How to collect and display insects
Capturing insects
Nets
An aerial net, with which most of us are familiar, is used for netting flying insects out of the air. A long sack of soft, black nylon or silk netting. This delicate Material does not wear well and should not be used to capture insects in vegetation. After netting an insect, give the handle a quick half-twist to double the over the opening and prevent escape. The best way to retrieve your catches, is by inserting a jar into the net and trapping the insect between the netting and jar.
Sweep nets are made of heavy white canvas or muslin and are used with a sweeping motion to capture unseen insects in tall grass or weeds. This technique rarely fails to turn up some thing of interest. It is especially useful in meadows during the summer and autumn.
Beating tray
Insects that live on plants are often reluctant to fly or run, preferring to remain still and hide to escape detection. A sweep net, good for grassy meadows, does not work as well on trees and shrubs. Here you need a beating tray. This is a simple affair made of white cloth stretched over a frame of two crossed sticks. (A light-colored umbrella works well to.) It is held or placed under a tree branch or shrub, to which you deliver several sharp blows, taking care not to damage the plant. Insects having taken refuge there will fall onto the beating tray and can then be collected by hand or other means.
Attracting insects
what do you want to attract ?
Displaying insects.
Killing insects
Dispatching insects for your collection requires a killing jar with an airtight lid into which you place the insects, together with a volatile, substance. Ethyl acetate, which is available from chemists and biological supply companies and is a good choice. If ethyl acetate is not readily available, acetone (nail-polish remover) is a good substitute (but takes longer to kill the insect).
(Avoid breathing the fumes or spilling any on your skin. Killing jars should be clearly labeled "POISON".)
Killing jars are easy to make. You will need three wide-mouthed jars -large, medium, and small - with screw-top lids. Pour about a 12mm (1/2in) layer of plaster of Paris, made with a little extra water so it pours easily, into the bottom of each jar and allow this to dry overnight with the lids off. Just before using each jar, drip few milliliters of chosen substance onto the plaster of Paris, which will absorb it, and close the lid for about five minutes. You will need to recharge the jar with the substance every few days, depending on how often it is opened.
(Reserve a large jar for butterflies and moths as there scales fall off and may mess other specimens)
Transporting specimens
because you do not mount specimen's in the field, you will need some way of transporting them without damage. a killing jar can serve this purpose if you have only a few insects. Otherwise, buy an ordinary small plastic food storage container with a Snap-On lid; (a small lunch box will do) line this with cotton wool and sandwich your specimens between thin layers of cotton wool. Put butterfly's and moth in a individual triangular paper envelope first (click hear for how to make them) , in order to protect their wings. Insects will start to dry when stored in, this way for more than a 8 hours
Relaxing chamber
Dry insects become brittle and nearly impossible to mount. Overnight storage in a relaxing chamber, which is a airtight container of high humidity, restores their flexibility, so that they are easier to mount. Make a relaxing chamber from the same type of airtight container as is used to transport specimens lining it with moist paper towels . Rest the insects on a small dish inside to keep them from direct contact with the moisture, the liquid for a relaxing chamber can be made by mixing a small amount of washing up liquid with warm water
(be careful not to make to many bubbles and allow to cool before pouring in to the relaxing chamber)
pinning
ways to
spread the wing's for mounting.
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