Lepidoptera Spreading Techniques

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LepidopteraSpreading Techniques

• Presented by Vernon E. Evans
• 9 April 2005
• Utah Lepidopterist Society Meeting

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Techniques discussed

• Standard groove board spreading with pins
• Verns upside down non-groove board method
• Magnetic groove board spreading

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But wait
First we need to
prepare the specimen.
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The injection method

• Take a syringe with warm water and inject it into
  the thorax of the specimen.

Disadvantages
Advantages

1. Does not provide a completely relaxed specimen.
2. Sticking a syringe into a dried specimen could
   cause damage.

1. Fast way to prepare specimen for spreading.
2. Very little setup preparation needed. 3. Easy
to learn.
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Freezer method
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Freezer method

• All freshly emerged specimens and fresh field
  caught specimens are placed directly into the
  freezer to be spread soon thereafter.
• Remove from freezer and let specimen thaw and
  spread.

Advantages
Disadvantages

1. No setup required.
2. No materials needed.
3. Fast and easy.

1. Potential problem with spouse when they find dead
   bugs near their food.
2. Specimen will eventually dehydrate and another
   method must be used.

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Verns Relaxing chamber
I utilize a relaxer similar to what others may
use with only a few modifications for speed.
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Verns Relaxing chamber
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Verns Relaxing chamber
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Verns Relaxing chamber
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Differences in MY relaxer

• I use only water on my multiple layers of paper
  towels.
• I place my specimens directly onto the damp paper
  towels.
• Data goes on a corresponding board in the same
  order the specimens are in the relaxer.

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Differences in MY relaxer
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Differences in MY relaxer
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Differences in MY relaxer
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Advantages of MY relaxer

• Complete specimen is relaxed
• Because specimen is in direct contact with moist
  towel re-hydration occurs very quickly.

Time to re-hydrate Lycaenidae 20-30
minutes Papilionidae 2-3 hours Saturniidae 6-10
hours
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Possible disadvantages

• You can not leave the specimens in the relaxer
  too long or mold will occur.
• There is a possibility of the relaxer being
  disturbed while the specimens are in it and this
  would cause a problem since the data will no
  longer correspond with the specimens location in
  the relaxer.
• This have never happened to me.

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Now onto the specimen spreading
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Standard groove board with pins
This is the most commonly described way to spread
lepidoptera.

• Materials needed
• Grooved spreading board
• Pins
• Paper strips
• Dont forget the Specimen.

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Standard groove board with pins
This is the most commonly described way to spread
lepidoptera.

• Materials needed
• Grooved spreading board
• Pins
• Paper strips
• Dont forget the Specimen.

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Standard groove board with pins
This is the most commonly described way to spread
lepidoptera.

• Materials needed
• Grooved spreading board
• Pins
• Paper strips
• Dont forget the Specimen.

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Standard groove board with pins
Dont forget to get the bug!
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Todd Stout is demonstrating this method with a
pima orangetip
Note Sit back and watch slides for this
technique. You do not need to click to next
slide until prompted.
Insert insect pin perpendicularly through thorax
of butterfly with ¾ of pin penetrating through
the butterfly and ¼ remaining above.
Todd uses this device to prevent the abdomen from
falling into the groove.
Finished product!Click to next slide?
Place pinned specimen into groove on mounting
board.
Clear strips used to hold wings in desired
position with the help of the pins.
Todd uses this device to place the head and
antennae.
Like such.
This bug is going nowhere!!
Here he is putting it into place.
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Magnetic grooved board
This method is similar to the previous method.
The major difference being the use of a metal
spread board and magnets in place of pins to hold
the wings in place until the specimen is dry.

• Materials needed
• Grooved METAL spreading board
• Magnets and pins
• Paper strips
• Still need a specimen

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Magnetic grooved board
This method is similar to the previous method.
The major difference being the use of a metal
spread board and magnets in place of pins to hold
the wings in place until the specimen is dry.

• Materials needed
• Grooved METAL spreading board
• Magnets and pins
• Paper strips
• Still need a specimen

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Magnetic grooved board
This method is similar to the previous method.
The major difference being the use of a metal
spread board and magnets in place of pins to hold
the wings in place until the specimen is dry.

• Materials needed
• Grooved METAL spreading board
• Magnets and pins
• Paper strips
• Still need a specimen

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Magnetic grooved board
This method is similar to the previous method.
The major difference being the use of a metal
spread board and magnets in place of pins to hold
the wings in place until the specimen is dry.

• Materials needed
• Grooved METAL spreading board
• Magnets and pins
• Paper strips
• Still need a specimen

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Jack Harry is demonstrating this method with a
nitra form anise swallowtail
Note Sit back and watch slides for this
technique. You do not need to click to next
slide until prompted.
Finished product Click ? to proceed to next slide
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Verns upside down non-groove board method
This method breaks away from the traditional
teachings somewhat. It is designed to take full
advantage of the pronounced ventral side of the
specimen. It optimizes space allotted on the
spreading surface allowing you to spread many
specimens at one time.
This method was taught to me by Dr. Richard
Howard, Director Natural History Museum Amarillo
College. He was taught by his grandfather.
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Materials needed

• Styrofoam block
• Insect pins
• Paper strips
• And yes

I use the bottom of this board. NOT the grooved
side.
the specimen
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Materials needed

• Styrofoam block
• Insect pins
• Paper strips
• And yes

I use the bottom of this board. NOT the grooved
side.
the specimen
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Materials needed

• Styrofoam block
• Insect pins
• Paper strips
• And yes

the specimen
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Materials needed

• Styrofoam block
• Insect pins
• Paper strips
• And yes

the specimen
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Materials needed

• Styrofoam block
• Insect pins
• Paper strips
• And yes

the specimen
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Vernon Evans is demonstrating this method with a
scarlet mormon
Note Excepting this slide, sit back and watch
slides for this technique. You do not need to
click to next slide until prompted. O.K. Click
now and then wait until prompted again ?
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Vernon Evans is demonstrating this method with a
scarlet mormon
Utilizing the ventral surface of the specimen,
positioning the wings becomes much easier and
reduces the possibility of wing damage.
Now while bracing the thorax of the specimen you
will remove the temporary support pin. DO NOT
FORGET THIS STEP!!
This is a temporary support pin to prevent the
specimen from rotating while positioning the
wings.
Note the head of the pin going into the Styrofoam.
Finished product. Click to proceed to next slide
?
This specimen will be mounted dorsal side up.
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To mount a specimen ventral side up you place the
pin tip into the foam.
Note the position of the head of the pin. It is
out of the foam not in it.
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AdvantagesMore specimens one each board.
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Another advantage
Easily spread large specimens.
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