfly antenna. Scanning electron micrograph of the surface of the antenna of the large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae. Antennae are the paired mobile sense organs found on the butterflys head

Coloured SEM of proboscis of flesh fly, Sarcophaga
Proboscis of flesh fly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph of the proboscis of a grey flesh fly, Sarcophaga carnaria. The proboscis is an elongated feeding organ used to sponge up liquid or

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Although originally from America this butterfly has migrated successfully to many parts of the world including Australia and some areas of the Mediterranean

Light micrograph of a swallowtail butterfly wing
Light micrograph of the overlapping scales on the wing of a swallowtail butterfly, Papilio machaon. Bright field illumination. Magnification: x40 at 35mm size

Mites on beetle
Mites on a beetle. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of mites (Fuscuropoda marginata, at centre) infesting a click beetle (Elater balteatus). They are seen on the beetles legs

SEM of a dust mite
Dust mite. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a dust mite (Dermatophagoides sp. ). Dust mites are tiny arachnids which live in houses

F / col SEM of a mite (Varroa) of the honeybee
Mite of the honeybee. False-colour scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the mite Varroa jacobsoni that occurs as an ectoparasite on the honeybee (Apis sp.)

Spider mouthparts, SEM Z430 / 0436
Spider mouthparts. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the mouthparts of a house spider (Tegenaria sp.). The head of the spider is at upper centre

Black vine weevil, SEM
Black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus), on a leaf, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). This insect is a pest that attacks a wide range of plants, including the yew, rhododendron, azalea

F / col SEM of scales on Swallowtail butterfly wing
Wing scales. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the wing of the common European Swallowtail butterfly Papilio machaon, showing its arrangement of wing scales

Eyelash mite, SEM Z445 / 0308
Eyelash mite. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an eyelash, or follicle, mite (Demodex folliculorum), a harmless parasite which lives inside human hair follicles

Brittle star, SEM
Brittle star (Amphipholis sp.), coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). A brittle star is a marine invertebrate that is related to starfish

Garden ant carrying a rose aphid, SEM
Ant carrying an aphid. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a garden ant (Lasius niger) with a rose aphid nymph (Macrosiphum rosae) held in its mouthparts

Common morpho butterfly (Morpho peleides) with closed wings. The underside of the wings of this species are a rich brown with white markings and yellow and black eyespots

Spiders foot, SEM
Spiders foot. Coloured scanning electron micrograph of the foot of a garden orb spider (Araneus diadematus). This common spider builds a large web that it uses to catch flying insects

LM of bird flea
Light micrograph of a female flea, Ceratophylus Galinae Galinae, a parasite on dry nesting birds. The head is helmet-shaped & the body is laterally flattened

Soil mite. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a common soil mite, Phthiracarus sp. This mite is typically found in moss and leaf litter

Coloured SEM of a marsh slug, Agriolimax laevis
Marsh slug. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a garden or marsh slug (Agriolimax laevis). At centre left is the mantle which is a fold of skin which covers the internal

Spider silk spinners, SEM
Spider silk spinners. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the spinnerets of a house spider (Tegenaria domestica)

Julia butterfly (Dryas julia). This butterfly is native to South and Central America

Coloured SEM of a wasps head (Vespula vulgaris)
Common wasps head. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a common wasp (Vespula vulgaris). Its antennae can be seen between its large compound eyes (grey, upper left and right)

Vine weevil foot, SEM
Weevil foot. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the foot of a black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus). The foot comprises a pair of adhesive hairy pads (lower centre)

Butterfly eggs. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of eggs of the large white (cabbage white) butterfly Pieris brassicae

Brassica weevil, SEM
Brassica weevil (Ceutorhynchus sp.), coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). This beetle, which grows up to 3 millimetres in length, is a major pest of cabbages (Brassica sp.)

Mussel glue threads, SEM
Mussel glue. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the byssus (glue threads) of a common mussel (Mytilus edulis)

Glasswing butterflies (Greta oto). This semi- transparent butterfly is native to Central America. It is not easy to see because of its partially transparent wings

Julia butterfly (Dryas julia). This butterfly can be found in South and Central America

Lacewing butterfly (Cethosia cyane). The bright colouration of this butterfly is a warning to prospective predators that it is unpalatable

Red wood ant. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a red wood ant (Formica rufa). Its antennae are seen at upper left and right. Behind these on its head are its eyes

Female bedbugs abdomen, SEM
Female bedbugs abdomen. Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the external groove over the pleural membrane on the abdomen of a female bedbug (Cimex lectularius)

Green stink bug (Nezara viridula) on a flower. This insect is a pest of cereal crops. Stink bugs derive their name from the foul-smelling secretion which they emit from their thoraic glands as a

Mealworm beetles mating. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of yellow mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor) mating

Wasp (Family Vespidae). This is one over 4, 000 species of social wasp. Social wasps are distinguished from solitary wasps by the resting position of their wings

Fruit fly sex comb, SEM
Fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) sex comb, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The sex comb is found only on the front legs of males

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"Invertebrates: A Fascinating World of Diversity and Adaptation" From the intricate honeycombs built by diligent honey bees to the captivating sight of a lobster's inner workings revealed through an X-ray, invertebrates never cease to amaze us. The Red Admiral butterfly gracefully displays its vibrant wings, showcasing nature's artistic brilliance. Meanwhile, under the lens of a scanning electron microscope, calcareous phytoplankton reveal their delicate beauty as they float effortlessly in the vast ocean. In Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, a male Leach's sea star steals the spotlight as it engages in broadcast spawning - an awe-inspiring phenomenon where streams of sperm are released from its arms into the water. This mesmerizing moment captured by a talented wildlife photographer earned them recognition as the winner in the Underwater category at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022. Venturing into Croatian waters along Korcula Island in the Adriatic Sea reveals another enchanting creature - a Nudibranch known as Janolus cristatus. Its vibrant colors and graceful movements make it a true gem beneath the waves. A sea green swallowtail butterfly flutters elegantly across meadows and gardens while fruit flies unveil their intricate structures when observed under high-resolution SEM imaging techniques. Delving deep into Earth's history brings us face-to-face with ancient wonders like trilobite fossils that offer glimpses into prehistoric times. These extinct arthropods remind us of our planet's rich evolutionary past. Witnessing an ocellate octopus swimming up from the depths is like witnessing magic unfold before our eyes. Its ethereal appearance leaves us captivated by nature's ability to create such extraordinary creatures. Lastly, we encounter a painted lady butterfly whose delicate patterns adorn fields with splashes of color and gracefulness. And even within microscopic realms lies astonishing complexity; for instance, observing dog tapeworm heads through SEM reveals the intricate structures that allow these parasites to thrive.