4Real Forums: Mounting Butterflies and Insects

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science ( Forum Locked)
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: Mounting Butterflies and Insects

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JSchaaf
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Joined: Feb 22 2005
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Posted: Oct 05 2006 at 7:49pm \| IP Logged

My daughter wants to start collecting and preserving all the "bugs" she catches. Any ideas on how to get her started? What materials she needs? (She's almost 6) I tried google but only got links for those with lots of time or money (or both!) Do I need to do anything with the creatures before she pins them down?
Help!!
Jennifer

KellyJ
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Posted: Oct 05 2006 at 7:55pm \| IP Logged

In high school, I had an insect project to do. We used piece of foam or something like ceiling tiles one might find in a basement. We made a sort of box for it (backing and framed sides). We froze the insects, then pinned and ID'ed them.

Depending on the collection, your pins, etc., you might be able to get away with styrofoam trays from the meat/poultry department.

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KellyJ

ALmom
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Posted: Oct 06 2006 at 5:07pm \| IP Logged

Cooks pest control has a free museum near here and they offer a whole booklet on how to do it - plus supplies and plenty of samples in their museum. You might check local science museums or pest control places for information.

Janet

Sarah
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Posted: Oct 06 2006 at 6:41pm \| IP Logged

I think its best to keep it easy. There are strict methods to doing it scientifically but I'd keep it simple for kids. I think intense loses the fun of it.

I went to Michael's (a craft store) and bought a simple white pencil box and bug stickers. Let them decorate the outside themselves. I lined the inside with foam and used regualr large sewing pins. I keep the pins on one of those huge round magnet things, it reduces spills.

We use the freezer to kill and empty parmesan cheese jars (plastic).

If wings come off and it bothers them, have mom put them back on with a dab of superglue.

Don't pin bugs that are already dead as them can be filled with parasites that will hatch. Trust me, we tried it.

Also, over time, little bugs may find the collection and eat it. However, I tell that kids that that is just the way it goes because the insecticides are too toxic for them to handle regularly. . .and they like to touch their bugs. . .regularly.

Soft bodied insects such as caterpillars and spiders cannot be pinned, but can be preserved in a jar of alcohol. We have ventured that far yet since I don't want them walking around with jars of rubbing alcohol.

Some bugs turn black after being frozen--grasshoppers seem to be bad about that. When I asked a local entomolgist he recommended we keep them in the freezer for a whole day (the kids were only doing it very briefly) and then really letting them dry out.

I also try to teach my kids about the difference between beneficials and pests. I try to tell them to only take one beneficial since we need them out there to do their jobs.

Have fun. . .my kids enjoy this so much this summer.

And don't freak out if you get an escapee in you freezer. I know there a bumble bee in there somewhere. We put him in and then never found him!

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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9

MacBeth
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Joined: Jan 27 2005
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Posted: Oct 06 2006 at 6:58pm \| IP Logged

And don't forget to add a mothball or two to the storage area...bugs eat bugs, and the results can be a a messy pile of parts in a few days if you end up with bugs on bugs.

For lots more info on such things, I recommend Gerry Durrell's The Amateur Naturalist...all you ever need to know about preserving your finds!

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MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
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