The insects are complex and fascinating.People like preserving dead insects.People preserve insects for a variety of reasons, from scientific identification and study to as a hobby.There are many ways to preserve insects' bodies, whether you kill them yourself or find a dead insect outside.In rubbing alcohol, soft-bodied insects can be preserved.Butterflies, bees, and beetles are some of the hard-bodied insects that are preserved by pinning.Pin your insect as a dry specimen if it has an appendage.
Step 1: Rub alcohol into a jar that is halfway full.
The rubbing alcohol will keep the insect's body from decaying, drying out, or breaking into pieces.The jar should be bigger than the insect.You won't waste rubbing alcohol if you put a small insect in a jar.It's a good idea to use 70% rubbing alcohol for insect preservation.Some insects are better preserved with a stronger alcohol.Some insects that should be preserved in stronger alcohol include: spiders, scorpions, earthworms and small insects.The glass jar should have a tight-fitting lid and no cracks.
Step 2: Look for a dead insect.
Soft-bodied insects are more likely to be preserved in alcohol.The insect could come from a window in your house, the environment near where you live, or even a spider's web.You will want to keep an insect that is in good shape.It will be less effective if the insect has been dead for a while and is breaking apart.You can use a variety of methods, for example, catching butterflies in a butterfly net.Some would object to the ethics of killing insects to preserve them, but traps are an effective way to make sure you have dead insects available.
Step 3: You should identify your insect.
It is important to know which insects you are dealing with.If you are preserving insects for scientific purposes, this is an important part of the procedure.The date and location on which the insect was found should be included in the label.The jar has an alcohol-filled label on it.There are many websites that can help you identify a dead insect.Go to BugGuide.net orInsectIdentification.org to start.Try to get in touch with a local entomologist.
Step 4: Put the insect in a jar.
The insect's body is very fragile and could easily be crushed.The best way to handle the insect is with a pair of tweezers.latex gloves should be worn if the insect has a sting or is poisonous.
Step 5: Rub alcohol into the jar the rest of the time.
Only after the insect has settled to the bottom of the jar can you do this.Slowly pour the rest of the alcohol.The liquid may break the insect's body if you pour it too fast.Store the jar in a safe location after closing it.If you are planning on starting a large insect collection, dedicating an entire table to the jars may be a good idea.The jars should be kept far from food, children, and animals.
Step 6: Take 1/3 of the jar with you.
It is similar to rubbing alcohol to preserve the insect's body.Unlike alcohol, the thick consistency of hand sanitizer will suspend the dead insect, making for a more attractive display and facilitating easier viewing.Use a jar that is large enough to hold the suspended insect, but not so large that you have to use a lot of hand sanitizer.
Step 7: You can put the dead insect in the hand sanitizer.
Use a pair of instruments to pick up the insect.Press the insect's body into the hand sanitizer and it will be suspended in the gel.If you are suspending a delicate insect, such as a bee or wasp, make sure not to break the wings or body when pressing it into the gel.Butterflies may be difficult to preserve in hand sanitizer since the gel may snap off part of the body.If you want to preserve other hard-bodied insects in hand sanitizer, look for ones that do not have delicate protruding wings or antennae.
Step 8: Air bubbles can be removed by boiling jars.
The air bubbles from the hand sanitizer can be removed by filling a sauce pan with water.Put the jars in the boiling water and cook them for 15 minutes.The jar will explode if the lid is not removed.It's a good idea to avoid getting water into the jars.The air bubbles are unpleasant and a distraction from observing the insect.You can skip this step if you don't mind the air bubbles.
Step 9: The jar should be filled full of hand sanitizer.
Once you have removed the jar from the boiling water and let it cool to room temperature, pour or pump the hand sanitizer gel over the insect's body until it is full.Once the jar is full, you can move the insect's body until it is displayed in the desired pose.To complete the preservation, put a label on the outside of the jar and screw the lid on.Children can handle these jars with adult supervision.
Step 10: Purchase insect pins and foam.
Push-pins made of insect pins are usually 3.5 centimeters in length.To avoid damaging the insect's body, they are thin.If you are pinning a larger insect, use a thicker pin.If the foam is dense, the pinned insect won't fall over.It is common to mount insects on cork.Both insect pins and mounting foam can be purchased at a hobby store or through a biological supply company.Online retailers that sell pins and mounting foam include Amazon.
Step 11: Take care of your specimen.
You will need to rehydrate your insect if you plan on posing it.You may skip this step if you can still move your insect's limbs.A sealable container can be found.Put a rag, a few paper towels, and rubbing alcohol on the bottom of the container.There are alcohols and nail polish removers that will work here.Don't lay your insect on the towel.Place a folded piece of fabric or dry paper towel on top of the wet towel and place your insect on the dry surface.You want to keep the insect dry while exposing it to the fumes from the alcohol.The key to doing this correctly is using lots of dry layers.The hard-shelled insects take at least three days to rehydrate.The bugs need at least five days to rehydrate.Once you can move the limbs quickly, you may check on your insect every day.The specimen may get wet if you add too much alcohol.This can cause the insect to rot.The insect should be separated from the wet towel with more dry layers.You may be able to save your insect if it begins to degrade.Don't pick up the insect.Once it is no longer wet, remove the dry surface and try again.
Step 12: The pin has the insect's body on it.
pinning is the most effective way to preserve insects.The pin should be stuck through the middle section of the insect's thorax.The idea is to be able to pick up and handle the pin without touching the insect.The pin should be inserted through the middle of the right wing sheath.
Step 13: Place the insect on the foam.
The pin must be pressed into the foam until it is half an inch deep.Don't break the insect's body in this process.You can leave the specimen or use more pins to pose the body.If you're posing an older body, make sure it's rehydrated so you don't break it.Don't pin the insect through the limbs.Place pins in the foam so the limbs lie against them.The limbs will freeze as the insect cures.If you can't keep the limbs from moving, you may place two pins in an X formation and hold the limb in the top V of the pins.
Step 14: Leave the insect to dry.
Depending on the size, it could take anywhere from one day to two weeks.Large insects can take a week or more to dry, while small insects take about a day.If the insect is cured, you can gently press a limb with a pin.The insect is cured if the limb is frozen in place.Once your insect is cured, you can remove the posing pins and pin it in a shadowbox frame.
Step 15: You can create a label for an insect.
Print out the insect's genera and species on a piece of paper.The location and date on which the insect was found should be noted.The environment from which the insect was collected is noted by some collectors.Pin this slip of paper with the main pin in the insect's body, or affix it nearby the specimen when you frame it.Place the pinned insects in a wooden cigar box or a cabinet to protect them from the elements.The box will be protected from scavengers.
Step 16: Purchase things.
Flat-tipped tweezers and insect pins are required.insect pins are larger than butterfly pins.They range from 25 to 75mm.If you are pinning a larger insect, use a thicker pin.They are usually 3.5 centimeters in length.Don't use regular tweezers.They will rip the wings if they are not flat-tipped.
Step 17: Prepare a spreading board.
If you want to make your own foam spreading board, you have to take an even-surfaced piece of foam and cut a linear trough down the middle large enough to fit the full body of your butterfly.If the foam is dense, the pinned insect won't fall over.When the butterfly's wings are outspread, make sure your board is large enough.The insects can be mounted on cork or balsa wood.If you want your butterfly's wings to be at an angle, you may want to buy a spreading board with a V-shaped surface.It is possible to make these types of boards.If you choose to make a wooden board this way, make sure the wood glue doesn't get in the way of the insect pins.Both insect pins and mounting foam can be purchased at a hobby store or through a biological supply company.Online retailers that sell pins and mounting foam include Amazon and The Butterfly Company.
Step 18: Place wax paper strips in a container.
Four strips of wax are the length of your butterfly's wings.Butterflies and moths are so fragile that it is easy to tear their wings.The wings will be held in place by the strips of wax paper.You should prepare some extra strips in case.
Step 19: hydrate your specimen
If you don't have a freshly dead butterfly, you will need to rehydrate it.You may skip this step if you can still move your insect's limbs.A sealable container can be found.Put a rag, a few paper towels, and rubbing alcohol on the bottom of the container.There are alcohols and nail polish removers that will work here.Don't lay your insect on the towel.Place a folded piece of fabric or dry paper towel on top of the wet towel, place a square of wax paper on that, and then place your insect on the dry Wax paper.You want to keep the insect dry while exposing it to the fumes from the alcohol.The key to doing this correctly is using lots of dry layers.Small butterflies can be rehydrated in a day.Larger butterflies may take up to five days, while medium-sized butterflies can take a few days.You can check your butterfly by spreading the wings.To remove the two wings from the gap above the head, use tweezers.Your specimen needs more time if there is resistance.If you begin the pinning process and the top wings are resistant, you need more time to rehydrate.The specimen may get wet if you add too much alcohol.This can cause the insect to rot.The specimen will be damaged if this happens.The insect should be separated from the wet towel with more dry layers.You may be able to save your insect if it begins to degrade.Don't pick up the insect.Set it out to dry after removing the dry surface.Evaluate the butterfly.If the wings are stuck together, you can try to separate them with tweezers and place a wax paper strip between them.Once it is dry, try rehydrating again.
Step 20: Place the insect on the pin.
The butterfly should be held by pinching the thorax after it has been rehydrated.It may break off if it is held by the abdomen.The butterfly's wings should be pointing upwards.There is a pin in the thorax.The pin should be sticking straight up.The idea is to be able to pick up and handle the pin without touching the insect.The butterfly should be put into the trough of the board.The bottom of the wings should be parallel to the board.If the wings are able to lie flat, it is okay for your pin to be at an angle.
Step 21: The wings need to be seperated.
Use your tweezers to open the wings.When they are closed, slip them between the wings and let them open.Take a strip of wax paper and put it between the wings.It should stick out from both sides.Place one strip on the other side of the pin to pull the wings apart.The wings will be held flat by these.Push the wax paper down through the top if you can't separate them.It is most likely that this will cause folding or tearing of the wing tips.There is a gap between the wings at the shoulder joint when sliding the wax paper from the front.
Step 22: Put the wing down.
Pull the wing down until it is on the board.Put pins in the wax paper.The wings will not stay if the paper is pulled tightly.Do this for both wings.If the top wings don't lay flat during the pinning process, you need more time to rehydrate.The wings will snap if you press on them.While the butterfly continues to rehydrate, you can leave the strips in between the wings.Pull the wax paper strips tighter if the wings are moving.Place the pins away from the butterfly.The wax paper should be kept down more firmly.
Step 23: Place the wings in their proper positions.
The first thing to do is to start with the top wing.The wax paper strip needs to be unpinned.The wing will close again if the wax paper is removed.Place the wing through the wax paper or with the help of the tweezers.If you want to move the wing, drag it into place with your tweezers.Go towards the middle from the top of the wing.Don't grab it from the tip.The wax paper should be pinned down when everything looks good.The bottom wings are more delicate.Pull up or down from the side.The wing will tear if you pull away.Put it down.Hold the wing while you position the other wing on the same side.There is a thick vein towards the top of the wing.If you don't have flat-nosed tweezers, you can drag the wing with a pin.You will puncture the wing if you point the pin downwards.Put the wing in place with the paper as usual.The oils on the skin can remove scales if you wear gloves.Scales can be pulled off the wing through gloves and wax paper if your hands are sweaty.You should dry your hands frequently.
Step 24: Let's finish it.
Cut some extra wax paper strips and pin the problem area down if there are areas that aren't lying flat.If your legs and antennae are still intact, you can place them with extra pins.This step requires a lot of practice.
Step 25: Attach a label to the insect.
Print out the insect's genera and species on a slip of paper.The location and date on which the insect was found should be noted.The environment from which the insect was collected is noted by some collectors.The main pin is in the body of the insect.If you want to make a large collection of pinned insects, you should start with a piece of foam or cork.Place the pinned insects in a wooden cigar box or a set of drawers to protect them.Adding mothballs to the box will protect it from scavengers.