Essential Insect Collecting Equipment for Beginners

[@benredford1627]

I'm a bird watcher and started up bug collecting I have found that I can almost do both on the same trip! Thanks for the tips mate.

[@InsectHunter]

That is awesome! Yes I just love animals in general. You really can kill two birds in one.... oh maybe killing birds isn't a good idea, (ahem) you really can see two types of organisms on the same trip and save yourself time. Not as catchy, but it works I guess ha ha :)

[@benjaminwilliamson4139]

Insect Hunter turkeys and pheasants are pretty tasty tho...

[@leo-unddieAnderen]

Do you kill birds to learn about them as well?

[@leo-unddieAnderen]

Insects are living beings.

[@tangospenhabit]

​@leo-unddieAnderen I hope you know that birds have and will continue to be killed for the purpose of science as well as food in some select species. The difference is insects are much more plentiful, meaning that harvesting just a few for science isn't as ecologically harmful as a few birds. Also, bugs are more primitive, making us believe they probably don't experience pain the same way vertebrates do. Please don't make unfair and uneducated comparisons.

[@jayjensen5277]

This is my christmas list

[@InsectHunter]

I will try to get in touch with Santa so you can get some of this ha ha!

[@augustotiberio]

Hey Jason, could you make a video showing the correct way to collect Lepidoptera with a net? This may be really simple, but I always do it wrong and rub off scales from the wings trying to kill it.

[@InsectHunter]

Added to the idea list sorry for the late reply I think you asked twice!

[@Quake210]

Don't forget the big BBQ tongs for the stuff you *really* don't want to touch.

[@InsectHunter]

Ha ha! Most definitely! ;)

[@venuscat__]

@@InsectHunter LONG PLIERS, I CHOOSE YOU, ATTACK CENTIPEDE!

[@gracefrazier4775]

I include hydrocortisone cream for immediate use after a sting, and a bottle of water.

[@InsectHunter]

Good idea. There are lots of sting remedies you can take with you as well.

[@Kira-rd7id]

Can you give me some links for your gear? I can’t seem to find some if this stuff. Thanks a lot, your videos are super helpful and honestly videos like yours are way harder to find then you’d think lol.

[@InsectHunter]

BioQuip is a place where you can buy most things, but Amazon also has a lot of this stuff too. There are many places where you can buy all the gear.

[@raymondkilminster2194]

where do you put your water bottle if its a hot day you need to drink . but still a very interesting video . thanks

[@InsectHunter]

Thanks Raymond! Yeah, I usually only got out for about 4 hours collecting at a time since that’s about all my wife would dare let me go and hydrate before and after haha.

[@SunilKumarmodi76]

Can i use wall puty instead of POP for making killing jar ?

[@insectilluminatigetshrekt5574]

How would you go about collecting things like fleas or lice?

[@InsectHunter]

Get an alcohol vial and find an infested specimen. I had friends with dogs and searched the hairs for small things moving around and brushed them into the vial. You could contact schools and tell them you want head lice samples to educate other people or for a school project and I bet they would give you some. Also there are a number of lice control companies in larger towns that have lots of specimens. Also birds are another good source of lice and fleas, but be careful of diseases.

[@insectilluminatigetshrekt5574]

Insect Hunter and how would you preserve them? I would assume most of them are too small for pins

[@Kulthul]

My google skills must not be as good as I thought they were but some of these things, mainly the nets, I can’t seem to find an online. Any suggestions as to where? I tried Amazon but all they had were children’s toy nets.

[@InsectHunter]

Make your own by by watching this video to save money (kzbin.info/www/bejne/faSoaGqYadmhaZI) or pay the higher shipping for one from bioquip. I made mine with materials all from Walmart, but I have connections who can sew. You may also want to search for sweeping nets rather than collecting nets.

[@al-zaaab7990]

what is the best mask fir formalin

[@InsectHunter]

What do you mean sorry? I am confused. Did you have a typing error?

[@yuuri7945]

Where do you usually catch insects?

[@danicagarcia1430]

this is really helpful for my project in cell bio class. imma start collecting them once i had those tools.

[@InsectHunter]

Glad I could help out with your class. I had to do multiple collecting projects for school including college courses. Hope all this helps!

[@tunakann7629]

Where can I buy entomology forceps? And uh.. Have you ever been bitten or stung by anything like.. Bad? ^w^

[@Quake210]

Amazon. You can snag your forceps, loupe and basic nets there. I got stung by a big tarantula hawk (Pepsis spp.) It hurt a lot and I ran around in circles exclaiming various obscenities for five minutes. Hand pulsated with pain for the rest of the day. My mentor got stung by a bullet ant while working lep traps and his finger nail nearly popped off from the swelling.

[@tunakann7629]

+Brian Rich thank you! I've only been bitten by a little beetle.. But I've cought a tarantula hawk, random spiders, and dozens of wasps

[@InsectHunter]

Ha ha you always have a lot of awesome entomology stories Brian thanks for sharing!

[@InsectHunter]

Yeah like Brian said you can try amazon or bioquip, but I think shipping on amazon is usually much cheaper, but you would have to check depending on your location and other factors. The worst so far was a toe biter, but probably not as bad as a tarantula hawk. I hope I never have to find out!

[@tunakann7629]

+Insect Hunter thank you!

[@tvrtkocosic6562]

16 times the detail

[@leo-unddieAnderen]

To learn about insects one does not need to kill and collect them. Am I correct?

[@InsectHunter]

Yes, but some research does require killing them.

[@Schijfopruiming]

Made my girlfriend happy!

[@bettyannebaker9055]

Super helpful, thank you!

[@InsectHunter]

You are welcome!