Dry Preservation (Pinning)

Large Insects

Large insects are pinned using number 3 pins which are inserted through the upper body surface. The pin is positioned at right angles to the body. Only a quarter of the pin's length should remain above the insect. The positioning of the pin depends on the type of insect.:

• Beetles – pin through the front half of the right wing cover.
• Bugs – pin through the base of the right wing on the right of the scutellum, the triangular shaped structure in the centre of the upper surface.
• All others – pin through the centre of the thorax.

Butterflies and moths (Order Lepidoptera) are pinned with wings displayed at both sides of the body

• Push the pin through the centre of the thorax and into the setting board until the underside of the wings rest on top of the board.
• Pin strips of tracing paper at the top edge of the board,one strip over each wing.
• Move the back edge of the fore wing so it is at right angles to the body.
• Tuck the front edge of the hind wing under the fore wing leaving a small V.
• With the wings in position, pull each paper strip tight and pin around the edges of the wing, not through them.
• The abdomen is supported with a V of pins.

Both pairs of wings are set in Dragonflies and Damselflies (Order Odonata) and Wasps and Bees (Order Hymenoptera).

• With Odonata, move the front edges of the hind wings so that they are at right angles to the body; set the fore wings just a little in front of hind wings.
• With Hymenoptera, the fore wings and hind wings are linked by a series of very small hooks; set them, coupled together, so that the front edges are at right angles to the body.

Flies (Order Diptera)have only one pair of wings – set them with the front edges at 45° to the body.

Grasshoppers and Crickets (Order Orthoptera), cockroaches (Order Blattodea), mantids (Order

Mantodea) and stick insects (Order Phasmatodea).

• Use the same procedure as for butterflies, but move the hind wing so that it is at right angles to the body.
• Set the fore wings so that they are just a little in front of the hind wings.
• Set the large hind legs of grasshoppers in a jumping position, using pins to hold the leg.

Specimens will take from one to three weeks to dry, depending on their size.