• Insect collection
• Insect specimens

How to make insect specimen

The methods for making specimens can differ slightly depending on the producer, but the same principles, such as that detailed structures should not be hidden by glue or other body parts, applies to all specimens.

Specimens should be easy to use and have a low risk of damage. It is better if the specimen has aesthetic value.

Most insects are stored as dry specimens, but if the body is too soft or dry and might be damaged, an immersion specimen can be used. If it is required to store it permanently or observe it in detail with an optical microscope, make it into a slide specimen.

How to make specimen

Immersion specimen

As most mites, larvae, and pupae have bodies with a weak external structure and are small, soft, and easily broken, it is inappropriate to preserve them as dry specimens. Thus, they are usually preserved in bottles that contain 70% alcohol or other preservatives. Recently, 100% ethyl alcohol has been used to minimize DNA damage. Formaldehyde is not used for making insect specimens.

Larvae or pupae may be denatured or lose their shape in alcohol, and the observation of their important characteristics may become difficult. Thus it is required to solidify their shape for convenient observation. The most common method is to solidify the protein component of the body by submerging the specimen in boiling water for one minute, or use a special fixative such as Peterson’s K.A.A.D solution. K.A.A.D. is carcinogenic, so it must be used with caution.

Even in situations where damage is not a concern, a large collection or lack of storage facilities can call for immersion preservation until slides or dry specimen production become available. In this case, insects can be killed immediately with alcohol instead of using killing bottles, although it is better to kill beetles with a killing bottle first. When submerging beetles in alcohol, they usually die in a state with their wings unfolded, so it will become difficult when making specimens.

Storage bottles should be chosen depending on the specimen size. For example, they should not be too large so that small specimens such as mites can be found easily.

When preserving specimens in a state of immersion, a good method is to fill the bottle with liquid and remove gas completely after putting paper in the bottle so the specimen does not move easily, which prevents damage of the specimen. In some cases, cotton is placed on the bottom of the container or the bottle can be stored upside down to prevent the evaporation of alcohol. But if social insects are made into immersion specimens, individuals from several classes are stored in one bottle for future convenience. In many cases, there may be a need to turn immersion specimens into dry and slide specimens. So always keep this in mind.