Pinning Butterflies and Moths

Oregon State University Extension entomologist Silvia Rondon shows how to pin butterflies and moths for an insect collection.

[@Th3RedneckBadger]

They dont decay if they are dried properly and in a sealed frame so that mites and such dont eat them.

[@shnerp]

I use tracing paper as it is much less likely to remove scales than wax paper.

[@kyradavis9344]

I found a dead Luna moth and it is in wonderful condition.

[@diirtnap]

I just watched one die im keeping it ( and yes i tried to save him)

[@enjoyer8700]

They are always a pleasure to find

[@joemcneela9552]

But how do you preserve them?

[@TheBigMclargehuge]

I'm running into a problem where I can't seem to relax my butterflies. Especially the monarchs as they are so springy and they get moldy before they fully rehydrate. I mitigated the mold with pine Sol in the water and keeping it in the fridge but it takes 3 days and by then the wings are starting to get soggy. Additionally I inject the carapace with water before I put it in the relaxing jar.

[@abbygriffin2676]

in my class i was told to put a drop or two of alcohol (isopropyl or ethyl) in there to prevent mold forming.

[@sdhu]

so as i gather, even though she creates a hole in the wing with the pin, the reason she did not use the wax paper to begin with is because she hopes not to loose scales

[@pegasmisko1001]

Dilettantism !!!

[@bloodandfire4758]

Can you please tell me why my butterflies got mould though I keep them dried. What kinds of chemicals should stop the mould?

[@Andy22905]

So you leave it in jar and it will never decay

[@aguyontheinternet2955]

A pinned insect will dry to the humidity level of the room and, if kept in low humidity, will undergo little to no little to no decomposition

[@makennastone6704]

Man doing the months and butterflies are literally the worst, can’t do it worth crap. I always damage and screw up the wings

[@Andy22905]

Question do they decay, stay like that, or do u hav to spray them of some sort

[@cappin6937]

Moths just dry out and become preserved as they are.

[@no-io5hg]

If theyre dried properly no, they dont decay

[@julianakemp8912]

I have a big problem with the 'relaxing' jar

[@alizarosemason1088]

The relaxing jar is to give moisture to the specimens wing so they can be relaxed to moved later. The specimen is already dead, the relaxing jar isn’t a way of killing it. I can see how that could be concerning! But usually they try to use specimens that have already passed naturally.

[@Goatposse]

Okay so thats how i kill it and i feel so bad

[@bones2845]

I found a moth specimen and I froze it, do I have anything to worry about and do you have any recommended resources or advice?

[@blackrose7459]

does it need to use formaldehyd???

[@Elemenoful]

No, it’s an exoskeleton

[@Lacocacolaman]

I drink way too much coca cola to do this 😭

[@MukhtarAhmad-dq4gj]

What is the price then

[@sputniksun]

I have an insect collection in my own house, and it cost me about fifteen dollars for the shadow box that I put the insects in. I use Tupperware containers to soften them and use an old styrofoam board for the spreading board. And then I use some old thin sewing pins to pin the, in place.

[@itofernando1379]

thankkkss.... :)

[@julianakemp8912]

I see-----thanks!

[@filipp77]

Never ever put pins through the wings! Argh!

[@no-io5hg]

Why not?

[@isxlis4412]

i don't know why im watching this but... this shatters my heart

[@isxlis4412]

Iam Princess 3łuani at least someone knows how I feel

[@terriblyclawed]

May I ask why? The animals are already deceased of natural causes and they're only being articulated.

[@arandomhumanontheinternet617]

Funky Angel oh.. that explains a lot.... i watched too much tinker bell... i thought this all happened while the butterfly was still alive!!

[@terriblyclawed]

@@arandomhumanontheinternet617 Nope! All these specimens are long dead. Relaxing can take days or weeks, and it surely wouldn't work on a living insect!

[@nymphalisantiopa3888]

Video should be titled how not to pin a specimen, dreadful

[@Expanse619]

Esta mujer es un desastre preparando mariposas !!! Toca las alas y el torax con sus dedos y les saca escamas !!!

[@julymorning9894]

Так не расправляют бабочек! 🤦‍♂️

[@julianakemp8912]

A relaxing jar------seriously???

[@HoneyBunny_gacha]

You monster pinning butterflys

[@taylovesfun]

I may be responding way after it’s relevant or necessary but in order to study insects, it is unfortunately necessary to kill/pin/spread them. While a lot of entomologists and taxidermists are able to get specimens already dead through educational farms or good luck, sometimes it’s just gotta happen. Entomologists overall are very focused on treating the dead insects with respect and only doing anything to them after they have died to reduce the insect’s discomfort, and to date I have never met an entomologist who was happy to kill insects like butterflies. Coming from a place of personal experience, I’ve felt guilty every time I’ve had to kill an insect but sometimes it has to be done.

[@Finney_Boi]

It's already dead and she did not kill it

[@ScottysAnimals]

I found this video trying to find away to preserve moths I find that died of natural causes. You talk about relaxing and killing the specimen so casually. How can you kill what you celebrate? In an era of unprecedented species loss and extinction, every individual is important alive. Killing them and using their carcasses as art is disconnected from right-thinking and imposes humanities power and aggression over the weak and vulnerable. You may think I'm overreacting, but fostering this impulse rather than its opposite is to all our detriment and is what has caused the destruction of our ecosystems and propelled climate change.

[@terriblyclawed]

The specimen is always already dead when its pinned. "Relaxing" the specimen is making sure the muscles are relaxed so that nothing breaks when you pin it.

[@bunnyneet]

What Funky Angel said is correct but even still, killing insects is sometimes necessary to create valuable specimens that can help future generations to identify the insects. I myself don’t capture specimens unless they’re dead or dying, as I’m not a professional yet.

[@aguyontheinternet2955]

Most of the insects are pinned for educational purposes and to help future generations identify them