Comparing Insect Eyes (BioE80 Spr2015)
May 26, 2015 • 3:59 PM UTC
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jmenzies
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I was most interested in using my Foldscope to look at bugs up close. The first specimen I collected was an ant. It’s most striking feature, and the easiest thing to see through the Foldscope, was its eyes.
Ant Eyes You can see here that the eyes are compound, or made up of many modules that together form an image in the ant’s brain. The light of the microscope is able to show at least seven of these modules, and likely more that aren’t in focus.
This got me wondering – how does this ant’s eyes compare to those of other bugs?
I collected a few other samples, such as a small moth. The moth’s eyes were significantly larger than the ant’s eyes, so much so that light couldn’t entirely pass through them. However, at the edges it is possible to see the many eye modules that make up the moth’s visual system.
This got me wondering – how does this ant’s eyes compare to those of other bugs?
I collected a few other samples, such as a small moth. The moth’s eyes were significantly larger than the ant’s eyes, so much so that light couldn’t entirely pass through them. However, at the edges it is possible to see the many eye modules that make up the moth’s visual system.
Moth eye It makes sense that a moth’s eye should have more modules, since it is active predominantly at night. The final specimen I collected for the purpose of this experiment was a spider. The spider’s eyes were even smaller, so I wasn’t able to distinguish their modules. However, there were eight of them!
Spider eyes
This highlights to me that the spider’s range of vision must be an important element of its function.
Using my Foldscope to explore the visual world of insects has been really amazing. I would love to get a higher-magnification lens so that I can get a better look at the eyes on smaller insects!
Explorer: Julia Menzies
This highlights to me that the spider’s range of vision must be an important element of its function.
Using my Foldscope to explore the visual world of insects has been really amazing. I would love to get a higher-magnification lens so that I can get a better look at the eyes on smaller insects!
Explorer: Julia Menzies
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