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Post by Paul K on Sept 1, 2018 10:28:54 GMT -8
Jhyatt How do you manage to pin small Lycaenidae on #2,3 pin. I use #0 and 1 and for the smallest once #00 which I don’t really like as they are very bendable.
Paul
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Post by jhyatt on Sept 2, 2018 5:37:03 GMT -8
Paul,
I guess the answer is "very carefully!". I find that a #2 pin fits fine in the average-sized hairstreak or blue or riodinid. But yes, I do occasionally resort to a #1 pin for a really small blue. I don't even own any #0 or smaller pins - they're far too springy and tend to flip heads and abdomens across the room when I release them -- not to mention the ease with which they get permanently bent! My basic philosophy has always been to use the largest size pin that the insect will hold, within reason (I don't use anything larger than #4). The late, great US collector Mo Nielson once told me that he thought that the key to successfully spreading a small lep was to get the pin through the thorax absolutely straight on all three axes. Half the battle is having the bug on the pin right. I tend to agree with him, although it's awfully hard to get the pin in really right sometimes. I find it easier to do if the pin is larger.
Regards, jh
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