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This image is of a moth antenna (viewed through a microscope), held between two drops of electroconductive gel within an electroantennograph (EAG) , which measures electrical activity within the antenna in response to, in this case, a sex pheromone. You may ask "why do this?". Well, one answer would be to better understand insect communication. Why? Because through understanding how insects respond to such semiochemicals the potential exists to use such chemicals to control insect pests that attack our crops, without the use of pesticides. This approach is, potentially, highly selective and could therefore reduce any detrimental impact on benefical insects, which help control pest populations.
Traditionally EAGs were lab-based: big, heavy instruments mounted on heavy, dampened tables with a bank of amplifiers. However, this image comes from a device which can be held with one hand and is self contained. Jan van der Pers, of Syntech, the Netherlands, loaned this device to me in 2003, whilst I was a postdoc researcher at Southampton University. Jan, a neurophysiologist, from the University of Groningen, started Syntech in 1971, designed and built this device. In 2003 I was very grateful that he loaned me his EAG (as it was outwith my budget!). Aside from being beautifully designed, the construction and operation was superb! Sadly, I have recently learned that Jan died of cancer in 2006. I feel that his absence will be a great loss to insect chemical ecology. Syntech is continued by Peter Ockenfels, in Germany.