Queen Wasp Sting

This microscope slide contains the sting of a queen wasp, also known as Vespula vulgaris. The date written on the slide indicates that this insect was captured and preserved for posterity in 1913. You can see the inner workings of a wasp's sting quite clearly at this resolution: two tiny barbs are contained in the tip. The first barb is thrust into the unfortunate receiver in order to stabilise the insect so it can deliver a second spike which injects the actual venom.

The shot was captured through a 19th century Broadhurst & Clarkson microscope, with my camera set up on a tripod looking directly down into the viewfinder. It's a little tricky to set up because you have to point the camera along the precise vertical angle into the small eyehole, but once you have the right setup then the photographic fun begins. I think the results are pretty good, considering some of the lenses used in this capture are over a hundred years old.

For more gory details about the mechanics of a wasp sting, check out this page. Or have a look at the Microscopy set for a few more images.

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