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Post by Paul K on Feb 17, 2021 7:47:50 GMT -8
For small Lepidoptera, beetles and other small insect orders the tray system is ideal. I don’t buy specimen and I’m adding to my collection only few every year so curating is not that of the deal, however I’m thinking to add few drawers for Lycaenidae that would be set up this way.
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Post by trehopr1 on Feb 17, 2021 9:19:31 GMT -8
Jshuey is indeed a a true researcher/professional in his interests so a unit tray system is absolutely ideal.
The only real part of my personal collection which I have so subdivided (like those skippers) are my Membracidae holdings. Though I do no real genuine research on them; I am very fickle about separating them out as best I can to species.
Yet, I do keep a measure of other insects in assorted size unit trays because many such things are unique one-sies or two-sies which I have acquired over the years; either as personal captures or as unique things I have seen in collections being parted out.
I suppose by nature I have always been more of a "splitter" than a "lumper" when it comes to this science.
Unit trays are attractive to me in part because, everybody "so to speak" gets their own space and does not share a common area.
However, I will add that whenever possible I will give an entire drawer to a specific group or specific species (if I like the species that much).
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Post by jhyatt on Feb 17, 2021 9:37:38 GMT -8
I have about half of my collection in unit trays. All the really big stuff is in foam-lned drawers, everything from the size of, say, a Polygonia on down is in trays. I find the tray system very satisfying, and it does save potential damage when reorganizing drawers. I like the professional look, too.
Lately I've been buying trays from Paquet in Canada (Atelier Jean Paquet). But shipping form Canada is expensive, so whenever I buy some drawers, I have him send the full of the size trays I need most at the moment. I once bought a few hundred trays used form another collector who decided not to use them - that helped a lot!
Incidentally, I once bought a bunch of Cornell drawers, old and used but serviceable, from the Smithsonian at $10/drawer. I dunno if they still sell them; it's been decades ago.
Cheers, jh
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Post by bandrow on Feb 17, 2021 17:45:03 GMT -8
This is why I need to get some descent smaller trays of quality. Everybody needs to get their own space (or home) ! I've got 16 1A size trays (2 drawers worth) bunched up like this... Just bothers me. I have contacted jshuey's contact with success and some samples are on the way. Bandrow should like this picture -- if he sees it. You're right! I do like that assortment! What species of Nicrophorus is that down at the bottom? I don't think I've ever seen one with that extensive an orange pattern. And the Plectrodera are just wonderful - look like something displaced right out of Southeast Asia... Cheers! Bandrow
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Feb 18, 2021 4:52:37 GMT -8
This is why I need to get some descent smaller trays of quality. Everybody needs to get their own space (or home) ! I've got 16 1A size trays (2 drawers worth) bunched up like this... Just bothers me. I have contacted jshuey's contact with success and some samples are on the way. Bandrow should like this picture -- if he sees it. You can easily fill that space with a strip of foam pinning material. I use a strip 3/8 wood the width of the drawer. For some reason, not every drawer has that issue.
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Post by 58chevy on Feb 18, 2021 11:31:04 GMT -8
Unit trays are the standard method of collection storage for universities, museums, & other scientific collections. They are standard for the reasons Bandrow described above. However, they can be a problem for private collectors who are short on storage space or have a limited budget. A Cornell drawer full of unit trays will hold fewer specimens than one without them, so more drawers will have to be purchased to house them. The unit trays will have to be purchased also. Collectors will learn more about taxonomy by using unit trays, but not everyone can afford them. They also are less desirable if you're trying to make your collection look good aesthetically. But as long as each specimen has data attached, it has scientific value. Every collector has his own preference. If you plan to donate your collection to a scientific institution, it would save them a lot of work if your collection is in unit trays. Or, you could save yourself a lot of work by letting the institution put your specimens in unit trays.
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Post by alandmor on Feb 18, 2021 15:54:22 GMT -8
I agree with Bandrow. As a beetle collector, I couldn't manage without unit trays. It keeps things organized taxonomically with one species per unit tray, or sometimes several trays if part of a large series. A tray can easily be removed with all specimens for closer inspection. As mentioned already, it can be tedious if a new species needs to be added to a drawer with no more room in it, forcing a shuffle of trays between drawers until room is found. That's why I try to leave some space in each drawer for future expansion. Some specimens from South Africa pictured below.
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Post by kevinkk on Feb 18, 2021 22:39:12 GMT -8
I'm amazed, I see the ease unit trays provide, it can be tedious to rearrange specimens, and you need to be careful as well. I do like organizing things though, but I'm not at that point yet with my cases, I've got cases of moths with long tails... sphinx, micromoths, natives, non-natives, and that's about as far as I've gone.
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Post by Adam Cotton on Feb 19, 2021 0:21:50 GMT -8
Unit trays are ideal for many insects, such as the drawer of beetles alandmor and Hesperiidae jshuey posted, but for larger Lepidoptera they use up more space than the advantages they bring. Personally I don't use them and neither do museum collections of Papilionidae, so I can see that they would be ideal for curating collections of smaller insects, but any advantage would be lost for larger insects. I assume that most collectors of larger beetles also avoid unit trays. Adam.
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kkarns
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Post by kkarns on Feb 19, 2021 8:56:23 GMT -8
Big advantage to unit trays, in addition to the overall taxonomic curation issue, is the ability to easily expand the collection without as much handling of individual specimens. Once you start using unit trays you won't be able to function without them!
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Post by jhyatt on Feb 19, 2021 9:43:25 GMT -8
Adam is exactly right -- for larger specimens, open drawers seem more efficient. But for things like Lycaenidae, Hesperiidae, and smaller Nymphalids, I love the ease of curating that unit trays offer. I also try to leave a few empties in each drawer, for later additions of new species. jh
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Post by trehopr1 on Feb 19, 2021 10:40:57 GMT -8
Beautiful and neatly done alandmor !
Boy, you sure do like those Cetoniinae...
I'll have to show some of the ones I have sometime.
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Feb 19, 2021 12:06:56 GMT -8
I have used Unit Trays for 50+ years. The are a quick and easy way to expand your collection.
I began using Unit Trays several years after High School. I use Four sizes of Unit Trays plus several others sizes on rare occasions.
Sizes A, AA, B, C. and Occasionally D.
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