Starting out with Microscopy

[Neils]

In lieu of doing a 'proper' course or attempting the BBKA/SBA module on it, does anyone have any good links for some reading material around how to best use the things and/or prepare slides?

If there are also answers seemingly to simple questions like what's the difference between my compound and stereo microscope, even better. Brunel helpfully tells me that the laws of physics prevent one microscope being used for both functions, but what laws and why?

I have a x100 objective [lens?] supplied with mine, which apparently requires some sort of oil that wasn't supplied, I'll chase up the suppliers next week to actually get hold of some, but it's pretty vague as to why I need to use this oil or what it is so I can get hold of some myself, I assume it's something to do with light refraction.

I was thinking a blob of honey might make a good first sample slide, and I dare say if it will stop raining long enough to get the hives a couple of dead bees will give ample things to look at to get the hang of things.

Other than the microscopes and slides I don't currently have any other gadgets/tools. A scalpel would seem to be an obvious other thing to obtain, but what else should I have around for when I start to try and play with them in anger?

[robin118]

Santa brought me the new beecraft book " Practical Microscopy for Beekeepers" by Bob Maurer. Having not even seen a microscope since I was at school never mind using one and thinking I should at least be able to test my own bees for Norsema. Not noing where to start and having read a couple of revues on this book I asked for it for Christmas. It describes the different types of microscopes needed their uses how to prepare slides for viewing and bees for dissection.

[Ruary]

In lieu of doing a 'proper' course or attempting the BBKA/SBA module on it, does anyone have any good links for some reading material around how to best use the things and/or prepare slides?

Bob Maurer's book is quite good.
For a beginner Marson's practical microscopy is better.

If there are also answers seemingly to simple questions like what's the difference between my compound and stereo microscope, even better. Brunel helpfully tells me that the laws of physics prevent one microscope being used for both functions, but what laws and why?

A stereo microscope is designed to give relatively low magnification and to have the view upright and not laterally inverted. It also has a large working distance. This allows you to manipulate objects under it as A0 the low magnification minimisess the effect of hand shake, B0 the upright etc. image means that if you move your hand to the right the image also moves to the right. This allows for dissection.
A compound microscope works on much larger magnifications the magnification being the ratio of the distance form the object to the lens and the distance of the lens to the image. This means that to keep the microscope a workable size the working distance must be small, and for the same reason they do not install the extra prisms or lenses to correct the image so the image under a compound microscope is inverted both vertically and laterally.

I have a x100 objective [lens?] supplied with mine, which apparently requires some sort of oil that wasn't supplied, I'll chase up the suppliers next week to actually get hold of some, but it's pretty vague as to why I need to use this oil or what it is so I can get hold of some myself, I assume it's something to do with light refraction.

Unless you are looking at bacteria you don't really neeed the oil immersion lens, but the reason why oil is required is that the focal length of an X100 lens is tiny and to get that the lens needs to be of very small radius light without the oil will be reflected off the lens rather than refracted. If oil is used the oil is of the same refractive index as the lens and so the reflection does not occurr resulting in a much brighter and clearer image.

Other than the microscopes and slides I don't currently have any other gadgets/tools. A scalpel would seem to be an obvious other thing to obtain, but what else should I have around for when I start to try and play with them in anger?

Slides cover glasses, water pestle mortar ( for nosema). glass rods etc. A scalpel is ot what you want at the moment.
Come to Gormanston and we will put you on the right track.

[Bumble]

A scalpel would seem to be an obvious other thing to obtain, but what else should I have around for when I start to try and play with them in anger?

You'll need more than one scalpel once you get started. You can get a dissecting kit for less than £20, or see if a friend who studied Biology has still got theirs tucked away in a drawer somewhere.

[Ruary]

One scalpel holder and a packet of blades for internal dissection but for that you need a stereo microscope, I gather the O.P. has a compound one as he has an oil imersion lens.
Dissection of external anatomy does not need a scalpel (see Marson's method), and can be done without stereo help.
Nosema testing does not need dissection kit. neither does pollen.
Pollen isample in honey on low budget equipment is best done by diluting a sample of about 10gm into 100cc of clean water and allowing the pollen to settle in a draft free location. Decant the supernatant liquid and smear the sediment onto a slide glass, stain with glycerine jelly and cover with cover glass.
I repeat the invitation come to Gormanston, we will show you everything and there is far more beekeeping information on offer there.

[gavin]

For folk a bit more local than Neil (you're welcome too if you want!), Alan Riach is bringing his microscope roadshow to Perth a week tomorrow. The SBA also organise microscopy workshops although this year's has now been cancelled due to insufficient interest. Look out for one next year instead if you don't fancy making the trip to see Ruary in action in Gormanston.

An excerpt from an email the other day from Linda, secretary of the Perth group:

The meeting will be held on 8th January 2013 at our usual venue of St John's Episcopal Church Hall, Princes Street, Perth, PH2 8LJ.

The meeting will start at 7.30pm.

The talk will be given by Alan Riach (the SBA's Education Convener) with the topic being "Microscopy" .
There will be chance to get "hands (or infact eyes!) on" various microscopes & subject material during this presentation.
Looking forward to seeing you at what promises to be a fascinating talk.

[Neils]

One scalpel holder and a packet of blades for internal dissection but for that you need a stereo microscope, I gather the O.P. has a compound one as he has an oil imersion lens.

I have both

I repeat the invitation come to Gromanston, we will show you everything and there is far more beekeeping information on offer there.

I'm still trying to sell this one to the Mrs

[Jon]

I'm still trying to sell this one to the Mrs

I'll be there this year so you can tell her you will be in good company!

[The Drone Ranger]

If you are interested in microscopy as a hobby there are a couple of links below
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html
http://www.quekett.org/
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html
some great ideas for those who like messing about with microscopes

I was hoping to try this
http://www.quekett.org/resources/mak...mination-discs

[mazza]

[QUOTE=gavin;15107 The SBA also organise microscopy workshops although this year's has now been cancelled due to insufficient interest. Look out for one next year instead if you don't fancy making the trip to see Ruary in action in Gormanston.

[/QUOTE]

I'm slightly confused Gavin... I just spent the weekend helping to host a 2 day SBA microscopy training workshop held at SASA! We had 21 (and a half!) people come along and i think everyone had a great time. The dissection section was the favourite, with a lot of fierce concentration going into preparing and mounting the bee specimins