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Hi Doreen,

I have gotten some great images of insects with my son playing around in
the facility during school holidays:)

If you have a confocal and can configure it for reflective imaging (i.e
detection of the reflected laser light coming back off the surface) you
will get some very nice and detailed images without the need for any dye
or image preparation (I just embedded the bugs in some low melt agarose
to keep them still).  Just be careful not to use too much laser power as
you could damage your detectors.


Cheers

Cam


Cameron J. Nowell
Microscopy Manager 
Centre for Advanced Microscopy 
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Melbourne - Parkville Branch 
PO Box 2008 
Royal Melbourne Hospital 
Victoria, 3050 
AUSTRALIA 
Office: +61 3 9341 3158 
Mobile: +61 422882700 
Fax: +61 3 9341 3104 
Facility Website
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-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Doreen MILIUS
Sent: Tuesday, 17 July 2012 12:29 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: ant surface stainig

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Dear list members,

we are trying to perform an unspecific fluorescence surface staining of
whole ants to see the structure of the cuticle. We have tried
water-soluble protein binding dyes like NHS-ster Dylight 549 which
didn't work so well and are now thinking about trying out hydrophobic
dyes that stain membranes unspecifically. Does anyone have experience
with staining insect surfaces and could give a suggestion. This would be
of great help.

Thanks a lot, Doreen


- - -
Doreen Milius

Bioimaging Facility
Institute of Science and Technology Austria Am Campus 1
A-3400 Maria Gugging