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    Wet and Dry Preservation New

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    Irfan Danial
    1. There are two main methods for preserving insect specimens - dry preservation and wet preservation. 2. For dry preservation, insects are first killed using freezing or a killing bottle/tube containing poison. They are then fixed using formalin and spread/set on boards with pins to hold their legs and wings in position. Finally, they are pinned and sometimes carded for display. 3. For wet preservation, insects are killed, relaxed, and fixed using formalin or alcohol. They are then stored long-term in bottles, jars, vials or trays filled with preservative. Formalin is commonly used as a fixative but is acidic, while alcohol preserves colorless but is better for long-

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    Wet and Dry Preservation New

    Uploaded by

    Irfan Danial
    2K views4 pages
    1. There are two main methods for preserving insect specimens - dry preservation and wet preservation. 2. For dry preservation, insects are first killed using freezing or a killing bottle/tube containing poison. They are then fixed using formalin and spread/set on boards with pins to hold their legs and wings in position. Finally, they are pinned and sometimes carded for display. 3. For wet preservation, insects are killed, relaxed, and fixed using formalin or alcohol. They are then stored long-term in bottles, jars, vials or trays filled with preservative. Formalin is commonly used as a fixative but is acidic, while alcohol preserves colorless but is better for long-

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    1. There are two main methods for preserving insect specimens - dry preservation and wet preservation. 2. For dry preservation, insects are first killed using freezing or a killing bottle/tube containing poison. They are then fixed using formalin and spread/set on boards with pins to hold their legs and wings in position. Finally, they are pinned and sometimes carded for display. 3. For wet preservation, insects are killed, relaxed, and fixed using formalin or alcohol. They are then stored long-term in bottles, jars, vials or trays filled with preservative. Formalin is commonly used as a fixative but is acidic, while alcohol preserves colorless but is better for long-

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    2K views4 pages

    Wet and Dry Preservation New

    Uploaded by

    Irfan Danial
    1. There are two main methods for preserving insect specimens - dry preservation and wet preservation. 2. For dry preservation, insects are first killed using freezing or a killing bottle/tube containing poison. They are then fixed using formalin and spread/set on boards with pins to hold their legs and wings in position. Finally, they are pinned and sometimes carded for display. 3. For wet preservation, insects are killed, relaxed, and fixed using formalin or alcohol. They are then stored long-term in bottles, jars, vials or trays filled with preservative. Formalin is commonly used as a fixative but is acidic, while alcohol preserves colorless but is better for long-

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    Preservation of dry specimen of the insect

    a. Procedure
    1. Killing of insects
    ● Insects that are intended to be pinned and stored dry are best killed either in a
    killing bottle or tube containing a volatile poison, or in a freezer.
    a. Freezing
    - The specimens are carefully placed into a portion of the freezer where they will
    not be damaged.
    - Leaving invertebrates in the freezer for prolonged periods of time however may
    damage the specimen.
    - They are to be freezed only long enough to render them immobile.
    b. Killing bottles

    2. Fixation
    ● After the collection of specimen fixation is performed.
    ● Fixation of biological specimens involves the coagulation of cell contents into insoluble
    substances with the purpose to prevent autolysis and the degradation of tissue.
    ● Formalin is generally the preferred fluid for fixation and is widely used.

    3. Spreading and setting


    ● Spreading involves holding the appendages away from the body while the specimens
    are drying.
    ● Legs and antennae can be held in semi-natural positions with pins and the wings can be
    opened and held out horizontally on a setting board using pieces of tracing paper,
    cellophane, greaseproof paper, etc.
    ● Setting boards can be constructed from pieces of polyethylene foam or soft cork glued to
    sheets of plywood or Masonite
    ● Moths, butterflies, lacewings and dragonflies set with both pairs of wings spread,
    whereas Grasshoppers, cockroaches, mantids, stick insects and occasionally bees are
    set with only one pair of wings extended.
    4. Pinning
    ● Specimens should be mounted only when they are fully relaxed
    ● Macropins — these are stainless steel pins, mostly 32–40 mm long, and come in a
    range of thicknesses and with either a solid or a nylon head
    ● Pinning involves inserting a macropin, of appropriate thickness for the insect’s size,
    directly through the insect’s body

    5. Carding
    ● Insects (especially beetles) are then carded, which involves gluing each specimen,
    usually by its venter, to a rectangular piece of card through which a macropin passes
    ● Carding is not recommended for adult insects
    ● After that card is placed in a display box for displaying purpose.

    Preservation of wet specimen of the insect


    a. Procedure
    ● Killing and relaxing of animal
    ● Fixation
    ● Storage in a bottle, jars vials, or trays.

    b. Types Of Specimens (Nagorsen and Peterson, 1980)


    ● Entire fluid-preserved animals Purpose:(for studying anatomy and histology; fluid
    preservation may change the fur colour)
    ● Study skins with skulls / partial skeletons(some bones in skin) Purpose: for
    studying colour, hair quality and moulting patterns.
    ● Mounted skins with partial or entire skeleton (some bones may remain in the
    skin, dependant on the method of preservation) or freeze-dried specimens.
    ● Entire skeletons, for instance for studying anatomy, geographic variation or for
    age determination.

    1. Preservatives and their usage


    a. Formalin(Fixative mostly)
    - Usage:
    ● It is used for vertebrates only.
    ● It is avoided for long-term storage since it is acidic and difficult to handle.
    ● Mostly formalin is used where colour is important since alcohol dissolves most
    colours almost immediately.
    ● It penetrates more rapidly and internal organs remain in better condition.
    - Procedure
    ● Dilution conc.
    ● Formalin(100%) = water saturated with 40% formaldehyde.
    ● 10% formalin = 4% formaldehyde(Used for preservation) 2% formalin with
    seawater for small specimen.
    ● Mix one part concentrated formalin to nine parts water.
    ● Fill about two-thirds the bottle’s volume with 10% formalin.
    ● As formalin is acidic, it should be buffered by adding a pinch or two of sodium
    bicarbonate.
    - Warning:
    ● Inhalation of formalin fumes is harmful & causes extreme discomfort to nose and
    eyes.
    ● Contact with fluid causes severe irritation to the skin
    ● Contact with sore or raw spots results in extreme pain. It is a carcinogen. The
    hand should be rinsed after usage.
    ● Storage: It should be kept in safe, water-tight, spill-proof bottles, e.g. pep-bottles,
    It should always be clearly labeled.

    b. Industrial Alcohol (for both fixing and storage)


    - Usage:
    ● Alcohol is usually not used for killing and fixing vertebrates.
    ● But of course used for long-term storage
    ● The Colour of the specimen is lost immediately.
    ● A teaspoonful of glycerine in a quart of alcohol helps to preserve natural colors
    and to keep integuments flexible.
    ● Alcohol usually comes in the 95% concentrated form.
    ● For long-term preservation, 70-75% strength is used.
    - Warning:
    ● Alcohol is usually safe to handle, It can cause irritation to the skin in cases of
    prolonged contact.
    ● Always rinse hands with water after working with alcohol.
    ● Industrial alcohol is toxic and should never be drunk.
    ● Alcohol is highly flammable.
    ● Never work with this fluid in the vicinity of open flames.
    ● It is rapidly evaporation, and receptacles holding it should be securely covered
    at all times, and not be opened unnecessarily

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