Spreading advise?

[jw]

I did a quick search and came up with no results so if there is a tread you know about with this info please redirect me.

I am mainly into coleoptera and think they are pretty easy and fun to spread. I have started getting a few moths and they are extremely hard to handle! When relaxing them I they usually seems to not be hydrated enough or far too hydrated to the point that the scales are being ruined even easier than usual. The two problems I am running into mainly though are tears (mainly cause then using my "butterfly" tweezers to pull the wings out. Even worse is the missing scales after they dry. It most be from when I put down my strips of wax paper to hol the wings in place. Does anyone have tips on the best relaxing method, wing placement method and how to avoid removing scales. Any advise is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
JW

[johnnyboy]

The best way to spread butterflies or moths (or other insects for that matter) is to set them upside down.

Prior to setting them, the amount of relaxing time time required depends upon a number of factors including the ambient temperature, freshness and type of speciers etc. I use damp kitchen towel, not too wet, and a sealed plastic container.

I dissolve a few crystals of Phenol in the water I use to help prevent mould.

Usually 24 - 48 hrs relaxing time should be sufficient for most
specimens.

To open the wings of a relaxed butterfly or moth it is best to use a setting needle. The setting need should be held at a shallow angle relative to the plane of the wing (this will help prevent it piercing the wing ) and the point of the needle is placed under a main wing vein to gently pushush the wing into position.

I would never hold the wing with tweezers as too likely to damage it.

Johnny

[simosg]

Have a look at here:

www.insectcompany.com/main/howto.shtml

Hannes