It's Bloodsucker Week at Beckman! Watch the video for a closer look at nature's vampires.The smaller they are, the scarier they are.
Scroll if you dare to see microscopic images of nature's vampires taken with the state-of-the-art facilities in Beckman's Microscopy Suite.
Images and descriptions courtesy of Beckman microscopist T. Josek.
Wheel bug. Credit: T. Josek, Beckman Microscopy Suite.Assassin bug/wheel bug
Assassin bugs are predatory insects with sharp beaks to puncture insects' skin (also known as the cuticle). The bugs liquefy and drink up their prey's internal tissues by injecting them with enzymes. The insect pictured is a type of assassin bug called a wheel bug. Wheel bugs are quite large and occasionally bite humans.
Dermestid. Credit: T. Josek, Beckman Microscopy Suite.Dermestid
Dermestids, or skin beetles, are a type of beetle whose larvae like to eat skin. The larvae prefer dead skin, plant and other natural fibers. As adults, the beetles eat pollen and nectar. Although these insects have been known to destroy pinned insect collections, they do help scientists in museums clean the skin and tissue off of skeletons.
Flea. Credit: T. Josek, Beckman Microscopy Suite.Flea
People with pets are familiar with fleas, a type of parasite that can bite cats and dogs, causing them to itch. Fleas can spread some diseases and are most well-known for spreading the disease which caused the Black Plague. They aren't all bad though! Unlike most insects, fleas do not have wings. Instead, they have specialized hind legs for jumping as high as 7 vertical inches. As a part of this jumping mechanism, fleas use a rubbery protein called resilin which allows for storing and releasing energy. Scientists and engineers study this protein and how fleas jump as a source of bioinspiration to create jumping robots.
Mite. Credit: T. Josek, Beckman Microscopy Suite.Mite
Sometimes even bugs have bugs! Mites, a type of arachnid, catch rides on insects to get around faster. Occasionally, these mites can be parasitic and feed off of the blood, called hemolymph, of the insect they are on.
Mosquito. Credit: T. Josek, Beckman Microscopy Suite.Mosquito
Considered one of the deadliest animals, mosquitoes are known for spreading diseased such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and West Nile virus. Although female mosquitoes are known for sucking blood, male mosquitoes do not bite and instead drink nectar and are avid pollinators.
Spider fangs. Credit: T. Josek, Beckman Microscopy Suite.Spider
Spiders are not bloodsuckers, but they do have a venomous bite! Spiders typically save their venom for eating their prey, like insects, and as a last resort to defend themselves against predators. Spiders do not spread diseases and are rarely deadly, but spider bites can occasionally cause anaphylaxis if someone is allergic to their venom. Spiders play important ecological roles like catching and eating mosquitoes.
Tick. Credit: T. Josek, Beckman Microscopy SuiteTick
Ticks are slow-feeding, bloodsucking arachnids. Ticks use their mouthpart to latch on to a host and feed for several days, causing them to expand up to five times their original size. Ticks can spread diseases, and the type of disease spread depends on the tick. Because of climate change, ticks have expanded to more habitats which concerns scientists because this can increase the likelihood of diseases being spread. But good news: ticks don't spread diseases as quickly as mosquitoes, which means that if you check yourself for ticks and remove them quickly, you are less likely to get any diseases they may have.
