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They may not seem like creatures worth admiring when they are buzzing around your head or landing on your lunch, but under the microscope, bugs can be truly spectacular. Especially their eyes.
For the past 35 years, Nikon has held its Small World photomicrography competition to recognize excellent images of really tiny stuff. Of the many photos of bug eyes they’ve received over the years, these are the ones that caught the judges’ eyes. (I was on the judging panel this year, so I happen to know that there may be an addition to the list coming soon.)
And yes, I know the shrimp in the third image is not a bug, but it is buggy, and its eye is awesomely crazy looking.
Metallic Beetle
2004 6th Place Image Charles B. Krebs Issaquah, Washington, USA
Thorax, head and eye section of Chrysochroa fulminans (6.25x)
Image: Nikon Small World
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House Fly
2005 1st Place Image Charles B. Krebs Issaquah, Washington, USA
Muscoid fly (6.25x)
Image: Nikon Small World
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Freshwater Shrimp
2006 11th Place Image Alex H. Griman São Paulo, Brazil
Pupil of a Macrobrachium amazonicum (20x)
Image: Nikon Small World
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Deer Fly
1987 11th Place Image
Robert L. Calentine University of Wisconsin River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
Tabanidae head (11x)
Image: Nikon Small World
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Tsetse Fly
2008 Image of Distinction Klaus Bolte Stittsville, Ontario, Canada
Glossina genus (40x)
Image: Nikon Small World
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Black Fly
1988 10th Place Image Robert L. Calentine University of Wisconsin River Falls, Wisconsin, USA
Whole mount of compound eyes of Simuliidae (33x)
Image: Nikon Small World
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