mikeh
Full Member
Posts: 207
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Post by mikeh on Sept 22, 2020 18:33:15 GMT -8
The method I use is to take the butterfly out of the envelope and place it in direct contact with wet paper towels inside a tupperware container. I then cover the specimen with more wet paper towels and close the lid. Most specimens are flexible enough to spread after one day. It takes longer than that for mold to set in, so adding chemicals to prevent mold is not necessary (although it's a good idea). This method works even on large sphinx moths. If I leave the specimen in the envelope, it takes much longer. Being in direct contact with the paper towels has never resulted in water marks in my experience. If the specimen isn't flexible enough after a day, I usually add naphthalene mothballs to prevent mold. This is also the method I use except I keep it in the fridge so that even it takes a couple days I won't get any mold. |
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Post by wingedwishes on Sept 23, 2020 6:30:50 GMT -8
Everyone has their preferred way. These are some of the things I do for your consideration.
I put air filter (batting) in a plastic tub with a layer of very hot water. I cut a corner of the specimen off and lay it on top of the material with a lid. With the exception of Prepona or other large bodied Leps, I can pin in 24 hours. I test the wings to see if they are 'released.'
In pinning, remember this: If you want to closely observe structure, you will not pin in the same way than what they look like in nature. When an artist puts them in a frame, they may put the wings up rather than flat to get that 'natural' pose. If pinning flat, I use tissue but also then glass plates to get it very flat. Some use slides.
For stains, I use a pet product called 'Natures Miracle.' It has enzymes to remove pet urine stains from carpet and has brought me decent results using a makeup swab.
Because of the warm and humid nature of the relaxing box, I get mold in 3 days unless I add something to the water.
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Post by joniverson on Oct 3, 2020 5:22:42 GMT -8
Just a quick update. I've had a thoroughly mounted and dried spare Papilio glaucus in storage for the past three years. I decided to bring it out and soften it in a relaxing container. I used a spare tupperware container and moistened some paper towels with Listerine. The towels were placed in the bottom and a small screen over top of them with specimen on top. After 24 hours, it had relaxed quite a lot but not quite enough so decided to include thoracic injection for the first time. After about 3-4 more hours, the specimen was ready.
I read about using Listerine original here one time, so thought I would try it on a pair of Limenitis archippus. They were in the container for a couple of weeks in a warm house as I couldn't get to them before that for mounting and drying. True to what I read here, the Listerine kept them relaxed and no mold! There's something I should mention though. I had another colorful specimen in the container too and it was in there for nearly a month this past summer. That one darkened a bit but still pliable and no mold that I could detect.
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Post by jonathan on Oct 14, 2020 14:30:23 GMT -8
If you have large butterflies like Ornithoptera, Troides or Stichophthalma, just put the butterflies in a relaxing chamber for 5 hours, inject a small amount of vodka, and leave the specimens to continue relaxing for at least 10 hours. So within 15 hours a specimen as large as an Ornithoptera would be ready to be relaxed easily. Vodka is the traditional Russian alcohol or whatever equivalent you can find. The results would be as if the specimens were fresh.
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