Killing large moths

[bartcoppens]

Dear forum users,
Collecting insects in the field is a new experience for me.
However, in a few month I will be traveling to the tropics to collect large species such as Saturniidae.
And I wonder what the best way to kill them in the field is. Freezing is no option, since we will be camping in the middle of nowhere for a few days to catch moths. I know some collectors use killing jars or injections.
I am mainly after large moths from the Saturniidae/Sphingidae/Cossidae/Lasiocampidae/Eupterotidae families, and am wondering what the best way to kill them (and store them in the field) is. 
Regards from Bart. 

[Paul K]

Injection of ammonia is the better choice as long as you can grab and hold the specimen under the wings for thorax with out rubbing too many scales off, it needs practice as if you press to hard you will demage the specimen if not too firm it will escape from your grip.
smaller moths are going to killing jar.
The best way is to storage specimens in the fridge/freezer, if not available than box with PDB or Naphthaline balls to repel ants. Make sure to keep it as dry as possible to prevent mold grow. You will be there in the dry season so you can keep the box open from time to time to let air circulation.

[Paul K]

Here is a teaser for your: few specimens I collected in Thailand, you should find most of them in Laos if right time ( rainy season ).

[joachim]

Hi Paul can you name the Specimens of your wonderful collection? Thanks

[Paul K]

Nov 25, 2018 17:38:20 GMT -8 joachim said:

Hi Paul can you name the Specimens of your wonderful collection? Thanks

Yes, I will start new thread and post there.

[exoticimports]

I use rubbing alcohol because it's readily available almost everywhere. In a pinch I one time had to buy a bottle of vodka since rubbing alcohol was restricted.

[exoticinsects]

Injection would be the best way but I was surprised to see people recommending ammonia.
I always tell my contacts not to use ammonia because the specimens become stiff and more difficult to relax. I would advice to use ethyl acetate but it can be hard to get in the tropics. Depending on the country, you need to know the right shops. You can bring small quantities with you.
Rubbing alcohol is easy to get if nothing else is available.

The people above obviously have experience using ammonia and it works for them.
Perhaps the trick is not to use too much ammonia ...


Benny

[Paul K]

Nov 26, 2018 6:18:42 GMT -8 exoticinsects said:

Injection would be the best way but I was surprised to see people recommending ammonia.
I always tell my contacts not to use ammonia because the specimens become stiff and more difficult to relax. I would advice to use ethyl acetate but it can be hard to get in the tropics. Depending on the country, you need to know the right shops. You can bring small quantities with you.
Rubbing alcohol is easy to get if nothing else is available.

The people above obviously have experience using ammonia and it works for them.
Perhaps the trick is not to use too much ammonia ...


Benny

I think you must to confuse ammonia with other chemical.
Ethyl acetate in my opinion makes the specimen more stiffed.
If I catch small enough moth and I can’t handle it for injection I put it in the killing jar for ethyl acetate to put moth to sleep and than I apply injection to actually kill it and make it more flexible to work with after.
It seems like a lot more work but it’s worth it in my opinion. Also I don’t like to keep specimen in the jar too long as often the glass getting sweat and the moth is ruined and if not long enough the moth wakes up after all.

Paul

[exoticinsects]

I think it's the same chemical, amoniak in Indonesia or am I mistaken?
Anyway, that's just my experience I have been using ethyl acetate for as long as I can remember.
It's possible that the few times I received specimens killed with 'amoniak', they had been mistreated in another way that made them hard to relax.

It's acutally good to know that ammonia can be used as a killing agent because it is easier to get on small islands, EA has to be brought in.

It is indeed important to transfer small moths from the killing jar asap. I usually put them in an envelope and into a seperate box with EA.
Benny

[Paul K]

Yes, amoniak is the same as ammonia. it is safe for moths and butterflies too,(I use injection for Danainae which are more resistant to pinch) , you just need to inject very small amount, usually a light touch to the insulin syringe piston is good enough and you will see immediate reaction of the insect being killed. Ammonia solution is widely available as it is often use as a household cleaning agent and the 1 litre bottle here in Canada cost only $2.00 ( it will last live time for me )

Paul

[bartcoppens]

Thanks all of you for your wonderful experiences. It's funny, I do lack basic experience in many fields of entomology despite being so obsessive about it all my life. But this will really be my first field work. But I get the feeling it will be a more frequent thing in the future 

One of my jobs is to deliver specimens to natural history museums in the Netherlands and to breed them, so they can use them in their public displays. But I use a freezer to kill mine and I won't have that luxury in the middle of nowhere of course. I'll post interesting finds on this forum. 

[Paul K]

Nov 26, 2018 7:33:52 GMT -8 exoticinsects said:

It is indeed important to transfer small moths from the killing jar asap. I usually put them in an envelope and into a seperate box with EA.
Benny

That is a great idea for small moths, I will start using this method next time I'll be in the field.

Paul

[leptraps]

I have not collected at a sheet for past 6 or 7 years. The last time I collected off a sheet was in 2005 in SE Arizona. I was after sphinx moths. I used a sryinge with rubbing alcohol. Just a drop would do it.

I reared a number of sphinx moths this summer and brought them indoors to emerge. I enjected them with Rubbing Alcohol. Just a tiny drop dispatches even the largest sphinx moths.

[bobw]

I too find that the best way is to inject large moths with ammonia, I'm not so sure about using it in a killing jar as I think it can discolour the wings. I haven't used Ethyl Acetate for years as I found anything killed with it set rock-solid and was impossible to relax. I don't recognise the term "rubbing alcohol", is that the American version of what we call "surgical spirit" in England?

[timsbugs]

When I travel I always carry a few large Ziploc bags with me. They come in really handy especially when you need to be discreet like went in an airport . Once there in the Ziploc they can be easily manoeuvred without worrying about knocking off any scales or putting big thumbprints into them . I also carry a small bottle of “eyedrops” that actually has EA in it. Two drops on a cotton swab and in the Ziploc bag it goes for about a minute and then I remove it . Lots of passengers travelling in the Surname airport got a good picture of this moth.



Thanks to my Ziploc bag it’s in my collection

Tim
PS. I don’t recommend using my “eardrops” either !!