I would like to know, any way you know of to spread a butterfly with the wings at a slight angle? As in not totally flat, but with them ever so slightly together, as you might see in nature.
Hi! I have a question: I found a dead monarch butterfly much like yours in this video and I'd like to put it in a display box. After pinning and spreading the butterfly, is there any specific I'd need in the display box I'd like to put it in? Like a chemical to spray the inside with for preservation or something, or will a regular display box with a foam bottom to pin it on will do?
I have a question I found two butterflies a year ago with their wings closed I have it put away and it's been that way ever since. I saw a video of someone saying that they get a paper towel and spray the paper towel and lay the butterfly on the paper towel and put it a container and store it in the refrigerator for 24 hrs. Then it becomes workable and easier to spread. Here's my question would this still work in doing this since the wings have been closed for a year? Part of me thinks it would because I would think if someone was buying dried butterflies from a place they probably were all closed for who knows how long before they spread them and shipped them to that person. The other part of me tells me no don't touch them since it's been a year in that position it's probably become more fragile. I have a monarch and a swallowtail and I'm sure if should try it or leave it as it is.
I am not a butterfly expert, but I will give it a try if I were you. I tried this "moisture chamber" method on my beetle collection, which had been dried for over 4 years in their natural death position. Their joints were movable again after I placed them into a moisture chamber, so I can reposition them to a more "specimen-like" position. But since butterflies and beetles are different and the wings of butterflies are more fragile, I do not guarantee 100% success for this method. Hope my experience helps!
apakah setelah di tata rapi itu.. terus kupu2 nya tidak akan balik kayak awalnya buk... apa ada cairan buat dia utuh pd susunan yg kita tata itu... mohon bimbingan arahan nya buk.. saya dr indonesia sumbar pariaman
+martin gv_ ... actually, we don't catch any ourselves. Connie (my mom) owner of butterflies and things has been in business for about 40 yrs. she has trained missionaries to teach natives to save their land instead of selling it for profit. they learned to grow food crops the butterflies like so they lay more eggs with more food! the natives will then take the cocoon to the trading farm to earn money. this keeps the jungle from being bothered at all and the natives can keep their land the butterflies will lay more eggs than they would do naturally because they see more food so it doesn't disrupt that chain either.... it has been known in some cases it is brought The Count of butterflies up in numbers
Hi, please, if you read me, could you tell me how do you kill the butterflies, please?. I ask you because I've tryed it a lot of times but I broke them. I freeze them to kill them, but when they get unfreeze, their wings chage their position 180º, so they cover the legs and that makes me broke them when I try to move their wings. Thanks.
Ohh, I'm sorry if I've hurt you saying that I kill them, but it's the only way I can get the specimen... If it's not, could you please tell me another way to catch them without kill them? I don't really like killing them, I've just done it twice, but, as I've said before, their wings change their position 180º.
I also gotta tell you that the monarch specimen that you have in the video is marvelous, and please, I know that I'm being annoying, but could you tell me the name of the object where you put the butterfly when you were spreading her?
that is just typical foam insulation you can buy at a hardware store in large sheets.... we just cut them to size and created a triangular slit (cut out) section for bodies to fit in the groove. we use a ruler and an exacto knife type blade
Thank's for the information! I've seen your shop and I would like to know if you make international sendings. Do you? I'm from Spain and I'm interested in one of your products.
Angel im from porto north portugal and i collect butterflies, maybe we can exchange especies, you would send me melanargia ines, melanargia galathea ( this last one doesnt exist in portugal) and gonepteryx cleopatra and i could send you inachis io and vanessa virginiensis. You re from south righ? Here in northwest things are getting worse every year because of invsive plants but i still could find you a few.
+Guhnee Han great constructive critisism! I'm pretty "anal" myself when it comes to perfection! I'm the one behind the camera- this is my mom. she mounts fast, i take forever and it drives her bananas! lol
It's just that this is a really questionable weird way of pinning a butterfly. I'd be concerned about how well these butterflies preserve over time. The butterfly looks fine in the video, but up close I'm sure there are spots in the wings, and the thorax has been penetrated TWICE?!?! I guess this is fine if you're just a beginner or hobbyist, but there are lots of other helpful videos that fully explain the proper way to pin a butterfly for the best preservation. ----You should NOT be touching the butterfly with your bare fingers this much. Butterflies have scales on their wings and touching them with the oils of your hands will make those beautiful scales and bright pigments come off (abrasive). Instead, use insect tweezers (or similar flat tweezers). Some entomologists choose to wear gloves even with minimal handling to prevent mites/mold/bacteria from developing on the specimen after displaying. --You should NOT spread the butterflies with your fingers. Instead use the insect pin to pull from the top wing vein. It is strong and will not tear/puncture/rub the scales of the wing. --You would typically secure the spread butterfly with parchment paper (again so you don't rub off the color and the specimen doesn't get stuck). I've never seen someone use glass before... but maybe that's okay? I'd still use parchment paper or regular paper so the wings can breath and fully dry after spreading. --You should NOT insert a pin into the thorax THEN TWIST and REMOVE it!?!?! To then put a new pin in?!?!?! Even if you were going to reattach legs on the bottom of the abdomen, you still WOULDN'T insert a pin into the thorax upside down like this. Again, this isn't to be harsh on Tracy, but I am confused as well. Reach out to your local science museum and be sure to watch more videos from entomologists rather than hobbyists. Continue your practice and have fun, but do your research. As always make sure your specimens are ethically sourced.
Que bonita la explicación, aun cuando esta en ingles es fácil entenderla, éxitos bella dama, saludos desde el amazonas
I would like to know, any way you know of to spread a butterfly with the wings at a slight angle? As in not totally flat, but with them ever so slightly together, as you might see in nature.
I saw in another video they have spreading boards for just this purpose. I bet you can find one if you search "butterfly spreading board"
Hi! I have a question:
I found a dead monarch butterfly much like yours in this video and I'd like to put it in a display box. After pinning and spreading the butterfly, is there any specific I'd need in the display box I'd like to put it in? Like a chemical to spray the inside with for preservation or something, or will a regular display box with a foam bottom to pin it on will do?
Just a regular display box will do :) I've been spreading butterflies for a while now and you don't need a chemical for it
I have a question I found two butterflies a year ago with their wings closed I have it put away and it's been that way ever since. I saw a video of someone saying that they get a paper towel and spray the paper towel and lay the butterfly on the paper towel and put it a container and store it in the refrigerator for 24 hrs. Then it becomes workable and easier to spread. Here's my question would this still work in doing this since the wings have been closed for a year? Part of me thinks it would because I would think if someone was buying dried butterflies from a place they probably were all closed for who knows how long before they spread them and shipped them to that person. The other part of me tells me no don't touch them since it's been a year in that position it's probably become more fragile. I have a monarch and a swallowtail and I'm sure if should try it or leave it as it is.
I am not a butterfly expert, but I will give it a try if I were you. I tried this "moisture chamber" method on my beetle collection, which had been dried for over 4 years in their natural death position. Their joints were movable again after I placed them into a moisture chamber, so I can reposition them to a more "specimen-like" position. But since butterflies and beetles are different and the wings of butterflies are more fragile, I do not guarantee 100% success for this method. Hope my experience helps!
Great information thank you very much
apakah setelah di tata rapi itu.. terus kupu2 nya tidak akan balik kayak awalnya buk... apa ada cairan buat dia utuh pd susunan yg kita tata itu...
mohon bimbingan arahan nya buk.. saya dr indonesia sumbar pariaman
Drying time depends on the "stoutness" of the butterflies body... generally 2-3 days but really stout bodied are about 3-5
+Tracy Kelley do you just catch them and keep them in a jar with no fresh air? just curious(?)
+martin gv_ ... actually, we don't catch any ourselves. Connie (my mom) owner of butterflies and things has been in business for about 40 yrs. she has trained missionaries to teach natives to save their land instead of selling it for profit. they learned to grow food crops the butterflies like so they lay more eggs with more food! the natives will then take the cocoon to the trading farm to earn money. this keeps the jungle from being bothered at all and the natives can keep their land the butterflies will lay more eggs than they would do naturally because they see more food so it doesn't disrupt that chain either.... it has been known in some cases it is brought The Count of butterflies up in numbers
oh ok. keep up with the nice work :)
Hi, please, if you read me, could you tell me how do you kill the butterflies, please?. I ask you because I've tryed it a lot of times but I broke them. I freeze them to kill them, but when they get unfreeze, their wings chage their position 180º, so they cover the legs and that makes me broke them when I try to move their wings.
Thanks.
Ohh, I'm sorry if I've hurt you saying that I kill them, but it's the only way I can get the specimen... If it's not, could you please tell me another way to catch them without kill them? I don't really like killing them, I've just done it twice, but, as I've said before, their wings change their position 180º.
I also gotta tell you that the monarch specimen that you have in the video is marvelous, and please, I know that I'm being annoying, but could you tell me the name of the object where you put the butterfly when you were spreading her?
that is just typical foam insulation you can buy at a hardware store in large sheets.... we just cut them to size and created a triangular slit (cut out) section for bodies to fit in the groove. we use a ruler and an exacto knife type blade
Thank's for the information! I've seen your shop and I would like to know if you make international sendings. Do you? I'm from Spain and I'm interested in one of your products.
Angel im from porto north portugal and i collect butterflies, maybe we can exchange especies, you would send me melanargia ines, melanargia galathea ( this last one doesnt exist in portugal) and gonepteryx cleopatra and i could send you inachis io and vanessa virginiensis. You re from south righ? Here in northwest things are getting worse every year because of invsive plants but i still could find you a few.
I think the right forewing moved down during the drying process and the left antenna bent too
+Guhnee Han
great constructive critisism! I'm pretty "anal" myself when it comes to perfection!
I'm the one behind the camera- this is my mom. she mounts fast, i take forever and it drives her bananas! lol
i whis we had these butterflies where i live there are only these tiny once that are only grey :/
Please spread upside down Papilio Ulysses butterfly
That's a female not a male
MOTHRA ABUSE!
wow what are you doing wow wrong how to pin butterfly wow
What? Wth are you saying?
I'm confused?
It's just that this is a really questionable weird way of pinning a butterfly. I'd be concerned about how well these butterflies preserve over time. The butterfly looks fine in the video, but up close I'm sure there are spots in the wings, and the thorax has been penetrated TWICE?!?! I guess this is fine if you're just a beginner or hobbyist, but there are lots of other helpful videos that fully explain the proper way to pin a butterfly for the best preservation.
----You should NOT be touching the butterfly with your bare fingers this much. Butterflies have scales on their wings and touching them with the oils of your hands will make those beautiful scales and bright pigments come off (abrasive). Instead, use insect tweezers (or similar flat tweezers). Some entomologists choose to wear gloves even with minimal handling to prevent mites/mold/bacteria from developing on the specimen after displaying.
--You should NOT spread the butterflies with your fingers. Instead use the insect pin to pull from the top wing vein. It is strong and will not tear/puncture/rub the scales of the wing.
--You would typically secure the spread butterfly with parchment paper (again so you don't rub off the color and the specimen doesn't get stuck). I've never seen someone use glass before... but maybe that's okay? I'd still use parchment paper or regular paper so the wings can breath and fully dry after spreading.
--You should NOT insert a pin into the thorax THEN TWIST and REMOVE it!?!?! To then put a new pin in?!?!?! Even if you were going to reattach legs on the bottom of the abdomen, you still WOULDN'T insert a pin into the thorax upside down like this.
Again, this isn't to be harsh on Tracy, but I am confused as well. Reach out to your local science museum and be sure to watch more videos from entomologists rather than hobbyists. Continue your practice and have fun, but do your research. As always make sure your specimens are ethically sourced.