Question about pinning.

[Violet]

Occasionally when searching around outside I find dead Insects that I would love to pin but unfortunatly have become dehydrated. Because of this the specimen is impossible to stretch out with out damaging legs or antennae.

Is there any way to somehow soften the joints of the insect to be able to stretch them out?

 

[Violet]

Hope that made sense. I'm half asleep and extremely frustrated after breaking a front leg off a dried up Tree Weta

 

[loxoscelesfear]

toss the bugs in a small container w/ a wet paper towel...usually softens them up within a day or so

 

[Violet]

toss the bugs in a small container w/ a wet paper towel...usually softens them up within a day or so

I had a feeling it would be something that simple haha.

Cheers

 

[Chaika]

I had a feeling it would be something that simple haha.

Cheers

It might also help to add a small drop of washing up liquid to the water. Many insects are quite water repellent, a tiny drop of detergent will take care of it and the bugs will soak much faster. I use this method to quickly rehydrate dried up moults of my spiders

 

[myrmecophile]

If you are just relaxing them in a chamber with moist towels, the dish soap wont do much good, however if as I often do you are going to put them in warm to just boiled water it may help some. Obviously dumping in water wont work for Lepidoptera a=or very hairy insects without damaging them.

 

[Crysta]

mann i want one for a pet amazing looking critter!!
http://de.academic.ru/pictures/dewiki/116/treeweta_female_01.jpg

 

[Violet]

mann i want one for a pet amazing looking critter!!
http://de.academic.ru/pictures/dewiki/116/treeweta_female_01.jpg

They are amazing indeed. Thats actually a Wellington Tree Weta (Hemideina crassidens). The ones in Auckland, where I live are known as Auckland Tree Weta or Tokoriro (Hemideina thoracica) Similar size but different colouring.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/457232682_8d300ed4b4.jpg?v=0

http://www.nzblog.hingston.de/Pictures/September/Weta.jpg

 

[What]

Violet, I personally would suggest you use a rubbermade container(plastic bin) with a few layers of paper towel in the bottom. Get that damp with some water and I usually add in a tiny bit of acetone, as that seems to keep mold from forming.

If you are dealing with larger fresh specimens like wetas and other thick bodied insects, I would also suggest either injecting them with acetone or ethyl alcohol in the thickest areas of the body. This keeps them from rotting and helps to improve how quickly they dry.

 

[Violet]

Violet, I personally would suggest you use a rubbermade container(plastic bin) with a few layers of paper towel in the bottom. Get that damp with some water and I usually add in a tiny bit of acetone, as that seems to keep mold from forming.

If you are dealing with larger fresh specimens like wetas and other thick bodied insects, I would also suggest either injecting them with acetone or in the thickest areas of the body. This keeps them from rotting and helps to improve how quickly they dry.

Thanks for the tips. I've read nail polish remover can be used to stop mould growth, could this also be used to keep the body from rotting as a substitute ethyl alcohol?

 

[What]

Nail polish remover == acetone.

(In most cases...just make sure it isnt non-acetone remover... and make sure you dont put a lot near plastic it *is* a solvent and can cause problems for some plastics.)

 

[Violet]

Nail polish remover == acetone.

(In most cases...just make sure it isnt non-acetone remover... and make sure you dont put a lot near plastic it *is* a solvent and can cause problems for some plastics.)

I knew that haha.

Thanks again.