preserving dead centipede

[sschind]

I just lost a nice 6 inch specimen of my S. subspinipes and I was wondering how to go about preserving it. I found it very early after its demise so it's in perfect condition. I stretched it out on a cork slab and its now in my freezer. I tried it once before and just left the body out to dry, after stinking for a while it dried up OK but not great. This one would be a great specimen so I would like to do a better job. Would a food dehydrator work better I don't have one but I could borrow my sister's. I'd just tell here I want to make some beef jerky or something. Actually I would consider buying one if it would work as I have other bugs dying on me that I wouldn't mind saving. What about in the oven at a very low temp. I want to dry it not cook it. I thought about preserving it in alcohol but I would prefer to be able to mount it in a riker mount or something like that.

Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[MrsHaas]

I just lost a nice 6 inch specimen of my S. subspinipes and I was wondering how to go about preserving it. I found it very early after its demise so it's in perfect condition. I stretched it out on a cork slab and its now in my freezer. I tried it once before and just left the body out to dry, after stinking for a while it dried up OK but not great. This one would be a great specimen so I would like to do a better job. Would a food dehydrator work better I don't have one but I could borrow my sister's. I'd just tell here I want to make some beef jerky or something. Actually I would consider buying one if it would work as I have other bugs dying on me that I wouldn't mind saving. What about in the oven at a very low temp. I want to dry it not cook it. I thought about preserving it in alcohol but I would prefer to be able to mount it in a riker mount or something like that.

Any tips would be appreciated.

If it's anything how I preserve my deceased ts, u freeze dry them for two weeks in the freezer and then leave them under a house lamp to dry off for a few hours. It will still be mailable once defrosted so you can pose it how you want in the frame. Leave out a whole day in a room temp cabinet or something of the like - away from critter that could destroy or try to eat any parents of it.
Pin it down and use glue under the body to keep it firmly in place in the frame, wait 24 hours
With the glass top off. Then put the glass over it and ta-daaa!

 

[Harlequin]

It's best to preserve it in a vial or small jar with 75% alcohol, either proof ethanol, denatured ethanol, or isopropanol. There's a lot of info online. Here's just one example:
http://www.ento.csiro.au/education/preserving.html

 

[sschind]

Thanks for the tips. I also have a huge female G. pulchripes that has been in my freezer for over a year. I'm afraid if I pull it out and it thaws the abdomen will rot. Do they freeze dry that quickly (2 weeks) she looks about the same as the day I put here in.

I'm hoping to dry mount it so I've been avoiding the alcohol route but I did recently see a cool video on using hand sanitizer in a vial. If done correctly the specimen is supposed to remain suspended in the vial rather than sink to the bottom.

 

[Tfisher]

I can say I have a preserved specimen in hand sanitizer and it works very well. Its only been two months but still looks beautiful