Insect Technique

Dr. William Lemon

2014

HHMI Janelia Research Campus

Ashburn, VA, USA

Specimen: Multiple views of Drosophila embryonic development. This embryo was recorded in 30-second intervals over a period of 24 hours, starting three hours after egg laying. The video may help reveal cell lineages, cell differentiation and whole-embryo morphogenesis, essential aspects of developmental biology. The newly hatched larva begins to crawl off screen at the end of the video.

Technique: Custom-built simultaneous multi-view light sheet microscopy

Co-prizewinners: Fernando Amat, and Philipp Keller

Dr. Igor Siwanowicz

2010

Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology

Munich, Germany

Specimen: Frontal section of Phalangium opilio (Harvestman/Daddy longlegs) eyes

Technique: Confocal

Mr. Spike Walker

2008

Penkridge, Staffordshire, UK

Specimen: "Fairy Fly" Wasp

Technique: Rheinberg Illumination

Dr. Hermann Aberle

2006

MPI for Developmental Biology

Tuebingen, Germany

Specimen: Drosophila Somatic Muscles

Technique: Confocal

Dr. Daniel Kirilly

2004

Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Kansas City, MO, USA

Specimen: Mutant follicle cells (green) expanding on the surface of fruit fly egg chamber

Technique: Confocal, 100x Objective

Dr. Csaba Pinter

2014

Keszthely, Hungary

Specimen: Phyllobius roboretanus weevils

Technique: Stereo microscopy

Mr. Kurt Wirz

2013

Basel, Switzerland

Specimen: "Brother bugs." Gonocerus acuteangulatus, two hours old. Size 3mm.

Mr. Haris Antonopoulos

2011

Athens, Greece

Specimen: Stink bug eggs

Technique: Brightfield illumination

Dr. Christian Klämbt

2012

University of Münster, Münster, Germany

Specimen: Beta-tubulin expression of a Drosophila third instar larval brain, with attached eye imaginal discs.

Technique: Confocal microscopy

Co-prizewinners: Imke Schmidt

Mr. Gunnar Newquist

2011

University of Nevada

Reno, Nevada, USA

Specimen: Drosophila ovaries and uterus

Technique: Fluorescence

Dr. Igor Siwanowicz

2010

Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology

Munich, Germany

Specimen: Eye of a common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)

Technique: Confocal, series projection

Mr. Charles Krebs

2005

Issaquah, WA, USA

Specimen: Wing Scales of Sunset Moth

Technique: Reflected Light, 25x Objective

Dr. Matthew S. Lehnert

2014

Kent State University at Stark

North Canton, OH, USA

Specimen: Proboscis (mouthparts) of a vampire moth (Calyptra thalictri). The moth was captured by Jennifer Zaspel in Russia. The proboscis was imaged at 10x and shows the dorsal legulae, tearing hooks, and erectile barbs that facilitate the acquisition of fruit juices and mammalian blood when feeding

Technique: Confocal microscopy

Co-prizewinners: Ashley L. Lash

Dr. James LaFountain

2011

State University of New York at Buffalo

Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole MA

Specimen: Crane fly Nephrotoma suturalis sperm cell at metaphase of meiosis. Images were captured every 15 seconds for 35 minutes of cell division

Technique: Polarized light microscopy, 60x objective

Co-prizewinners: Rudolf Oldenbourg

Dr. Jan Michels

2010

Christian Albrecht University of Kiel, Institute of Zoology

Kiel, Germany

Specimen: Adhesive pad of the first leg of a beetle (Clytus sp.)

Technique: Autofluorescence

Mr. Earl Nishiguchi

2007

Lihue, HI, USA

Specimen: Drosophila Testis

Technique: Darkfield Illumination

Mr. Ralph Grimm

2006

Jimboomba, Australia

Specimen: Housefly Proboscis

Technique: Darkfield Illumination

Dr. Igor Siwanowicz

2014

HHMI Janelia Research Campus

Ashburn, VA, USA

Specimen: Green coneheaded planthopper (Acanalonia conica) nymph with its gears. The insects are accomplished jumpers, able to accelerate at staggering 500 times the force of gravity (500xg); to synchronize the movement of their hind legs, their trochanters are coupled with a pair of cogs. Image shows dorsal view of these trochanteral gears. The insect demonstrates that gears, which until recently were thought to be a human invention, exist in the natural world

Technique: Confocal microscopy, magnification ca. 200x

Mr. Fabrice Parais

2013

DREAL (Regional Directorate of Environment, Planning and Housing) of Basse-Normandie

Caen, France

Specimen: Head and legs of a caddisfly larva: Sericostoma sp., a benthic macroinvertebrate that can be used for freshwater biomonitoring; because it is relatively sensitive to organic pollution and dies if water is dirty, it is a good indicator of water quality.

Technique: Stereomicroscopy, 15x