Roach Pinning/Preservation

[rosscleland]

Hi All. When my inverts eventually die I would like to preserve and display them. My common sense tells me that I must need to remove the internal organs otherwise they will rot and fester. I've read/watched hours of insect preservation content and there is never any mention of organ removal! Apparently I simply need to pin it in place and let it dry out (in sealed isolation to avoid infestation). Do I really just let it dry? Do I really not need to remove the guts? Hopefully some folk here have experience in preservation. Thanks!

p.s. I'm currently keeping hissers, question mark roaches, headlight roaches, giant African millipede, giant Madagascan millipede, sun beetles.

 

[ColeopteraC]

Hi All. When my inverts eventually die I would like to preserve and display them. My common sense tells me that I must need to remove the internal organs otherwise they will rot and fester. I've read/watched hours of insect preservation content and there is never any mention of organ removal! Apparently I simply need to pin it in place and let it dry out (in sealed isolation to avoid infestation). Do I really just let it dry? Do I really not need to remove the guts? Hopefully some folk here have experience in preservation. Thanks!

p.s. I'm currently keeping hissers, question mark roaches, headlight roaches, giant African millipede, giant Madagascan millipede, sun beetles.

The removal of organs is unnecessary except for that of inverts who do not possess much or any exoskeleton structure.

Basically soak the inverts in very strong (closest you can get to 100%) alcohol or ethanol. This can be done in vials, jars or anything else sealed. This will relax the limbs and appendages as well as preserve the invert to an extent. Once done set the invert into the desired position, wait for it to set into place and then pin/card it.

 

[fried rice]

The removal of organs is unnecessary except for that of inverts who do not possess much or any exoskeleton structure.

Basically soak the inverts in very strong (closest you can get to 100%) alcohol or ethanol. This can be done in vials, jars or anything else sealed. This will relax the limbs and appendages as well as preserve the invert to an extent. Once done set the invert into the desired position, wait for it to set into place and then pin/card it.

I also heard that you can soak the invertebrates in hand sanitizer

 

[ColeopteraC]

I also heard that you can soak the invertebrates in hand sanitizer

I imagine that’d work as well, now need to decide whether to use the last of the sanitiser for hygiene or inverts...

 

[pannaking22]

Hot water is good for relaxing specimens as well. That or creating a relaxing chamber. Unless it's something really meaty, you don't have to worry about removing organs. As long as they're placed somewhere where they'll dry relatively quickly they should be fine. Of the roaches and beetles you listed, organ removal isn't necessary.

I pin first and then move the limbs how I want them before letting them dry. Carding is more secure for the specimen, but it obscures ventral features that may be useful for ID (talking generally, not about your roaches in this case).

 

[mellow]

Yeah you don't have to remove the guts from the roaches they will just dry out and it should work out fine, but if you want to know about gut removal for things that might need it like pinning a big tarantula or something, look up tarantula taxidermy.