Insect Collections

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Insect Collections
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Arthropods

• Insects belong to the largest phylum of animals
  known as arthropods.  Many small arthropods are
  mistaken for insects such as spiders, ticks,
  millipedes, centipedes.

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All Insects Must Have

• three body parts - head, thorax, and abdomen
• six jointed legs
• two antennae to sense the world around them
• an exoskeleton (outside skeleton)

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Where do I find insects

• Insects feed on leaves, stems, roots, flowers and
  fruits.
• The best insect collecting is often in diverse
  habitats.
• Always be careful not to damage plants when
  collecting your insects.
• Dig in soil or chop into a dying tree or rotting
  log to discover some interesting insects.
• Collect insects before the first frost, usually
  by mid September.

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Preserving Insects

• The Killing Jar Insects must
  be killed before pinning and mounting. Killing
  jars are used as a sort of small scale
  fumigation to kill collected insects as rapidly
  as possible, using a liquid fumigant or killing
  agent (nail polish remover - must contain ethyl
  acetate) that produces a toxic atmosphere that
  the insect cannot breath.

• It is possible to make suitable killing jars
  with nearly any jar used for jam or jelly and
  baby food jars are especially handy. Do not use
  plastic containers, because the chemical killing
  agent may damage them.

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• In the bottom of each jar, place about 1 to 1 1/2
  inches of absorbent material, such as cotton,
  shredded newspaper, or sawdust. With paper-or
  fiber-filled jars, cut a cardboard circle just
  slightly larger than the inside diameter of the
  jar and push it into the opening against the
  material in the bottom. Wrap the outside bottom
  third of each jar with masking tape to prevent
  cuts in case the jar is broken. Attach a label
  that says POISON to each jar and store the jars
  out of reach of children (or irresponsible
  adults) until you are ready to go collecting.

• As the killing jar is used, it will lose its
  strength so the killing agent must be replenished
  from time to time. Also, tear up some strips of
  paper, crumple them slightly and place them in
  each jar. This will help to prevent insects from
  damaging one another.

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• If a killing jar is not available, freezing is
  another way to kill insects. Simply place your
  specimens in a plastic bag (the Zip-Lock kind is
  nice) or small jar and put them in the freezer
  for an hour or two.
• Do not handle them again until they are thawed or
  legs and antennae may break. And dont forget
  them in the freezer. Insects, like food, left
  too long in the freezer for several days or weeks
  will desiccate and remain dry and stiff, even
  when thawed.
• If pinned when dry, these insects will break
  during handling and wings, especially of
  Lepidoptera, will be impossible to spread.
• Remember that specimen quality is an important
  consideration in grading insect collections.

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Butterflies Moths

• Pinching the thorax of large butterflies or moths
  before placing them in the killing jar will
  prevent them from flopping around and damaging
  the wings.
• Squeeze them for 20-30 seconds between thumb and
  index finger and put them in the killing jar.
• This procedure stuns the insects so they do not
  flutter once inside the jar.
• Remove butterflies and moths from the killing jar
  fairly soon so their wings do not become soaked
  with killing agent.

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Relaxing Jar

• We recognize that while insects should be pinned
  on the same day they were collected, this is not
  always possible.
• So before pinning these specimens left in the
  killing jar or freezer too long, to restore their
  flexibility, it is necessary to relax them.
• By placing them in a relaxing jar at high
  humidity for a few days we can restore their
  flexibility enough to allow pinning without
  damage to the specimens.
• Relaxing is always a risky process and, if
  carelessly done, the specimens may be ruined.

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Making a Relaxing Jar

• Use a separate jar as the relaxer.
• Place some absorbent material such as newspaper,
  sand or cotton in the bottom.
• Cut a blotting paper disk to fit tightly inside.
• Moisten the material with water and add a drop or
  two of ethyl acetate, Lysol, or laundry beach to
  prevent mold.
• Place insects on the paper, close the jar tightly
  and let it sit for about 2-3 days.
• Check the jar. If the insects are flexible, mount
  them immediately.
• If the specimens are still too stiff, keep them
  in the relaxer for a few more days, but watch
  them carefully. Insects will mold and decompose
  if held in the relaxer too long.

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Pinning Insects

• The proper way to pin an insect depends on the
  type of insect that you have collected.
• The diagram illustrates the proper way to pin
  various orders of insects.
• Note that the pin is usually just slightly to the
  right of the midline of the insect.
• Specimens should also be level and squarely
  mounted on the pin as shown.
• The use of a pinning block will help in obtaining
  proper height and positioning.

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How To Make A Pinning Block

• Make the block from strips of wood or Styrofoam
  1-inch wide by 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut a 3-inch, a 2 inch and a 1-inch long piece
  from your wood strip, and glue them together in
  step fashion as shown.
• Next, drill three small holes as shown all the
  way through the block. You can use a small sized
  finishing nail for the drill bit.
• Then glue another 3 inch strip to the bottom of
  the block to cover the bottom of the drilled
  holes.

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How To Use A Pinning Block

• On the top step of the pinning block place the
  pin in the insect thorax in the proper position.
• Push the insect close to the pin head.
• Remove the pin from the top step, reverse it and
  place the head of the pin in the lowest step of
  the pinning block.
• Push the insect down as far as it will go.
• This will result in positioning each insect about
  one-fourth inch from the pin head.
• The middle step on the block is to position the
  collection label.
• The lowest step is used to position the insect
  identification label.

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Labels

• Make your labels using, TNR-size 8, with your
  computer and print them off.
• Trim labels so the edges make nice, clean, and
  flat rectangles.
• Two labels should be placed on the pin below each
  insect specimen.
• Both labels should be of the same size and lined
  up parallel to the length of the body of the
  insect (not cross-wise).
• The insect head should be at the left and the
  label should read from left to right.
• The top label should have the location where the
  insect was collected (ex found on a tomato
  plant) and the collection date.
• The lower label should show the name of the
  insect.

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When pinning and spreading a butterfly or moth

• Cut several thin strips of paper about 1/4" wide
  and 8"-10" long.
• Pick up the insect by the thorax and carefully
  push a pin through the middle of the thorax.
• Adjust the position of the butterfly on the pin
  and make sure that it is level, both on the sides
  and in both front and back.
• Place the pin into the hole in the tallest step
  of the pinning block, being careful not to damage
  the fragile wings.
• Adjust the width of the groove in the spreading
  board to be just slightly wider than the body of
  the butterfly.
• Remove the pinned insect from the pinning block
  and push the pin into the slot of your spreading
  board until the bases of the wings are just level
  with the top of the two side pieces.
• Slip a paper strip between the wings (if they are
  upright) and use it to force the wings on one
  side down into position.
• Pin the ends of the paper down to hold the wings
  loosely in place.
• Repeat this with the wings on the other side.

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• Take another insect pin or needle and slip the
  point through the leading edge of the right
  forewing (there is a strong vein just at the
  front edge of each wing) near its attachment to
  the thorax.
• Loosen the forward end of the paper strip and
  gradually bring the forewing up into final
  position.
• Pin the wing down with a paper strip.
• Repeat this procedure with the forewing on the
  other side.
• Using the same technique, bring both hind wings
  into proper position and fasten all four wings
  firmly with the paper strips.
• Position antennae with pins and if the abdomen
  has drooped, prop it up with pins so that it
  dries in a natural position.
• Allow specimens to dry for several days before
  you remove the pins.