Monday, October 17, 2016

Butterfly Tongue under Phase Contrast Microscope

Fein Optic RB40 phase contrast microscope with green interference filter.
RB40 Phase Microscope
The images below of a Victorian butterfly tongue were captured using the RB40 phase contrast microscope both with and without the 550nm green interference filter (IF550). Microscopy images were captured using the PaxCam2+ CCD microscope camera.

The butterfly tongue is called a proboscis and is shaped like a tube. A butterfly's tongue functions much like a flexible straw, and will uncoil when the butterfly wants to sip nectar from a flower.

All images below were captured using phase contrast microscopy.


Victorian butterfly tongue captured under the RB40 microscope with phase contrast at 100x.
Victorian Butterfly Tongue under RB40 microscope, PaxCam2+ camera, 100x phase contrast, color.

Fein Optic RB40 phase contrast microcope image of butterfly tongue.
Victorian Butterfly Tongue under RB40 microscope, PaxCam2+ camera, 100x phase contrast, green interference filter.

Monochrome microscopy image of butterfly tongue using PaxCam2+ CCD camera.
Victorian Butterfly Tongue under RB40 microscope, PaxCam2+ camera, 100x phase contrast, GIF, monochrome.

Microscopy image of butterfly tongue using phase contrast.
Victorian Butterfly Tongue under RB40 microscope, PaxCam2+ camera, 400x phase contrast, color.

Microscopy image using green interference filter and phase contrast.
Victorian Butterfly Tongue under RB40 microscope, PaxCam2+ camera, 400x phase contrast, green interference filter.

Phase contrast RB40 microscope image of a butterfly tongue.
Victorian Butterfly Tongue under RB40 microscope, PaxCam2+ camera, 400x phase contrast, GIF, monochrome.

View this page for more information on phase contrast.