Insect exoskeletons autofluoresce quite well. We used 488 excitation with a
515 lp emission filter on a biorad mrc 600 with an argon laser and obtained
good results. If you use a penetrating nucleic acid stain you will see
additional things. Make sure whatever you use to mount the ticks is non
fluorescent (epoxies are very bright). Water as a mountant  with water
immersible lenses works very well.
                                                                        George.

>My friend from Ukraina asked me for a help in determining anatomy of very
>small tick, she works on. It is too small for classical anatomy study,
>and when she realised, that we have in Warsaw confocal microscope, she
>was sure, that I can help her. I am working on the cytoskeleton, and have
>never met any method allowing to unspecyficaly fluorescence stain insect
>or spiders. I hope, that here may be anybody knowing such method.
>
>Thank you in advance
>Pawel
>
>******************************************************************************
>Pawel Pomorski                                             Nencki Institute of
>[log in to unmask]                                          Experimental Biology
>ftp://ameba.nencki.gov.pl/pub/pp/my.htm                       Warszawa, POLAND
>******************************************************************************