Allergy culprits in all their glory (17 photos)

People who suffer from grass pollen allergies can now look their worst enemy in the face, thanks to photographs of pollen taken with a scanning electron microscope. Swiss scientist Martin Oeggerli used a scanning electron microscope to take photographs of pollen grains in his basement.







1. Willow pollen stuck between flower petals. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)





2. Pollen grains in all their splendor of shapes and sizes. The large object in the center is pumpkin pollen, the tiny object just below and to the right is forget-me-not pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



3. Gray granules are pollen grains from the laurel-leaved viburnum. One of them has begun to develop into a tube through which sperm travels to the ovule. Yellow granules are pollen from other plant species. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



4. Birch pollen. Birch pollen falls between March and May, so April is the worst month for allergy sufferers. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



5. Mallow pollen. Its spines help it cling to bird feathers. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



6. Leucophyllum pollen has a sticky coat so animals can carry it. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



7. Pollen grains on woodland geranium. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



8. Lily pollen. Many people are allergic to pollen. Cells in the nose and eyes release histamine and other chemicals when exposed to pollen, causing red eyes and a runny nose. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



9. Alder Pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



10. Bear Paw Pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



11. Water lily (also known as water lettuce or scented water lily) pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



12. Bromeliad pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



13. Pine pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



14. Albizia pollen (also known as silk tree). (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



15. Venus flytrap pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



16. Forget-me-not pollen. This flower has some of the smallest pollen grains – just one five-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)



17. Close-up of forget-me-not pollen. (MICRONAUT/ CATERS NEWS)