Once more down the microscope.

Confined to barracks today, awaiting visits from British Gas and British Telecom engineers. A chance to peer into the microscopic world.

This is part of the foot of a male great water beetle Dytiscus marginalis. The front legs of a male water beetle are covered with round-ended suction cups  and spines which enable him to cling to the back of the female during copulation. The microscope slide was prepared in 1891, not by me I hasten to add!