A gallery of close-ups of the pests who inhabit our homes, clothes, and bodies.  Electron Microscopic scans from the book, Micro Monsters, by Tom Jackson, published by Amber Books.

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Daddy Long Legs
This spider has six eyes, arranged in two triangles at the top of its head.

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Two Mange Mites
These insects embed themselves either in hair follicles or skin. They are commonly found on dogs.

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Water Bears
A cute name for a class of insect formally known as tardigrades. They are also sometimes referred to as moss piglets.

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Woodlouse
More closely related to shrimp than insects or spiders, the woodlouse anatomy features an exoskeleton that protects it from attack. It has 14 clawed legs and can climb just about anywhere.

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Termite
Though they are known for eating wood, wood is not this insect’s food. Their stomachs turn the food into a mush, which, after excretion, is used to build gardens inside their nest. A fungus which grows on the droppings is their real food.

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Aphid
The spiky tubes on the insect’s back produce wax which forms a protective barrier against flies and wasps that try to pump their eggs into the aphid’s body.

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Grain Weevil
These beetles not only eat grain, but lay their eggs in it as well. In human homes, they sometimes find their way into pasta, which is often made from wheat.

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Maggot
Though it looks like a worm, the maggot is in fact, a baby fly. These insects eat several times their body weight each day. Some types like meat; others like fruit and vegetables.

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Blowfly
The flesh of an animal — alive or dead — is the ideal nursery for the babies of this bristled fly.

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Dung Fly
This insect gets its name from the females’ preference for laying its eggs on cow patties and horse manure. For food, the males like other flies. To eat, they suck the blood-like liquid from their prey through the mouth part (off-white in this photo).

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Yellow Fever Mosquito
Though rare in most countries, yellow fever can still claim victims in the developing world. This female has just eaten. Her abdomen is swollen with blood.

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Hornet
These wasps cut up their prey with powerful slicing mouth parts. Its favorite prey is honeybees.

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Dust Mite
Fond of eating specks of dead skin, mites like to inhabit places where humans reside. There are untold numbers of them in most homes.

Original source:  Time

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