Getting started
The formats, the words on the label and the first five specimens worth owning.
Everything a first-time microscopist needs before the first slide: what a spore syringe actually contains, how a syringe differs from a print or a swab, what "iso", "f2" and "x" mean on a card, and how to build a small collection that teaches you something with every specimen. Written for microscopy, taxonomy and research only.
Getting startedNo. 07What is a spore syringe? A beginner's guide for microscopy
A spore syringe is sterile water carrying the spores of a named strain, sealed for the microscope. What is in it, how it is made, how to use it on a slide and how long it keeps.
20 September 2026 · 3 min read · Read →
Getting startedNo. 08Spore syringe vs spore print vs spore swab: which format for microscopy?
Syringe, print or swab? Each format suits a different kind of microscopy work. How they are made, what they show under the objective, how they store and which to choose.
20 September 2026 · 2 min read · Read →
Getting startedNo. 09Isolated genetics explained: what "iso" means on a spore syringe
Isolated spore syringe, iso, isolate: what the words mean, how an isolate differs from a multispore line, and why isolated genetics matter for consistent microscopy.
20 September 2026 · 2 min read · Read →
Getting startedNo. 10How to read a strain name: f2, iso, x and the words on a spore syringe label
What do f2, iso, x, revert and leucistic mean on a spore syringe label? A plain decoder for strain names, crosses and generations, using real examples from the MycoWorld library.
20 September 2026 · 2 min read · Read →
Getting startedNo. 11Starting a spore collection for microscopy: a beginner's guide to the first five specimens
A beginner's plan for a microscopy spore collection: which five specimens to start with, how to keep records, how to store and compare, and how to grow the collection by lineage.
20 September 2026 · 2 min read · Read →Specimens for this chapter
The strains these stories talk about, when they are in stock, prepared under sterile protocol and posted from the UK.
Every specimen on MycoWorld is supplied strictly for microscopy, taxonomy and research. Nothing here is a cultivation product and we do not provide or endorse cultivation guidance. 18+ only. Read the Legal Use Policy.