Invertebrates Collection

Honey bees on a honeycomb
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) on a honeycomb. The chambers in a honeycomb are created using wax secreted by the bees. The chambers are then filled with honey, using nectar obtained from flowers

Lobster, X-ray
Lobster. Coloured X-ray of a common lobster (Homarus gammarus). This is a marine scavenger that inhabits the cool waters of the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is valued for its flesh

Tarantula Hawk, Pepsis heros, close up

Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) feeding on nectar inside a clammy cuphaea flower (Cuphea viscosissima)

Sea green swallowtail butterfly
Sea green swallowtail (Papilio lorquinianus) butterfly. This butterfly is found in Indonesia, Sulawesi, Borneo, Java, Sumatra and in the Philippines

Fruit fly, SEM Z340 / 0768
Fruit fly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a fruit fly (Drosophila funebris) on an apple. Its compound eyes (red) are seen and its wings are outstretched

Trilobite fossil. Fossil of a trilobite (Aristoharpes sp.) from the Devonian period (around 370 million years ago), showing the species characteristic, spade-like shape

Nudibranch (Janolus cristatus) Vela Luka, Korcula Island, Croatia, Adriatic Sea, Mediterranean

Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta) with open wings

Head louse, SEM
Head louse. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) clinging to a human hair. Head lice measure 2-3 millimetres in length

Acrosphaera radiolarian, SEM
Acrosphaera radiolarian. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the shell of a Acrosphaera sp. radiolarian. Radiolaria are single-celled protozoans that are found in marine plankton

Dog tapeworm head, SEM
Dog tapeworm head. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head (scolex) of a dog tapeworm (Taenia pisiformis)

Sea cucumber (Thelenota sp.) spawning. Microscopic sex cells (gametes) are being released to allow fertilisation (the fusing of a male and a female sex cell)

Ant, SEM
Ant. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an ant (family Formicidae). One of its compound eyes (red) is seen, as well as two long antennae that are mounted on the head between the eyes

Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio ulysses telegonus). This butterfly is also known as the blue mountain butterfly. It is native to Indonesia and Australia, inhabiting the rain forests

Aspidonia, historical artwork, 1899
Aspidonia organisms. Historical artwork of Aspidonia organisms, a now invalid name for a grouping of the classes Merostomata and Trilobita

Ammonite fossil. Ammonites are extinct marine invertebrates. They first appeared in the Late Silurian to Early Devonian period (around 400 million years ago)

Bees and beehive, 17th century artwork. Bees are social insects that form colonies around a queen bee. They gather nectar and pollen to feed their larvae, also producing honey

Culex mosquito, SEM
Culex mosquito. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a Culex sp. mosquito. The mosquitos head is dominated by its large compound eyes (brown spheres)

Male Leach's sea star (Leiaster leachi) broadcast spawning, releasing streams of sperm from its arms. Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan

Painted lady butterfly C016 / 2299
Painted lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly. This butterfly is found in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. Specimen obtained from the University of Valencia, Spain

Red-barbed ant, SEM
Red-barbed ant (Formica rufibarbis), coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). This ant is common in mainland Europe, but rare in the UK

Calcareous phytoplankton, SEM
Calcareous phytoplankton. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the external mineralised structures (coccospheres) of small marine algal organisms called coccolithophores

Bees in a circle
bees walking in a circle

False-colour SEM of Tetranychus, a red spider mite

Papilio montrouzieri butterfly. This butterfly is native to New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean

Sheep tick, SEM
Sheep tick. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus). The ticks mouthparts are between its two front legs

Moth proboscis, SEM
Moth proboscis. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the coiled proboscis of a moth (order Lepidoptera). The proboscis is an elongated part of the mouth

Ammonite fossil, SEM
Ammonite fossil, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Ammonites were invertebrates and lived in the sea. They were molluscs that formed a spiral shell to protect their soft body

Honey bee, SEM
Honey bee (Apis mellifera), coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The head and one of the two compound eyes is at lower left

RF - Ocellate octopus (Amphioctopus mototi) swimming up from the sea floor. Bitung, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Lembeh Strait, Molucca Sea

Calcareous phytoplankton fossil, SEM Z100 / 0213
Calcareous phytoplankton fossil. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a fossil of the skeleton (coccosphere) of a coccolithotrope, a small marine algal organism

Lobster, X-ray
Lobster. Coloured X-ray of a common lobster (Homarus gammarus). This is a marine scavenger that inhabits the cool waters of the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is valued for its flesh

Fruit fly, SEM
Fruit fly. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a male fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) flying past plant foliage. Its compound eyes (red) are seen and its wings are outstretched

Jelly fish, artwork
Jelly fish (Leonura terminalis). Historical artwork of a deep sea jelly fish observed by Ernst Haeckel during an expedition on HMS Challenger (1873-1876)

Malaria plasmodium enlarged under a microscope. Summer-Fall fever. Semi-lunar shapes. Date of Photograph:1872-1915 ca

Roman mosaic from Porto Torres, now in the G.A. Sanna National Museum in Sassari Sassari National Museum Mosaic Roman Art, Europe, Ancient Civilization. Date of Photograph:1938 ca

RF - Composite image of tropical nudibranchs on a black background showing variety and abundance of nudibranch species, Indo-Pacific

Deep sea jellyfish (Periphylla periphylla) juvenile, Trondheimsfjord, Norway, Atlantic ocean

Gravid female Glass / Ghost shrimp on Glass sponge (Hexactinellida) from coral seamount, SW Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, December 2011

Speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria) on Bramble (Rubus fructicosus) leaves, Gamlingay Wood, Cambridgeshire, England, UK, April, UK

Female Large white / Cabbage white butterfly (Pieris brassicae) in flight, Surrey, UK. Multiple exposure

Eyelash mite, SEM
Eyelash mite. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an eyelash, or follicle, mite (Demodex folliculorum), a harmless parasite which lives inside human hair follicles

Man-of-war fish (Nomeus gronovi) living within deadly tentacles of Portuguese man o war (Physalia physalis), to whose toxin it is ten times more resistant than other fish, at sea surface. Dominica

Electric fileclam / Disco clam (Ctenoides ales). West Papua, Indonesia. Indo-West Pacific

Veined octopus (Amphioctopus marginatus) resting on top of the two halves of an old clam shell on the sandy seabed. These octopus regularly carry pieces of shell so they can use them as protective

Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth (Hemaris fuciformis) portrait on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), UK, Captive

Hummingbird Hawk-moth {Macroglossum stellatarum} adult in flight drinking nectar from lantana flower, Switzerland

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"Invertebrates: A Fascinating World of Diversity and Adaptation" From the intricate honeycombs built by diligent honey bees to the captivating sight of a lobster's inner workings revealed through an X-ray, invertebrates never cease to amaze us. The Red Admiral butterfly gracefully displays its vibrant wings, showcasing nature's artistic brilliance. Meanwhile, under the lens of a scanning electron microscope, calcareous phytoplankton reveal their delicate beauty as they float effortlessly in the vast ocean. In Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, a male Leach's sea star steals the spotlight as it engages in broadcast spawning - an awe-inspiring phenomenon where streams of sperm are released from its arms into the water. This mesmerizing moment captured by a talented wildlife photographer earned them recognition as the winner in the Underwater category at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022. Venturing into Croatian waters along Korcula Island in the Adriatic Sea reveals another enchanting creature - a Nudibranch known as Janolus cristatus. Its vibrant colors and graceful movements make it a true gem beneath the waves. A sea green swallowtail butterfly flutters elegantly across meadows and gardens while fruit flies unveil their intricate structures when observed under high-resolution SEM imaging techniques. Delving deep into Earth's history brings us face-to-face with ancient wonders like trilobite fossils that offer glimpses into prehistoric times. These extinct arthropods remind us of our planet's rich evolutionary past. Witnessing an ocellate octopus swimming up from the depths is like witnessing magic unfold before our eyes. Its ethereal appearance leaves us captivated by nature's ability to create such extraordinary creatures. Lastly, we encounter a painted lady butterfly whose delicate patterns adorn fields with splashes of color and gracefulness. And even within microscopic realms lies astonishing complexity; for instance, observing dog tapeworm heads through SEM reveals the intricate structures that allow these parasites to thrive.