Christopher Lee

This is an up-close look at what I believe is an “aphaenogaster” red leaf cutter ant.

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 <img alt='Aphaenogaster "Leaf cutter" Ant ' class="size-medium wp-image-10690 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="10690" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"13","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 50D","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1244330912","copyright":"","focal_length":"65","iso":"100","shutter_speed":"0.005","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="aphaenogaster “red leaf cutter” ant" data-recalc-dims="1" height="124" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_10691/aphaenogaster2.jpg" width="300"/>
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 Aphaenogaster “Leaf cutter” Ant
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 <img alt='Torso of a red "leaf cutter" ant showing the legs/joints' class="size-medium wp-image-10688 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="10688" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1443278425","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"320","shutter_speed":"0.066666666666667","title":"","orientation":"6"}' data-image-title="Body of an ant" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_10691/IMG_4779.jpg" width="300"/>
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 Torso of a red “leaf cutter” ant showing the legs/joints
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 <img alt="Ant Leg" class="wp-image-10695 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="10695" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1443278771","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"32","shutter_speed":"0.0037174721189591","title":"","orientation":"3"}' data-image-title="Ant leg" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_10691/IMG_4812.jpg" width="300"/>
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 Ant Leg
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 Ant Leg with hooks/spikes so it can climb vertical walls.

Aphaenogaster &#8220;Red Leaf Cutter&#8221; Ant Analysis

Thanks to the generosity of Manu and his team, Hamomi Children’s Centre (www.hamomi.org) in the Kangemi – Nairobi, Kenya now have their very first microscopes!


 Despite losing power for over a day, we were able to capture many pictures of various specimens and it was a GREAT intro to the world of microbiology for the kids here in the Kangemi slums! I was able to hold several sessions for grades 5-8 in small groups at a time! Not having AC power didn’t matter!
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 <img alt="A portion of the 6th Grade class at Hamomi with Foldscopes!" class="size-medium wp-image-13291 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13291" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"9","credit":"","camera":"NIKON D5000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1455712347","copyright":"","focal_length":"18","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="6th Grade Class-Group A" data-recalc-dims="1" height="199" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13156/DSC_0267.jpg" width="300"/>
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 A portion of the 6th Grade class at Hamomi with Foldscopes!
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Foldscopes at Hamomi-Kangemi, Nairobi!

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 <img alt="Overhead transparencies with clear scotch tape make GREAT slides!" class="size-medium wp-image-13325 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13325" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="transparencies" data-recalc-dims="1" height="199" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13324/transparencies.png" width="300"/>
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 Overhead transparencies with clear scotch tape make GREAT slides!
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 <img alt="IMG_3992" class="wp-image-13327 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13327" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.2","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 6 Plus","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1455705786","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.15","iso":"32","shutter_speed":"0.0023255813953488","title":"","orientation":"3"}' data-image-title="IMG_3992" data-recalc-dims="1" height="225" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13324/IMG_3992.jpg" width="300"/>
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 Large screen tablets are great for sharing! Engaging the staff to carry the experiments forward after we leave..
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 <img alt="DSC_0248" class="wp-image-13326 size-medium gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13326" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"6.3","credit":"","camera":"NIKON D5000","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1455886529","copyright":"","focal_length":"18","iso":"200","shutter_speed":"0.00625","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="DSC_0248" data-recalc-dims="1" height="199" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13324/DSC_02481.jpg" width="300"/>
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 The children and staff were actually suppose to be on midterm break the last couple of days of our trip, but they all came to school on their days off to learn!
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 <img alt="bluetooth remote" class="wp-image-13329 size-thumbnail gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="13329" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}' data-image-title="bluetooth remote" data-recalc-dims="1" height="150" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_13324/bluetooth-remote.png" width="150"/>
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 What worked well for us: Low cost “selfie-stick” Bluetooth clicker so someone else could snap off pictures or video clips while the other person focuses and discusses what they might be seeing!
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 https://microcosmos.foldscope.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG-5568-1.m4v
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 MP4, m4v and other file formats seem to work great. www.handbrake.fr is a handy tool to convert formats..  This was a flower bud!

Christopher Lee

Earth

Posts

Aphaenogaster “Red Leaf Cutter” Ant Analysis

Foldscopes at Hamomi-Kangemi, Nairobi!

What worked for us out in the field..

Locations

Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification