How to pin a small moth - Moth pinning tutorial for beginners

A basic moth pinning tutorial.
let me know in the comments if you have any feedback :)
Thanks for watching!

[@leibotomy]

Very helpful video for a beginner, I was so scared I would rip the wings and ruin the whole thing, but it turned out better than I expected for a first go!!

[@biancapatranoiu1001]

The process walkthrough I was looking for. Thank you, very well done!

[@crittanz]

Aww thank you for the lovely comment! I'm so glad the video helped 😊

[@kaceysoetebier2121]

SO INCREDIBLY HELPFUL! wing spreading moths has always been intimidating for me and caused me to leave them in the freezer longer than I would ever like. Not to mention, larger moths frighten me a bit, so I have lots of small ones to pin. Absolutely beautiful demonstration. I think moth paper will do better than the parchment paper I currently have. So as soon as I get some of that, hopefully my moths will look as beautiful as yours! P.S. I started collecting for a class in college, and currently am just expanding my collection for my own research and education. Trying to follow all practices of only taking species that are invasive where I live, or have a clearly abundant population. Thanks again!!! I feel much more confident preserving these underrated animals. ❤

[@crittanz]

Thank you for your lovely comment! I'm so glad you found it helpful, and I definitely agree that moths are underrated. Keep up the great work 😊

[@fancyspaggy]

I found a perfectly intact moth that had already passes earlier today and I was so excited to pin it. I ruined my specimen 😭I guess it was too dry and brittle 😕

[@crittanz]

That's okay! It's very common to ruin specimens initially even if they're fresh, so don't give up! But yes, a moth that's been dead for a while is impossible to pin without rehydrating it first - there are plenty of KZbin tutorials on how to rehydrate specimens if you want to give it another go sometime :)

[@fancyspaggy]

@@crittanz thanks for being so nice, also i had like no idea rehydration was a thing. thanks for that! your video was very informative btw 🤭

[@deivisfomkinas5334]

​@@crittanzWhen you do rehydration. Where you put specimens to get dry? And how long? :)

[@crittanz]

@@deivisfomkinas5334 I'm not sure sorry! I use fresh specimens, you're best to have a look at other videos for rehydration

[@annakatemckinley3054]

Yes! I would love a tutorial on how you made your pinning tray. Please!!!!!

[@animalhypehouse316]

this is literally the best tutorial I've ever seen. So awesome! Thank you so much!

[@crittanz]

@@animalhypehouse316 Aww thank you so much! I'm really glad you found it helpful 🥰

[@cookisonthefloor2710]

Would love a tutorial on how you made that board!💖

[@crittanz]

Righto! Thanks for the feedback 😊

[@realchris12345]

Thank you, I just pinned my pet moth that died today

[@kriistiinbabii]

I'd love a tutorial on how to make the board!

[@erinwalters8835]

this is so awesome and helpful🫶🏻🫶🏻i can’t wait to start my bug collection!!!

[@lauratatianysousalucianogo8744]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO

[@shisoda]

you are a great teacher, this video was very helpful! i have a question: why should the pin through the thorax not be removed?

[@crittanz]

@shisoda Thank you! I'm glad it helped 😊 You leave the pin through the thorax because that's how the final specimen is mounted. If you have a look at Google images of moth specimens you'll see what I mean. Also for scientific specimens the collection information (date/location collected, who collected it etc) is kept on little pieces of paper on the pin so it isn't lost. If you want to try it at home you can just use a piece of polystyrene in a container, the specimens look really nice all mounted side by side :)

[@shisoda]

@@crittanz thank you so much!

[@shahroazkhan3266]

❤ I pick it up and try this. A very great vedio it is. I suggested you to keep it up. And good luck 🤞😊

[@crittanz]

Thank you! :)

[@jadecale8845]

Plz make a diy bug pinning board video! I love your channel

[@valeriaavogadro8009]

Thank you! so helpful, I would alwayse rip the wings

[@valeriaavogadro8009]

me too!

[@cheezisgud1232]

Great video very helpful

[@crittanz]

@cheezigud123 thank you so much!

[@bigdirtystinky6783]

Please do make a tutorial on pinning board. I have a wooden one and it's too hard to put pins in. Thanks!

[@crittanz]

I hear you! Thank you for the feedback 😊

[@justina7300]

This was such a great tutorial. Question though, I have a sphinx moth that I'm getting ready to pin but it has been in the freezer for a month. I put it into a hydrating chamber (not directly touching water) to try and relax it a bit. Am I going about it the right way, or would you advise a different method for moths/butterflies?

[@crittanz]

Thank you! 😊 I think you're going about it the right way, though I have never rehydrated my moths as I pin them fresh. I can't offer more advice than to watch specimen relaxation videos from other channels, though it sounds like you've done that already! I'd also highly recommend watching some pinning tutorials from other channels as they use bigger moths than I did in my tutorial and the wings are manipulated differently. You need to apply quite a bit more force than with the smaller moths, and pinning through the wings can be beneficial in some instances too. I hope the specimen turns out well, sphinx moths are beautiful!

[@ProfessorAlbert-de9sc]

Here in Norway, we call that a big moth.

[@crittanz]

By most entomologists standards it is indeed a big moth 😂

[@Indigo657]

I've found two dead moths and I would love to do this with them, do I have to do anything before this to prepare them or anything??

[@crittanz]

Yes, if they were dead when you collected them then you will need to rehydrate/relax them first. There are plenty of KZbin tutorials on how to do this :) If you follow their instructions and the wings still snap when you try to move them, it's likely that the moths have already been dead for too long. Best of luck!

[@Indigo657]

@crittanz ohh okay thank you so much!!

[@alfiyanoori1246]

Hey does the body of the moth decay and damage the specimen??

[@crittanz]

A little bit yes, but the exoskeleton and wings remain intact so long as it's kept in a dry environment.

[@Hannah-qw3eb]

I js killed a moth but one of its wings is ripped help😭😭

[@crittanz]

Oh no! That happens sometimes. Definitely still try pinning it even if a wing is ripped, because the more moths you pin the better you'll get at it. There are also glues you can use to repair damaged specimens, but I'm not sure what they're called.

[@kaceysoetebier2121]

Where did you get the moth paper?

[@crittanz]

I got it from the university I attend so I'm not sure where to source it from sorry! Maybe if there is an entomological supplies shop in your country they might have some.

[@crittanz]

www.entosupplies.com.au/equipment/laboratory/setting-boards-tape/mylar-setting-tape-glassine-setting-tape/

[@chloechan586]

May I know how long should I put them in freezer?

[@crittanz]

12 hours is usually enough. Some freezers have a slightly higher temperature though so let the moths defrost for 10 or so minutes before you start pinning to make sure it's dead (it will move once it defrosts if it's still alive).

[@chloechan586]

@@crittanzthank you so much, I just pinned one, a very little tiny one😅 it makes me so nervous cause I spread a moth and a butterfly a week ago and all their wing are broken, so I learned from you to spread their wing from inside, it works!

[@crittanz]

@@chloechan586 I'm glad my video helped 😊

[@LuvkittiXO]

I found a lovely moth in my mums bathroom, froze it , waiting for it to thaw now .:) quite exciting to add to my collection! Second time ever doing this

[@crittanz]

Best of luck!!

[@LuvkittiXO]

@@crittanz it came out perfect!! :) hes so lovely . This video is 10/10 truly . Making my own shadowbox now 😂😗

[@crittanz]

@@LuvkittiXO Excellent! Well done, glad to hear it 😊