Microscope?

[Aqua sobriquet]

I’m wondering if a Microscope would be helpful in identifying House Plant pests. I’ve put it in the section as taking screen shots would be part of the process. I’d ideally like something that works with an iPad or an iMac. Anyone used anything like this? I’m not sure what level of magnification is required but I’m guessing not too much? I also don’t want to spend too much on it.
I ask as I’ve had problems with some black “specs” eating the leaves of one of my plants. All I can tell is that they are black, very small and perambulate. I’m guessing aphids but I’ve never seen any this small before. TIA.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I’m wondering if a Microscope would be helpful in identifying House Plant pests.

They are pretty useful, my suggestion would a low power binocular dissecting microscope and an HDMI (or USB) eye-piece camera <"Microscopy Imaging">.

I usually deal with <"Brunel Microscopes Ltd"> who may well have some second hand microscopes available <"Stereomicroscopes">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

Thanks Darrel, sounds expensive but I’ll look into it.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

sounds expensive but I’ll look into it

You can get digital microscopes more cheaply, but the advantage of the eye piece camera and optical microscope is in terms of longevity and being able to swap microscopes etc.

cheers Darrel

 

[Heelllooo]

Not really what you're looking for but I have one of those :

I think everybody should have one !

You can get one for a few bucks on Alieexpress.

It helped me identify some flatworms on my aquarium glass as not being planaria and some really tiny white thing on a plant as being mealybugs.

 

[Simon Cole]

I've got one of these 4" Deepsee Flipper magnifiers, but I haven't tested it yet:

I have been planning to get a proper one too. Like recently, I've got some Russian Trichoderma in culture that is staying uniformly white in colour.
On YouTube, I saw <this video> which seemed very informative about which microscope to get in 2023.

 

[jwmachon]

Biolux nv or apex practitioner are great scopes