Noob Pinning Beetles

[coloradeo]

Hi, I'm a Lep collector expanding ever so slowly into beetles as I pick up more and more that hit my light sheets. I caught a bunch of beetles this summer and am getting around to pinning several. I can handle a typical beetle pinning pretty well, my question is what to do with a beetle who dried with elytra that are hanging a bit outside of the outer shell. I don't want to open and spread these -- am I out of luck with getting these into a 'typical' pin config with the legs spread and the body put together? Did a quick search on the forum and don't think this is a repeated question. Thanks,

Eric

[Deleted]

I soften the beetle, then position the elytra over the abdomen so they form a straight line down the back and put a pin array over and on top of the closed wings. The pins do not go into, but on top of the elytra until it's dried. Sort of looks like a pin roof at an angle from the left and from the right. Two pins r vertical to serve to keep the wing from flopping over the outer edge. If this is not clear, let me know and I'll take a pic sometime soon for ya. This is merely how I do it....others may differ.

[Deleted]

Ok....here r a few pics of what I do. Note the yellow pins hold the elytra from slipping over the edge.
I also use size 7 pins for the crossover on top of the elytras which get the points out far from the leg pins which r size 2. There r quite a few pins used when all done. Sometimes I mount the jaws wide open and other times I mount them as shown depending the beetle and my mood.....I prefer poses differing a bit.

[tv]

That looks familiar. The wife makes fun of me when I'm pinning my beetles.

Do you use styrofoam or something else? I use foam just because we get frozen shipments at work all the time and the lids from the shippers make perfect pinning surfaces.

I don't know about you, but I end up having a few hundred pins that I just use for positioning specimens while they dry. I've found that size 7 pins work great for holding down the elytra, but the extra length also works well for final adjustments once the beetle starts looking like a pin cushion.

[Deleted]

Yes, I use styrofoam for pinning bases. While pinning beetles uses more pins and takes longer, it's easier than Leps ( fewer pins) as they can suffer wing damage more easily.

[coloradeo]

That's great thanks. When the wings hang out a bit, is there a good way to get them back in?

Eric

[Deleted]

No problem. If the membranous wings stick out from the elytra, just tuck them in before hand and u r good to go. I use forceps and a probe to tuck in.

[58chevy]

A word of warning: when you remove the beetle from the pinning base (styrofoam or whatever), do it very carefully. Sometimes the claws will be stuck in the pinning base. If you remove it too quickly, you can pull the tarsi off. I usually use a pin to slowly free the claws.

[Deleted]

Good call 58chevy.......that is a very important point to mention. Sorry I forgot to mention it. To help minimize this, I leave the thin plastic covering on the styrofoam, but never the less, always plan for tarsal hooking to the pinning surface.

[tv]

If you have a fresh specimen, the liquids from the internals can drain along the pin. When they dry they make it really hard to pull the pin out of the foam.

[Deleted]

I'm happy to say I don't have that happen often. If I'm concerned, I'll simply take a 1cm square of paper towel, or smaller, and pin t just below the beetle, but above the styrofoam. Then any fluids should be absorbed into the paper towel piece which should prevent gluing to the bottom. My beetle is positioned just above the styrofoam so that when I position the legs, it more closely looks real life in that it's crawling just above the ground and not mounted w the legs splayed out straight to the sides.