1. A moth and butterfly being set with their wings held in the correct position by tracing paper. Entomologists on Twitter got all excited last week when a tutorial for preserving insects in hand sanitizer was passed around. Looks like you’ve clipped this slide to already. More poisonous substances, such as cyanide and chloroform, should be avoided by all except the most experienced entomologists. 17.6b). This desiccation-tolerant cell line can thus be handled easily in different laboratory conditions. Most hard-shelled insects take at least three days to rehydrate. Mar 23, 2013 - How to preserve, label and store insect specimens. A moth and butterfly being set with their wings held in the correct position by tracing paper. Caterpillars can be killed in a preservative fluid (i.e., KAAD) or boiled (like shrimp! Carding is not recommended for adult insects because structures on the underside are obscured by being glued to the card; however, carding may be suitable for mounting exuviae, pupal cases, puparia, or scale covers. Micropinning (staging or double mounting). In order to proceed with preserving hard-bodied insects for display, you will require display boxes and display pins that are long and thin. See our Privacy Policy and User Agreement for details. Vials for preserving 7. 17.5b,c) whose cuticle is too hard to pierce with a micropin, or for mounting small specimens that are already dried. A desiccator or other artificial drying methods are re- commended in humid climates, but oven temperature should not rise above 35°C. Ethyl acetate killing containers are made by pouring a thick mixture of plaster of Paris and water into the bottom of a tube or wide-mouthed bottle or jar to a depth of 15–20 mm; the plaster must be completely dried before use. Isopropyl alcohol (70 percent) or equivalent is best. See section 17.2.5 for information on the data that should be recorded. Methods of insect collection, preservation, Insects that are too small to be pinned directly on standard pins and yet should be preserved dry may be pinned as double mounts.This term refers to the insect’s being mounted on a minuten or card point, which in turn is mounted or attached to a standard insect pin .Minutens are available from supply houses in 10 and 15- mm lengths and in two or three thicknesses. There are three widely used methods for mounting insects and the choice of the appropriate method depends on the kind of insect and its size, as well as the purpose of mounting. I try to keep equipment at a minimum and costs down. Thus, it has been possible to obtain large series of pinned larvae suitable for taxonomic or morphological studies as well as display purposes. Insect larvae and soft-bodied and extremely tiny specimens are preserved in liquids. Place a folded piece of fabric or dry paper towels on top of the wet towel and place your insect on top of the dry surface. I’ve had friend collect pill bottles for me. Call us on 07813 177 730 for timber treatment and damp-proofing work in Devon. The head of the insect should be to the right when the apex of the point is directed away from the person mounting. Large insects are pinned using number … (a) larger beetles (Coleoptera); (b) grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets (Orthoptera); (c) larger flies (Diptera); (d) moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera); (e) wasps and sawflies (Hymenoptera); (f ) lacewings (Neuroptera); (g) dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata), lateral view; (h) bugs, cicadas, and leaf- and planthoppers (Hemiptera: Heteroptera, Cicadomorpha, and Fulgoromorpha). All others are preserved on specially designed insect pins. Straight point #4 forceps 4. Specimens with open wings and neatly arranged legs and antennae also are more attractive in a collection. (After Upton 1991), (a) a beetle pinned to a foam sheet showing the spread antennae and legs held with pins; (b) setting board with mantid and butterfly showing spread wings held in place by pinned setting paper. Summary of Techniques for Alcohol Preservation Boiling water (1 minute), then Kahle’s solution (1 week), then 70% Ethanol: Large, soft-bodied insects thicker than pencil; Caterpillars, white grubs, maggots, larvae of bees and wasps. (a) insect in lateral view, correctly positioned; (b) too low on pin; (c) tilted on long axis, instead of horizontal; (d) insect in front view, correctly positioned; (e) too high on pin; (f) body tilted laterally and pin position incorrect.