HOW TO MOUNT A HAIRSTREAK BUTTERFLY

Mounting small butterflies can be very tricky and hairstreaks can be among the most challenging. In this case, the Fulvous Hairstreak, Electrostrymon angelia is the species in focus. I caught a beautiful male specimen and accidentally oversaturated the specimen with the killing agent, ethyl acetate. This is almost certainly going to ruin the specimen because the over saturation of a specimen with an alcohol like ethyl acetate dissolves the fatty fluids in the body that keep the wings flexible and pliable for mounting. This specimen would prove to be most challenging but still worked out.
#butterfly #keysmoths #butterflies #entomology #hairstreak #lycaenidae

[@gazoontight]

Informative and interesting. Great video.

[@keysmoths5336]

Thanks

[@TheBigMclargehuge]

I only have 20 or 30 mounts under my belt and none this tiny. This gives me a really good idea how to approach it. I might practice on some sulphur yellows.

[@keysmoths5336]

Thanks for watching. It’s all a matter of practice. You’ll mess some up but eventually you’ll get the hang of it. Glad you liked the video

[@faizalfishingtv]

Owh man u cannot use the papper strip for the small butterfly..just use soft tracing papper only..just my opinion✌️😁

[@keysmoths5336]

Well, I appreciate it. Been mountain them that would be for 25 years and it works good. The firm paper helps hold the wing in place. But I do see why you would use tracing paper.. It would be more gentle on the wings.

[@blue1771]

what i do when i catch lepidoptera AS SOON AS i catch one i give them a little squeeze and that kills them instantly so i dont waste money on these chemicles because most of them are hard to gat AND THEN i put the straight in the FREEZER not the frige because when in the freezer it freezes the bottly fluids and preserves the liquids and i can keep them in there for as long as i need so if i dont have enough pins i can put them in the freezer untill i get more pins and then all i needd to do is just take em out and wait for them to thaw out and i mount them

[@keysmoths5336]

Good call. I only use the fridge when I’m trying to keep them cool for a short period of time until I’m going to pin them. Otherwise I use the freezer as well

[@deltalegacyone]

I do the same killing method, a squeeze to the thorax and they go right out.

[@makototachibana54]