Hydrating, Spreading and Pinning a Beetle Specimen

This how to video show how rehydrate, reposition and mount and open wings of a Flower Beetle.

[@user-jc9tv5hf5e]

Thank you so much! My Eastern Hercules Beetle, Midas, just passed away and he is just too pretty to bury. Although I will miss watching him throw fruit around his terrarium I can now preserve him proper. Great video!

[@aperry3869]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Midas sounded so fun! Glad ya can preserve them now :)

[@testaferro]

Best pinning video I've watched so far. Absolutely loved it. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain everything beautifully! Greatly appreciated

[@Mlighthipe]

So glad you liked the video. I totally love insects and am thrilled to help out another bug enthusiast!

[@Emm-oq7nc]

I have a super large collection of deceased insects I’ve been meaning to pin, thanks for the tutorial!

[@ereknomzer]

Super informative! My daughter and I found a Palo Verde Beetle remarkably well preserved outdoors, and I'm going to try my hand at this for the first time in a couple days!❤

[@Mlighthipe]

Excellent find! I hope it comes out great. Let mw know if you have any questions. Thanks for stopping by my KZbin channel!

[@Zack-Dean]

A helpful way to avoid mold and fungus growth is to use a little bit of isopropyl alcohol with the water.

[@JazzThatCollie]

Thank you!!!! Thank you so much!!! I was having trouble opening the wing case, so I looked up a tutorial and figured out that I had to rehydrate my beetle.

[@Athanza]

This is so detailed and informative! I've been wanting to pin moths and beatles for a while now but wasn't sure exactly how to do it and needed a step by step with instruction. Thank you!

[@Mlighthipe]

So glad this helped. It takes a bit of practice but totally worth doing. My suggestion is to purchase some insects that are medium size and not too expensive to practice until you get comfortable with doing it. Have fun!

[@freyaguppy]

I found a fairly plain deceased June beetle outside my house today. It has all six legs and is in beautiful condition, so I’m going to try pinning it with the wings out, the legs are already in perfect position. You made it look so easy, thank you for the tutorial!

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Freya! what a great find! They have beautiful colors. Be patient. If the elytra will not open for you don't force it. Let it rehydrate a little more. It may be slightly resistant to opening so you may need a little tug but not too much. Good luck! ~Mindy

[@oopalonga]

Train Beatles are awesome! They are so adorable not to mention when you pick them up they hiss

[@xXxdrushxXx]

This is great! Thank you so much! I'd love to see an Orchid mantis pinning and how to glue some beetles or other insects into a boxframe instead of cotton Great explanation, I'm ordering my new bugs now 😁

[@Mlighthipe]

Awesome! So happy you liked the video. I have not pinned an Orchid Mantis. They are super amazing!!! Glad you will be ordering some insects to pin. Make sure you buy from ethically sourced suppliers!

[@rhiannonwashere1223]

of all the pinning videos I've watched so far this is by far the most informative!! ill definitely be subscribing and referring back when my insects come in :)

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Rhiannon- So glad you found this video helpful. There are lots of really good ones on spreading butterflies but I was unable to find any with beetles with the wings spread open. Happy spreading! ~ Mindy

[@SamuelBastable]

Awesome video! Very detailed and easy to follow. We keep various types of beetles and insects. I’ve been keeping the dried specimens in jars as well as snake sheds, chameleon sheds and spider sheds/carcasses, to look at and admire. Thinking now that I may try to rehydrate using your methods and have a go at pinning them for proper display in box frames!

[@Mlighthipe]

Awesome Sam! So glad you liked the video. It takes a bit of practice but well worth it. Go for it! Mindy

[@yellowfuzz292]

This is so rad!😆 I'm gonna try and get a kit during the holidays 😃

[@strwbrryFish]

Very excellent and thorough video! I found a cicada in good condition, and im gonna try pinning it!

[@denizeo]

You rock!! 😻Amazing content with lots of information 💕thank youu

[@elitrumbley6506]

Great tutorial. I’ll definitely be referencing this when I start pinning my beetles. I’ll probably have to let my Atlas and D. Titanus rehydrate for a few days though since they’re both 75mm+

[@Mlighthipe]

Just make sure you keep checking them. You don't want them to grow mold. Happy pinning!

[@elitrumbley6506]

@@Mlighthipe once I get home from work I’ll check them as by the time I get home 24 hours should have rolled over from when I first put them in the rehydration box

[@alexmoon4310]

@@Mlighthipe what should I do if my specimens mould while hydrating?

[@Mlighthipe]

@@alexmoon4310 Mold can be a big problem. You can still try to pin and move the parts into place. If you have a small tweezer, you can try to remove some of the mold. After positioning you can let it dry and use a small brush to dust off any residue from the mold. If possible check your specimens before they get moldy. Good luck!

[@unicornsxhippos]

Thank you so much!! I’ve always wanted to be able to do this and this inspired me to actually try !

[@Mlighthipe]

Go for it! It takes a bit of patience but beetles are tough and in someways easier than butterflies. Good luck!

[@ceeceed.4531]

Thank you best tutorial I’ve seen yet!!

[@Mlighthipe]

Thanks Ceecee! I am glad you found it useful!

[@HeatherRoot-Art]

This was very helpful, thank you!

[@todosauce]

i just found a dead june bug that seems to be fully intact. thank you for your video, i'll try rehydrating it and pinning :]

[@Mlighthipe]

Excellent! Just make sure you are careful when opening the elytra. The wings will be folded inside and can be delicate. Good luck!

[@SilkySmoothLatte]

Thank you a lot for this tutorial I'll preserve my insects when they pass :)

[@Mlighthipe]

Great! It is really fun to collect and preserve them. Enjoy!

[@oliviasaito8714]

Thank youuu explained very well, super appreciated

[@ladydeath448]

So very helpful. Thank you so much!

[@Mlighthipe]

You are welcome. I hope you find it easy to pin and spread the wings on a beetle. It takes some practice but go for it!

[@spoonknifey1015]

Thankyou so much for this video !

[@wes8625]

Great, clear video! I’ve always wondered how to preserve them properly and nicely. I’ve been walking recently and found some amazing beetle specimens I’d love to preserve properly so this really helps. I do have a question, how long should you leave the beetles to dry after pinning them and how should you store them while they’re drying?

[@aperry3869]

Thank you! I am new to pinning bugs and put my beetle in a tub filled with water just ontop of some Styrofoam (i think it got wet some too). It ended up modling in just a few hours so this helps a lot to fix that issue, thank you!!

[@erinschlegel9194]

Thanks so much! I have an Eastern Hercules beetle that I didn't know how to pin and had a hard time finding the information.

[@Mlighthipe]

So glad this helped Erin! Good luck with pinning. Just be careful with the legs..... when they are "ready" they should move......... you don't want to end up with a leg in your hand!

[@HopeMartinartist]

Thanks for this video! I'm giving it a try with 3 black scarab beetles. I am thinking I should have started with something a little bigger for the first go. 😜🐞❤️💛💙

[@flobstick1366]

Love it thank you

[@Mlighthipe]

You are so welcome

[@Thump40]

Very cool thsnks!!!!

[@Mlighthipe]

My pleasure!

[@Mani-period]

Your hands look amazing lol. I’m still listening 👂🏾.

[@Mlighthipe]

😊 thank you

[@mackenzieevans6503]

Thank you for the video, I enjoyed it! Do you need to spray it with anything to seal it before you put it in a glass display case?

[@randomlyraving3021]

I’m watching this tutorial so I can pin a butterfly and a dragonfly together that I found! If you have any additional tips to give please tell me I’d love the hear!

[@jacobg147]

Awesome video! I’ve been trying to find out where people buy their insects and some concerns of ethical sourcing have come up. Do you have a recommendation on where to purchase dead insects?

[@oopalonga]

So what prevents them from drying out though and becoming crispy after you've done this? Do you need to worry about that or no? Thanks for the video this looks pretty fun

[@toneknee6139]

Thank u

[@Mlighthipe]

No problem... my pleasure.

[@bellerene]

Hi, love the video but I have a question. There’s a bunch of lantern flies in my area dying in PERFECT condition, do you know how to preserve them & spread the wings? I have a few of them so I’m gonna try this technique and see if it works the same too. Thanks so much!!

[@Bleauskies]

Impeccable explanation and demonstration, Mindy. Thank you! Can I assume from your closing comment that this technique can be used with found beetles? Or, was the beetle treated with a humectant of some type prior to sale?

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Donna- Glad you found the video useful. This can be done with any specimen. Larger beetles require more time to hydrate and possibly the older the specimen the more time it will need to rehydrate.

[@Bleauskies]

@@Mlighthipe Very cool-now I have something to do with my collection :-)

[@Cottr1785]

This video is wonderful! But I do have a question, do you have to rehydrate insects that you found outside?

[@Mlighthipe]

If you find an insect and it has just passed, the legs will move and you can spread it immediately. If the legs are stiff it means rigor mortis has set in and it will need to be rehydrated. I would imagine that you will more than likely have to rehydrate anything you find. They stiffen up within an hour of death.

[@nishaansari7868]

Good

[@CraftyDoll]

Thanks for this really helpful video! My son found a dead Hercules beetle and wants to pin it. How can we make sure that it doesn't decay over time?

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Crafty Doll- What a great find for your son! It is important to keep insects specimens in a dry place. Humidity can cause damage. Depending how you are mounting it......in a frame, kept in a box etc will determine how well preserved it will stay. One thing that happens with dried specimens is they can actually get destroyed by other small microscopic insects eating them. To discourage this you can occasionally put them int he freezer for a few days. This will keep them in good shape. Try not to handle them. Body parts can fall off and break with excessive handling. Enjoy! ~ Mindy

[@L337g4m3r]

Do you still need to put the wet towel on the top if you only plan on positioning the legs but leave the wings as-is?

[@svenlauke1190]

I heard using vinegar instead of water for hydration can help prevent mold. is this true?

[@alphawolfboyfriend69xd]

Hey, i did this and something laid eggs in the container, whats the best way to deal with this withought damaging the insects? and how do you prevent this?

[@jennw5299]

love the video:) question, where do you get the frames to put them in?

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Jenn. Glad you liked the video!!!! The frames I use are called Riker Mounts. I get my insects and the Riker Mounts from BicBugs.com They are great!

[@lukasgames3114]

Esse é o vídeo que eu precisava! Eu consegui um besouro super lindo, mas não sabia como cuidar a parte das asas, é a minha primeira vez com um inseto que tem as asas "escondidas", muito obrigada pelo vídeo!

[@Mlighthipe]

Glad to help!

[@petew7856]

I got a beatles but it went in water what should I do ?

[@wolfbanesons]

can you use normal pins? im going to be pinning a silkmoth i had (i take care of them) but i cant get those pins

[@gargapapa1867]

there's little bugs eating my wasp. How can i get rid of them before preparing my wasp for taxidermy ?

[@wexless781]

hi mindy! i have a question- i have a pretty large beetle in my freezer (probably 2.5 inches) and was wondering if it would start to stink after defrosting/rehydrating. the abdomen is pretty big- at least large enough for it to possibly start rotting. will it rot? and if so how would i go about preserving it?

[@freyaguppy]

I’m not sure if the size effects this, but I saw her reply to another comment talking about how she will sometimes freeze specimens when they are still moveable. When she’s ready to pin it, she can skip the rehydration step and just defrost it and go straight to pinning. If your bug was flexible before freezing, maybe this would apply. She also mentioned that as long as you keep it in a dry environment, it shoul preserve just fine.

[@AE-ki3rw]

Great video! Everything worked out perfectly, but I couldn't bring myself to pierce my beetle, I felt like the exoskeleton was going to shatter

[@davidchiu9997]

Great video, what happens if beetles are relaxed too long? How many days is too long? My beetle's legs and antennae are flexible but wings are rock solid shut.

[@Mlighthipe]

HI David- If you hydrate them for too long they will start to grow mold and fall apart. The larger the beetle the more time it takes too hydrate. The beetle I pinned in the video was hydrated for 2 days. The paper towels were moist, not wet and the container was sealed tight. You have to check on them to see if they are ready. Once you get the hang of it... you will be able to predict when they are ready. Have fun!

[@davidchiu9997]

@@Mlighthipe Great, thank you!

[@littlerenbug]

Hiya love your video!! I have a question: I just found a gorgeous beetle dead in my back yard, seems to have already hardened up, I’m interested in learning to pin and display bugs but it might be a while until I get the materials, how should I preserve it? I don’t know if bugs even decompose, but I want to make sure I can preserve it until I can pin it, what should I do?

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Hunny bee. The best thing to do with your beetle is to place it in a safe dry place. You don't want humidity to get into it...at least not until you are ready to spread and pin it. When an insect dies it will stiffen up as rigormortus sets in. In order to spread and pin the beetle you will need to rehydrate it like I show in this video. Beetles are pretty sturdy and can last a long time without doing anything to them. When I find a beetle or other insect which still has the body parts moveable I put it in the freezer. This stops the insect from stiffening up and I can eliminate the rehydrating process and pin it by sampling defrosting the insect. I hope this information helps. Good luck and enjoy! ~Mindy

[@littlerenbug]

@@Mlighthipe Thanks so much for the info! 😁

[@williamc2315]

I have an Atlas beetle that was freshly dead when I put it in the freezer and it's been frozen for 4 months now, and i'm interested on pinning it 😊. Should I dehydrate it the way you do or should I just left it in the open air to adapt with the room temperature before pinning?. I'm looking forward for your answer, nice video by the way!! :)

[@Mlighthipe]

You can take it out of the freezer and let it defrost. Keep checking it and keep it in a moist container. The legs should easily open at the joints with a little tug. If they do not move you may have to hydrate it the way I did. If you froze it before rigormortis set in it should move. Be gentle with it..... and hope it works out!

[@radio0dog498]

I know with bigger bugs you have to take out their organs, do you have to do that with the little Beatles?

[@CrimsonCoyoteArt]

I have a few California Root Borer beetles that I left outside after forgetting about them for a few months. They’ve been in a plastic insect/critter carrier, and while they haven’t been in direct rain or snow, they’ve still been exposed to the weather. None of them have begun decomposing (that I know of) and look mostly fine. Can I still rehydrate and pin them or should I just wait until I find some more next fall?

[@danieltiron612]

Hey! Any bug can be rehidrated because the water had evaporised but i suggest you to keep them a little long in the conatiner because they stayed in wind and sun and should be more rocky rn. I dunno if its true cause i do it as a hobby and rarely + i never forgot em somewhere

[@khawarshafi4416]

Landed here after discovering a marvelous beetle dead dry in my garden. Want to preserve it in epoxy but there is mud on it. What to use for washing it without loosing the shine and damaging the setae etc. Thank you

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Khawar- The best way to clean off the mud is put the beetle in a water. They have sturdy bodies that will not loose the shine. The legs and antennae are what you need to be the most careful with. They can break easily. I would soak the beetle for maybe 10-15 and see if the mud begins to rinse off. You can gently move the beetle in the water to see if you can get the mud off. Depending on how big the beetle is you could gently use a tooth brush to eliminate the mud on the wing casing. Be patient and gentle. If a leg breaks you can also reattach it with Duco cement. I hope this helps. Good luck!

[@machinewithmakeup542]

Where can I buy unmounted insects ? Is there a specific website that you would recommend?

[@Mlighthipe]

I am in the USA and I LOVE www.BicBugs.com. They have a great selection beetles as well as other insects. The prices are good and service is great.

[@thegta5pro7539]

I have a black bee that i found on the beach that i would like to frame it pls help thanks for the video❤😊

[@mac.joy02]

after they’ve sat for 24th in the hydration chamber, when you take them out to test if they’re ready and everything’s moving and looks good but the wings won’t stay out on their own does that mean they need to go back in? i’m trying for the first time and the legs are bending and i got the wing protectors open but when i pull the wings out they just pull back in..

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi McKenna- You will need to pinch wings in place. The best way is to use strips of tracing paper. If the wings are opening then they will need to be pinned so they dry in this position. If you do not pin them, they will just fold up like you are describing. I would not keep hydrating them as you will probably grow mold. Good luck! I hope this helps!

[@mac.joy02]

@@Mlighthipe thanks so much!!!

[@bethomeasoo1624]

Do you do this with any small animals who have died naturally?

[@Mlighthipe]

HI Beth- Most animals can not be preserved this way. They need to have the insides taken out as is done in taxidermy. Insects are different because they have the exoskeleton on the outside of the body and the organs etc will just dehydrate. With mammals and birds the flesh on the outside of the animal will rot and atrophy.

[@dishpit5650]

I found a big bug on the ground and always wanted to try this I wrapped it in bubble wrap and put it in a cracker box to save it for the drive home but I can’t tell my mom cuz she is grossed out by bugs

[@Mlighthipe]

Don't forget to hydrate it before you go to position it...... and hide it from mom...LOL!

[@_.Little_Demon_]

can it work the same if the insect is dry? in the sense, I found it while I was sweeping at work and looking at it like this it seems very 'crunchy'

[@sapphirequartz]

no, if the beetle is dry it means it’s been dead for some time, so the limbs, mandibles, wing cases etc will be stiff and brittle and will probably break or crumble during the pinning process. the only reason that the hydration process shouldn’t be done before pinning is if the bug died very shortly before being pinned, and the appendages are still soft and flexible without breaking (i.e. not ‘very crunchy’)

[@_.Little_Demon_]

@@sapphirequartz so I should only pin it, hoping that it won't break, right?

[@sapphirequartz]

@@_.Little_Demon_ wdym? you should follow the steps in this video and create the makeshift hydration chamber to soften the insect before pinning, if you pin it while it’s still crunchy it will break apart

[@_.Little_Demon_]

@@sapphirequartz oooh ok, sorry I didn't get it at first bcs English isn't my forte, thank you for the explanation

[@sapphirequartz]

@@_.Little_Demon_ no problem 👍

[@kidneyslippers8892]

moth balls are good for preventing mold

[@Mlighthipe]

This is true but you ned to be very careful not to expose yourself to moth balls. I did a stupid thing and put some insects that had been in with moth balls into the freezer and the whole freezer smelled of moth balls and I had to throw everything out. The moth balls were not in the freezer, just the insects that had been in moth balls before hand.

[@richardmathers7238]

Where can you buy the bugs

[@Mlighthipe]

Hi Richard: In the USA there is a great company: BicBugs.com I highly recommend them. ~Mindy

[@ChantzRisse]

The first beetle you showed is slightly off center (to the left).

[@Mlighthipe]

Oops!

[@galuhp1]

how to mount it on a frame

[@Mlighthipe]

You can get a small cork and and use a hot glue gun to put it into a frame but make sure the frame is deep enough.

[@tophers336]

Should I soak insects in acetone prior to pinning?

[@andrichay289]

adakah penjelasan anda itu dgn bahasa ibdonesia...

[@aubreyegan1067]

6:36

[@toneknee6139]

Have u done a bird egg

[@Mlighthipe]

No I haven't. Have you?

[@toneknee6139]

@@Mlighthipe no sadly I cant find one in decent shape