Anyone use a microscope to examine Ts?

[Case]

I was reading the article on Rick West's web page about sexing Ts by looking for the presence or absence of epidandrous fusillae. I started thinking when I read the things about how they look different from the surrounding bristles under magnification, and how they are visible even on very small spiderlings on a microscope.
It seems to me like if these are features that are visible to the naked eye on larger Ts, you shouldn't need any ungodly extreme amount of magnification to examine them on smaller ones. In storage at my mom's house (I think) is an old microscope I got when I was a kid. It is, of course, not a "real" microscope like guys like Rick West would use, but among microscopes for kids, it was one of the nicer ones way back when I got it, and I'm wondering if I got my mom to send to to me it would be useful for examining exuviums. I don't remember the magnification levels it is capable of, but I can remember seeing organisms in pond water with it.
Do you guys think it would be worth the hassle of having my mom ship it to me to take a look at some Ts with it? Or would I need to shell out the cash for a real scope to be able to see anything of interest?

Thanks!
Case

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

I think that you'd be better off just getting one of those hand microscopes from radio shack or bio-quip. you can use those on live T's or exuviums

 

[Buspirone]

I've been looking at the Intel microscopes that connect to your computer via USB. They magnify up to 300X and let you snap off pics but I don't know if it would be worthwhile for anything with T's. I've seen them online for 65 dollars. Anybody have one of these?

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

by the way those hand scopes are only like 10 to 20 dollars and I don't think you would need much more than that

 

[defour]

Originally posted by Case
I was reading the article on Rick West's web page about sexing Ts by looking for the presence or absence of epidandrous fusillae. I started thinking when I read the things about how they look different from the surrounding bristles under magnification, and how they are visible even on very small spiderlings on a microscope.
It seems to me like if these are features that are visible to the naked eye on larger Ts, you shouldn't need any ungodly extreme amount of magnification to examine them on smaller ones. In storage at my mom's house (I think) is an old microscope I got when I was a kid. It is, of course, not a "real" microscope like guys like Rick West would use, but among microscopes for kids, it was one of the nicer ones way back when I got it, and I'm wondering if I got my mom to send to to me it would be useful for examining exuviums. I don't remember the magnification levels it is capable of, but I can remember seeing organisms in pond water with it.
Do you guys think it would be worth the hassle of having my mom ship it to me to take a look at some Ts with it? Or would I need to shell out the cash for a real scope to be able to see anything of interest?

Thanks!
Case

If it's a stereo microscope it'll be useful, but most of the ones made for kids are close focus microscopes. I think that's probably what yours is, from your description of looking at water samples. These are usually way too high power for looking at molts, and focus much to close to the subject (like a fraction of an inch). Stereo microscopes, on the other hand, are usually in the range of 5 to 60x and give 3 inches or so of working space between the lens and subject. I use one that magnifies at 10x/20x and is just about right for most things. For small spiderlings it would be nice to have more power; to get one scope that does all that gets pretty expensive, but if you look around you can find a decent dual power scope for a couple hundred dollars.

But... for about $20 you can find a pocketable microscope with a built in illuminator that will be damn useful for looking for spermathecae, etc. Most of them are 30x, but the one Radio Shack currently carries is 60 - 100x ($10). Search online for "pocket microscopes" and you'll find a slew of them.

Steve

 

[atavuss]

Originally posted by Buspirone
I've been looking at the Intel microscopes that connect to your computer via USB. They magnify up to 300X and let you snap off pics but I don't know if it would be worthwhile for anything with T's. I've seen them online for 65 dollars. Anybody have one of these?

I have one and not have even hooked it up to my new pc (I have had the new pc up and running for over a year). it is more of a gadget than a real microscope. when toys r us had them on clearance I think they were selling for 15.00.
Ed

 

[Immortal_sin]

I have a 'real' microscope...and it's useless, most of the time, since it magnifies WAY too much. I love it, but it's only good for sling molts, since the magnification goes to the extreme. I need to find out what the settings are...I ended up not ever using it.
I think it cost my dad about $100 for my bd about 2 years ago.
I am much better at sexing with the naked eye than with the microscope