The Alien Worlds Around Us...

I attended a wonderful class on protozoa! (I know what a geek. 😆) It was taught by Dr. Dave Eslinger - a fountain of knowledge and an inspiring teacher! The course was called "Alien Worlds Around Us" because these creatures are often ghastly looking, sometimes beautiful, and operate under rules alien to those of us who breathe oxygen and walk the earth. For instance: Some have no male counterpart and reproduce by replicating themselves.

Spirogyra

I looked at water samples from my rain barrel, my fish filter, my bog garden, and the rice barrel at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. I have labeled the photos where I wrote down what I think Dr. Dave told me. Please help ID these microscopic creatures correctly if you can. Enjoy!

Tardigrade female with an egg in her belly

I took these photos by placing my camera phone against the eye piece of the microscope.

Louse or mite