Well some time back, I promised to summarise the responses I received
on scopes and now looks like the right time:
Thanks to all those who helped me. I did get a scope and it works
well.
On Sun, 9 Jul 1995, Allen Dick wrote:
Today I had - for the first time - the experience of gazing through a
good (Zeiss) dissecting microscope aimed at the tracheae of a bee with
acarine.
An amazing and in some ways a very beautiful sight.
Inasmuch as I have been told that I have some mites by a dissecting
service to which I sent a sample lAST FALL, I am going to have to
sample SERIOUSLY this fall and decide whether to treat.
Being the impatient and untrusting soul that I am, I will want to have
the disection done on our premises.
Therefore I am thinking I would like to obtain such a binocular
microscope.
I realise that I could probably use a cheap microscope - or even a
strong glass or loupe - but I can see that an hour or so of such work
would be torture, especially knowing that such a fine device exists.
So, I wonder what recommendations the more experienced beekeepers or
the scientists might offer in finding one at a good price. I am not
even adverse to obtaining a used one. Cost is a strong consideration.
Please anyone who can offer advice or a used dissecting microscope,
email me.
If there is anything of interest to the list, I will of course
summarise to BEE-L.
Allen
Allen,
I can try to help you out, but you say cost is a consideration...
There are companies who sell used scientific equipment, but I don't
know what kind of prices they will charge for a dissecting scope. I
think something in the $500-$1000 (US$) range would be about the
bottom of the barrel that they might carry.
You might also try an Edmund Scientific catalog...I will look when I
get to work and see what they might have.
The very top of the line dissecting scopes are about US$15-20K now,
but I don't think you want to know that :-).
Jim Hutchins
From: Casey Burns <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Microscopes for dissection
To: Multiple recipients of list BEE-L <[log in to unmask]>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SOL.3.91.950709211143.9894C-100000@sun>
Status: RO
X-Status: A
I recommend Meiji Microscopes - I have the SKT, which has 2X
and 4X objectives, and 15X and 20X eyepieces. Cost
was around $450 from Nurnberg Scientific in Portland, OR.> W. Allen
Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK >
From: Jim Hutchins <[log in to unmask]>
Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Dissecting Microscopes
Status: RO
X-Status: A
Edmund Scientific
101 E. Gloucester Pike
Barrington, NJ 08007-1380 USA
1-609-573-6259 (technical questions)
1-609-573-6233 (fax technical questions)
1-609-573-6250 (orders)
They have binocular dissecting microscopes from US$199 to US$900. The
$900 one is a Leica, a very well-known and respected name in optics.
The others are `no-names' so who knows...
For the lower-end models you need to buy a separate illuminator,
unless you have one. It looks like the best and cheapest one for your
purpose would be their M39,711 or M52,168 which list for US$385.
However, I cannot tell optical quality from the picture in the
catalog. :-) Microscopes are the kind of things (like cars, perhaps)
that you want to buy after taking a `test drive' which is the biggest
problem with mail order. Maybe you could ask the list specifically if
anyone has ever bought Edmund microscopes and if so, whether they are
happy with them.
Anyway, that gives you a comparison price for a new microscope so you
know not to pay more than US$500 for a medium-quality used instrument.
Another company to try:
Connaught Lake Scientific
315 High St.
PO Box A-Y
Conneaut Lake, PA 16316
814-382-1604
Microscopy Laboratories
PO Box 338
Red Bank, NJ 07701
908-747-6228
Vermont Optechs
802-425-2040
The last of these sounds the most promising, they advertise `fine used
Leitz, W(oops) Wild and Zeiss'. They don't give an address in their
ads.
I have not dealt with any of these companies, so I can't endorse or
`dis- recommend' any of them. However, if a Leitz, Leica, Wild or
Zeiss instrument has been well-maintained, you cannot go wrong with
their optics. IMHO, the best in the world.
Hope this helps
Good luck
Jim Hutchins
Subject: Re: Dissecting Microscopes
Status: RO
X-Status: A
Sorry, I meant to say the microscope itself was US$385 and _includes_
an illuminator (both epi- and trans-).
Jim
From: "Allister C. Guy" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Microscopes
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Dear Allen,
For some months now I have been reading beekeeping
pages and
Bee-l on the internet and enjoy combining two of my interests,
Beekeeing and computing. I have kept bees for about 15 years and am at
present the vice president of our local Beekeeing association. A
number of years ago we obtained two Binocular microscopes dissecting
in order that we set up a sampling service for our members .This has
proved to be most successful and has introduced some members to the
fascinating world of Microscopy and pollen classification. One member
puts a greased microscope slide on the running-board of one of his
hives Every day of the season and then logs which Pollens are going
into the hive. We have found that a Binocular microscope is much more
comfortable than the Monocular ones particularly if you are looking
for a long time.
Have you considered rather than buying , of approaching your local
University, high schools or colleges. The biology departments there,
may often have unwanted/surplus equipment which might be of use to
you, ( often a talk on beekeeing will get wonderful results). One of
our winter talks was a tour of the honeybee via the electron
Microscope which was astounding. If you ever get a chance to see with
the electron mic. grab it with both hands you will never forget it.
Still Varroa free in Scotland (we think)
Best wishes
Allister C. Guy
Regards
Allen
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta Canada T0M 1Y0 Internet:[log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, Art, & Futures <http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka>
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