Gallery: Creepy Close-Ups: Best Microscope Critter Photos

  • House Spider
    01

    house-spider

    Spiders, weevils, wasps, lice, mites and mosquitoes are among the creepiest subjects of the winners of [Nikon's Small World](http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/) microscope photography competition this year. Super-close-ups of eyes, tongues and silk spinnerets are amazingly beautiful, but also gross enough to induce shivers. More Microscope Images:[![](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2012/10/bugeyes_70px.jpg)](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/bugeyes-gallery/?rm)[6 Super Close-Ups of Crazy Bug Eyes](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/bugeyes-gallery/?rm/) [![](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2012/10/top20_70px.jpg)](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/nikon-small-world-winners/?rm)[Incredibly Small: Best Microscope Photos of 2012](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/nikon-small-world-winners/?rm) [![](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2012/10/minimotion_70px.jpg)](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/02/best-microscope-videos/?rm) [Mini Motion: Award-Winning Microscope Videos](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/02/best-microscope-videos/?rm)These delightfully disturbing photos are among the winners, honorable mentions and images of distinction selected for their originality, informational content, and visual impact by Nikon's judging panel of scientists, journalists and optical imaging experts. Nikon announced the rankings at 10 a.m. ET today, including the first place winner, who will receive $3,000 and some Nikon products. We have a post with [the top 20 winners](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/10/nikon-small-world-winners/) on Wired Science. If your favorite from the tiny terrors contained in this gallery isn't among the winners, you can vote for it until Nov. 13 on the Small World Facebook page to win the popular vote. __Above:__ House Spider ------------ __Harold Taylor__, Kensworth, Dunstable, United Kingdom __Subject:__ House spider __Technique:__ Image stacking __Magnification:__ 30x
  • Bat Embryos
    02

    bat-embryos-2

    Bat Embryos ----------- __Dorit Hockman,__ University of Cambridge, Trinity College, Cambridge, United Kingdom __Subject:__ *Molossus rufu* (black mastiff bat) embryos __Technique:__ Brightfield
  • Cinnabar Flat Beetle
    03

    cinnabar-flat-beetle

    Cinnabar Flat Beetle -------------------- __Nikola Rahme__, Budapest, Hungary __Subject:__ Eye and first segments of *Cucujus cinnaberinus* (Cinnabar flat beetle) __Technique:__ Reflected light __Magnification:__ 18x
  • Wasp
    Photographer: Nikola Rahme
    04

    wasp-2

    Parasitic Wasp -------------- __Nikola Rahme__, Budapest, Hungary __Subject:__ Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae (parasitic wasp) __Technique:__ Reflected light __Magnification:__ 21.2x
  • Fruit Fly Larvae
    05

    fruit-fly-larvae

    Fruit Fly Larvae ---------------- __Andrew J. Woolley, Kevin Otto, Michelle Drennan, James Clemens__, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN __Subject:__ Fruit fly larvae __Technique:__ Confocal __Magnification:__ 100x
  • Mosquito
    David Maitland
    06

    mosquito-2

    Mosquito -------- __[David Maitland](http://www.davidmaitland.com)__, Feltwell, United Kingdom __Subject:__ Male *Culex pipiens* (mosquito) __Technique:__ Reflected (episcopic) diffuse illumination __Magnification:__ 10x
  • Butterfly Tongue
    07

    butterfly-tongue

    Butterfly Tongue ---------------- __Philippe Verrees__, Knokke, Belgium __Subject:__ Butterfly tongue __Technique:__ Rheinberg illumination __Magnification:__ 5x
  • Mouse Embryo
    08

    mouse-embryo

    Mouse Embryo ------------ __Evan Heller__, Fuchs Lab, Rockefeller University, New York, NY __Subject:__ Mouse embryo (16 dpc) expressing the epithelial-specific nuclear marker K14-H2B-GFP, illustrating the pattern of whisker follicles on the face __Technique:__ Fluorescence __Magnification:__ 4x
  • Ants
    09

    ants

    Ants ---- __Geir Drange__, Asker, Norway __Subject:__ Two ants of different genus meeting on a twig __Technique:__ Reflected light, image stacking __Magnification:__ 2.5x
  • Lice
    10

    lice

    Lice ---- __Györgyi Zséli__, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Integrative Neuroendocrinology, Budapest, Hungary __Subject:__ Chewing lice of common buzzard (Colpocephalum platystomus) __Technique:__ Confocal, autofluorescence __Magnification:__ 10x
  • Mosquito
    11

    mosquito-3

    Mosquito -------- __Ralph Claus Grimm__, Jimboomba, Queensland, Australia __Subject:__ Head of a mosquito __Technique:__ Reflected light/image stacking __Magnification:__ 150x
  • Cricket Tongue
    Christian Gautier/Biosphoto
    12

    cricket-tongue

    Cricket Tongue -------------- __Christian Gautier__, Vernafilm, Le Mans, Sarthe, France __Subject:__ *Gryllus campestris* (cricket) tongue __Technique:__ Darkfield and Rheinberg illumination __Magnification:__ 40x
  • Parasitic Mite
    Gilles St. Martin
    13

    parasitic-mite

    Parasitic Mite -------------- __Gilles San Martin__, Biodiversity Research Center, University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium __Subject:__ Female of *Varroa destructor* (parasitic mite that attacks the honey bees *Apis cerana* and *Apis mellifera*) __Technique:__ Reflected light __Magnification:__ 10x
  • Lacewing
    14

    lacewing

    Lacewing -------- __Ralph Claus Grimm__, Jimboomba, Queensland, Australia __Subject:__ Chrysopa (lacewing) head __Technique:__ Reflected light, image stacking __Magnification:__ 130x
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