Setting Sphingidae

[cabintom]

After looking at some photos, I'm getting the feeling that I'm not setting the wings on my specimens high enough... is there a visual cue I should use to judge how far up I should be placing them?

[evra]

You can do it however you want I suppose, since it is your collection. However the generally accepted procedure for all Lepidoptera is to have the bottom edge of the forewings line up in a straight line that is perpendicular to the axis of symmetry in the body. So your second specimen is pretty darn close, maybe just a little high, and your top specimen is a little bit too low, making the wings look kind of droopy.

Since Sphingids have sort of irregular shaped wings, I personally think they look better if the forewings are a little bit higher than the perpendicular axis, like in your bottom specimen.

[Deleted]

Some people set the forwings with the bottoms even higher than the specimen in the second photo. Its a personal choice of which way you like better. I set mine like butterflies with the bottom of the forwings flat across. To see a example of excellent "high forwing setting" look at user leptraps posts and you will see how he sets his.

Joe

[gauthier]

A litle tips that the well known specialist in Sphingidae Jean Haxaire said to me some years ago.

When you capture fresh specimen at trap, you should papered it with wings flat, not closed over the abdomen like we do with diurnal.

It is more easy after to spread properly in collection.

[leptraps]

I live in Kentucky and every year I travel out west (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho etc, etc,) to collect. I paper everything except Sesiids which I field pin. All the papered material is then placed in BioSeal Plastic Containers. I prefer the Lock & Lock brand. The Containers are then placed in a cooler with Ice. The BioSeal Containers will keep the moisture in and not dry out the specimens. It also keeps the moisture from the cooler from "leaking" and damaging the specimens. I travel for up to 5 weeks at a time and collecting as I travel. When I return home I place trip labels in the containers and the containers into my freezer. I recently removed some sphinx moths, Eumorpha typhon from a 1999 trip to Arizona, placed them in my relaxer. 24 hours later they were soft as the day I collected them in 1999. However, when in comes to larger moths, I cut the all four wing muscles with an X-acto knife with a No. 21 blade prior to spreading. I even cut fresh specimens. Again, it makes life easier and it saves four letter words from being used later or when things get difficult.

I have used this method for over 40 years. Works for me.

The all Sphingids in the drawer were collected and spread prior to 1999.



The majority of the Sesiid moths I collect with Pheromone Traps. Sesiids are very delicate and require special care when collecting, storing during the trip and spreading when you return home, I use large BioSeal Containers with foam in the bottom for the field pinned Sesiid moths. They are stored in a cooler with ice and when I return home, they too go int the freezer. I use a number system for locations when traveling and each specimen, wether in an envelope or field pin, will have a trip location number. Once home all Sesiids are spread first. Again, less four letter words when spreading. The legs of Sesiids will seem to just fall off. I use clear Elmer’s glue to re-attach lost legs.

Once you develop a successful routine and you like the results. Just continue on. Its your collection. I like my collection!!

[cabintom]

Jan 24, 2014 6:09:42 GMT -8 leptraps said:

Once you develop a successful routine and you like the results. Just continue on. Its your collection. I like my collection!!

Thanks for the detailed response. Very informative, and much appreciated.

Tom