Moth help

[peachyperoxide]

I have some general newbie questions if anyone would be so kind to answer.
I have a moth I want to preserve but I have a few concerns. I recently had a Luna moth that just turned completely brown after a little while and it was so disappointing I’m wondering how to prevent that. Also, the moth I currently have is still alive I’m going to put it in the freezer but what should I do about the body. It’s quite a plump moth and I’m scared it’s going to rot? Will it fry out if I pin it and leave it? Thanks in advance!

[kevinkk]

I've never seen Actias luna turn brown, they do fade easily, but not to brown.
Freezing is a common method of dispatching, I often take the insect, put a couple drops of ethyl acetate(finger nail polish remover),
also called acetone, depending on where you buy it, in cosmetics, or the hardware store,
on the underside of the body, and put the insect in an envelope to prevent flopping around and wing damage, then pop it in the freezer,
it's not always an easy process, to get the moth in the envelope without damage, you could quiet it down by putting it's cage in the fridge,
then the freezer.
The body should not rot, no matter how fat they are, you just need a dry spot with air flow, depending on the size, it should be dry in 7-10
days, I always test the abdomen with a pin or teasing needle to see if it is still flexible.
Some collectors leave things on drying boards for weeks, I don't- if it's dry, it's dry. If you have a very humid environment, you might try
an oven on very low heat, 100 degrees maybe.
I'm sure someone else will answer this one, and maybe have a different approach.

[Paul K]

actually ethyl acetate and acetone are two different chemicals.
Personally I never used acetone to dispatch insects and can not comment how effective it is.

[Crake]

I've always used ethyl acetate in a hypodermic needle to euthanize specimens. It's instant and effective.