MAKING A BUG COLLECTION

1. EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

NETS

KILL JARS

SCHMIDT BOX

PINS

2. COLLECT BUGS

Look everywhere

  • in the air
  • on the ground
  • on plants and trees
  • under the soil
  • on dead leaf piles
  • in fallen wood
  • near and in rivers or streams or ponds
  • on concrete
  • in houses and buildings
  • in parks
  • in your backyard
  • in the school yard

3. RELAXING

Mounting requires that an insect be "relaxed" in a relaxing jar (described below) before appendages are spread. Relaxation softens dry insects so the wings, legs, antennae, etc., may be spread without being damaged. Insects should not be handled before relaxation. Damage done to delicate appendages, such as legs, tarsi or antennae is more often a result of improper relaxing. Insects that are not particularly absorbent, such as beetles, may be soaked in hot water for one minute. Remove them and allow the insect to soften for a while. Larger insects may take a little longer. More absorbent specimens (such as butterflies) will need to go into a relaxing jar.

RELAXING JARS

Relaxing jars are airtight chambers used to replace fluids and to restore pliability to a dried specimen's appendages. Relaxing jars may be constructed simply by placing a sponge, moistened with a water and phenol (to prohibit fungus growth) solution, into an airtight jar. Large mouth jars are preferred for easier placement of specimens.

Always relax only the number of specimens you are able to mount within several hours. Prolonged relaxing ruins specimens. Specimens should be relaxed while still within their paper triangles. Insects in paper triangles may be placed on top of a cloth, or sponge soaked with water and phenol (used to retard molding - also found in ChlorasepticÆ). Seal the jar firmly and allow the jar to remain undisturbed overnight. Higher temperatures, 90F and above, will speed softening. Your specimen should be soft enough to spread within a day or so.

Using a pair of forceps, carefully grasp a tibia, and gently work the leg back and forth until the leg is fully moveable. Some popping as joints are loosened is normal, but always be ready for the inevitable! Breaks will occur. So be ready with a clear-drying cement or glue and a toothpick. You can reattach an antenna, tarsi, or broken leg. Also, remember that a damaged specimen is better than no specimen at all.

4. BASIC INSECT ANATOMY

Parts that should be familiar for successful insect mounting are the leg parts, wing types/parts (including veins), abdomen, thorax and head parts, including the antennae and mandibles.

5. IDENTIFICATION AND LABELLING

The collection information is what adds real value to the collection. It is also part of how you will receive credit for your work in the project.

Pinning labels (below) should contain specimen names, the collector's name, the collection date, name of the plant or other place where the insect was captured, activity the insect was engaged in before capture (e.g. collecting pollen, sipping nectar), and the state, county and city. Students recording this kind of data end up with a valuable collection. Other significant information can include weather conditions, temperature, humidity, altitude, etc.

Place data in a secure place, but where it will still be associated with the specimen(s). Data on specimens wrapped in paper should be in indelible ink. The data is very important and will be required later for label preparation and publishing in the website).

 

6. PINNING

Grasp the insect between the thumb and forefinger or lay it on a styrofoam pad and press the pin gently but firmly just through elytra or exoskeleton. Pause and examine the angle of the pin. Will it poke through at a critical or inconvenient point on the insect's bottom? Will the insect be pinned at an unusual angle? If so, pull the pin back out slightly and reposition for the final push through. Be careful not to enlargen entry pin holes or to create too many holes. When completed examine the specimen again for desired pinning effect. Be careful not to prick fingers.

PIN POSITIONING

Insects are not the same. Where a pin is inserted into the insect body may affect or damage a leg on the other side of the insect's body  Use the illustration to the right as a guide for where to insert pins in the various types of insects.

PINNING BLOCK

How your insect looks on the pin is important!  For achieving uniform specimen height within the collection a pinning block should be used

CORRECTLY PINNED AND LABELLED INSECT

7. SPREADING

With butterflies and some other showy specimens wings are important in identification. So, they are opened. A combination of well-placed pins and paper strips holds wings down and reduces movement until the insect has dried. Specimens are best spread when they are freshly caught. Once specimens have been spread and allowed to dry place them immediately into the collection to avoid accidents. Small insects should dry within just a few hours. Larger insects may take days. Be sure to plan space for them to be out of the way.

WINGS

Putting pressure lightly on the thorax, blow gently to open the wings a bit. Insert your pin and blow gently again to place cardboard strips between them. Use the strips to push the wings down and pin the insect into the spreading board bottom.

Lift one end of the strip slightly and insert pin in the heavy vein of the forewing, or if the heavy vein is absent in your specimen, use the blunt end of an insect pin to maneuver the wing from the cleavage at the intersection of large veins. Pull the wing forward until the bottom edge of the wings is at a right angel to the body (note wing position in Figure 6). When the wing is in position place a glass-head pin through paper strips close to the edges of the wings - but not through them!

Next to the thin strips, place heavyweight mounting strips or cardboard pieces large enough to cover the entire wings. Pin these in place with the glass-headed pins around the edges of the wings. This will allow the wings to dry without curling.

Next, pull the antennae into the proper position with a pin and fasten them in place with pins on each side of them. Work carefully, since the antennae are very fragile. If you happen to snap one off it may be repaired with a small dab of rubber cement. If the abdomen stands up or sags, position it with a pair of criss-crossed pins. Adjust it to the desired height.

When placing insects into Riker mounts, remove the pin by carefully pushing down on the thorax where the pin enters the body. (Avoid pressure on other parts of the insect).

8. DRYING YOUR COLLECTION

In order to have your bugs dry in a good position to view them, you can use extra pins temporarily to hold body parts in a certain way. You will remove those extra pins when the but is dry.

9. MAINTAINING YOUR COLLECTION

Inside the insect box you should place flakes of moth balls. Those containing paradichlorobenzene are preferred. It kills existing pests as well as discouraging future infestations. Those containing only napthalene do not kill existing infestations.

Keep collections free from moisture. Humidity will promote growth of fungus or invite in small insects, like booklice or dermestid beetles. Sure signs that you have an infestation are piles of dust that appear beneath the insects in the collection.