Ocellus Collection

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), internal anatomy, cross-section

Bee head, SEM C018 / 0546
Bee head, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). This is the head of a small bumblebee. Flying insects often have two sets of eyes, coloured pink here

Male bee head C018 / 3568
Male bee head. Close-up photograph of a male bee head (Megachile lanata). This specimen was found in Hawaii. The species was originally from Africa and has since spread to the Caribbean

Illustration, Butterfly with eyespots on wings

Female bumblebee, Bombus auricomas C018 / 3579
Female bumblebee, Bombus auricomas. This species is native to North America and inhabits urban areas. Photographed by the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab

Female sweat bee head with pollen C018 / 3573
Female sweat bee head with pollen. Close-up photograph of a female sweat bee (Halictus ligatus) covered in pollen. This specimen is native to North America and was found in Pennsylvania

Coloured SEM of a wasps head (Vespula vulgaris)
Common wasps head. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a common wasp (Vespula vulgaris). Its antennae can be seen between its large compound eyes (grey, upper left and right)

Cabbage white caterpillar, SEM
Cabbage white caterpillar. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the caterpillar (larva) of a large (or cabbage) white butterfly (Pieris brassicae)

Coloured SEM of a ladybird (Coccinella sp. ) larva
Ladybird larva. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the larva of a seven spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata). Three dark ocelli (simple eyes) are seen on its head at centre left

Spider simple eyes, SEM C018 / 0560
Spider simple eyes, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The arrangement of eyes differs widely between spiders, but in general they have eight eyes (here)

Wasp simple eyes, SEM C018 / 0559
Wasp simple eyes, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). These three dorsal ocelli ( simple eyes ) are located on top of the wasps head

Bee simple eye, SEM C018 / 0558
Bee simple eye, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). This ocellus is one of three simple eyes (ocelli) located on the top of a bees head

Male bee C018 / 3571
Male bee. Close-up photograph of a male bee head (Anthophora affabilis). This specimen is native to the US and was found in Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Female bee head C018 / 3570
Female bee head. Close-up photograph of a female bee head (Megachile lanata). This specimen was found in Cuba. The species was originally from Africa and has since spread to the Caribbean

Jumping spiders eye, SEM
Jumping spiders eye. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the simple eye (ocelli, orange) of a jumping spider (family Salticidae)

Jumping spiders eyes, SEM
Jumping spiders eyes. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the eyes (brown) of a jumping spider (family Salticidae)

Soldier ant jaws, SEM
Soldier ant jaws. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the head of a leaf-cutter ant (Atta sexdens). This is a soldier ant

Adult fruit fly hatching, SEM
Fruit fly hatching. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of an imago (adult) of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (wild type, Oregon R), at eclosion (hatching)

Male flea, light micrograph
Male flea. Polarised light micrograph of the whole body of a male Pulex sp. flea. The head of the flea is at upper right, with a simple eye (ocellus), two antennae, and piercing, sucking mouthparts

Female flea, light micrograph
Female flea. Polarised light micrograph of the whole body of a female Pulex flea. The head of the flea is at upper right, with a simple eye (ocellus), two antennae, and piercing, sucking mouthparts

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The ocellus, a fascinating feature found in various insects, plays a crucial role in their survival and behavior. Take the honey bee (Apis mellifera) for example, its internal anatomy reveals the intricate cross-section of its ocelli. In stunning SEM images like Bee head C018 / 0546 and Male bee head C018 / 3568, we can observe these tiny yet powerful structures. But it's not just bees that possess ocelli; even butterflies showcase their beauty through eyespots on their wings, as illustrated vividly. Meanwhile, the female bumblebee (Bombus auricomas C018 / 3579) proudly displays her head adorned with pollen grains collected during her important pollination duties. Other insects also boast remarkable ocelli adaptations: a colored SEM of a wasp's head (Vespula vulgaris) showcases its unique features while the cabbage white caterpillar's SEM image highlights its distinct structure. The ladybird larva (Coccinella sp. ) is captured beautifully in another colored SEM image. Not limited to insects alone, spiders also possess simple eyes known as ocelli - Spider simple eyes SEM C018 / 0560 provides an up-close view of this intriguing adaptation. Similarly, wasps exhibit their own version of these simple eyes as seen in Wasp simple eye SEM C018 / 0559. Lastly, Bee simple eye SEM C018 / 0558 captures the elegance of a single compound eye from yet another perspective. Whether it be honey bees or butterflies, wasps or spiders - each creature presents us with captivating glimpses into the world of ocelli and how they contribute to their extraordinary lives.