Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Discussion on butterflies, moths and skippers
Post Reply
Chuck
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 886
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:30 pm
Solomon Islands

Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Chuck »

So I have a bunch of Leps set, as typical, recto up. I want to flip them all upside down so I can readily compare the verso.

Pinning bottom is polyethelene foam.

I don't want to soften and reset them all.

I think the pinhead won't well penetrate the foam, so can't just flip the whole specimen over and insert pinhead first.

I could clip off the pinhead, and insert upside down into the foam, but since the specimens tend to be set high there won't be much pin left for insertion into the foam.

I could use clay and set the pins, head first, into the clay, I know that works. But then I'd have to glue clay to the bottom of the drawer or unit pinning tray.

Any brilliant ideas?
User avatar
kevinkk
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 313
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 5:06 pm
Location: Oregon
United States of America

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by kevinkk »

I used to have double sided glass cases, and there were balsa wood strips for pinning. If you were to attach balsa strips to the top of your cases, you
would be able to pin the specimens and the verso side would be exposed. That's my offering, it's brilliance may be subject to criticism.
jwa121
Junior Member
Junior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 4:44 pm
Canada

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by jwa121 »

If you could find a suitable glue, you could perhaps do the following. Take a fairly stout insect pin, say a number 3, and cut it down to the appropriate length. Remove the head from your specimen pin. Then glue your (now headless) specimen pin to the cut-down number 3 pin.
User avatar
Panacanthus
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue May 31, 2022 7:51 pm
United States of America

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Panacanthus »

Remove the head of the pin. Find the appropriate sized hypodermic needle or tubing to create a “sleeve” over the existing insect pin and extended it’s length. This would be secure. A tiny amount of glue could ensure the needle does not slip off or spin on the pin.

Perhaps something like this:

https://img.medicalexpo.com/images_me/p ... 25696.webp

Or…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09TRNQT ... p13NParams

There are countless sources for small needles or miniature tubing. You’d just have to slip it over the insect pin, secured with glue, and then snip it to length.
“Seems to me the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” -David Attenborough
jwa121
Junior Member
Junior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 4:44 pm
Canada

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by jwa121 »

Another possibility. Remove the head from your specimen pin. Put some glue on the (now headless) shaft of the pin. Then push the pin into a small piece of cork. Let it set. Then run a second insect pin through the small piece of cork.
jwa121
Junior Member
Junior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 4:44 pm
Canada

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by jwa121 »

Or do it in reverse. Run the second insect pin through the small piece of cork first.
User avatar
Panacanthus
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue May 31, 2022 7:51 pm
United States of America

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Panacanthus »

I’ve honestly never had a problem carefully removing a pin from a specimen (without relaxing) and inserting it back into the same pin hole from the verso side, in cases where I want to “switch” the side of the specimen being displayed. One exception would of course be pins which were glued into the body.
“Seems to me the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” -David Attenborough
User avatar
kevinkk
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 313
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 5:06 pm
Location: Oregon
United States of America

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by kevinkk »

Panacanthus wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 7:32 pm I’ve honestly never had a problem carefully removing a pin from a specimen (without relaxing) and inserting it back into the same pin hole from the verso side, in cases where I want to “switch” the side of the specimen being displayed. One exception would of course be pins which were glued into the body.
I've removed pins from many butterflies and moths, in order to use them in Riker mounts, usually extra specimens I give as gifts,
I had to use a relaxant to remove the pin without crushing the body, of course it's only the pin area itself that needs a little softening,
but I'd think the insect would be loose and spin around if I inserted a pin after taking one out. Maybe that's only possible with specimens
that have been previously relaxed, and not freshly dispatched ones, where the body insides dry around the pin.
User avatar
Panacanthus
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue May 31, 2022 7:51 pm
United States of America

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Panacanthus »

kevinkk wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 12:20 am
Panacanthus wrote: Tue Aug 23, 2022 7:32 pm I’ve honestly never had a problem carefully removing a pin from a specimen (without relaxing) and inserting it back into the same pin hole from the verso side, in cases where I want to “switch” the side of the specimen being displayed. One exception would of course be pins which were glued into the body.
I've removed pins from many butterflies and moths, in order to use them in Riker mounts, usually extra specimens I give as gifts,
I had to use a relaxant to remove the pin without crushing the body, of course it's only the pin area itself that needs a little softening,
but I'd think the insect would be loose and spin around if I inserted a pin after taking one out. Maybe that's only possible with specimens
that have been previously relaxed, and not freshly dispatched ones, where the body insides dry around the pin.
I’ve found that sometimes they spin and sometimes they don’t, but if they do spin I either add just the slightest bit of glue or I use just one size larger pin.

I’ve never had to do any softening - some careful twisting of the pin is usually enough to enable removal. Not every situation will be the same though of course, so the more “tips” the better!!
“Seems to me the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” -David Attenborough
Chuck
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 886
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:30 pm
Solomon Islands

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Chuck »

Impressive, you guys have thought of some interesting approaches that never occurred to me.

Most of these specimens are fresh set on #3 pins from the field, so are on the pins pretty good. My experience trying to remove the pins is (1) busted legs, antennae, thorax, etc and (2) even if the #3 comes out, I'd have to go up to a #4.

The double glass cases would be awesome, but that's more money, I'm sure they're expensive.

Some of the other ideas are quite novel. Hmmmm
User avatar
Cabintom
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 257
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2022 1:54 pm
Location: D.R.Congo
Canada

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Cabintom »

If the goal is simply comparison of specimens, you could photograph them dorsally & ventrally (in a standardized fashion), and work from digital images instead of the physical specimens.
It's very useful for comparing markings. Being able to manipulate the photos is often helpful.
Draw backs are that it's difficult to maintain colour fidelity and often iridescence is not properly represented. Also, it's harder to have a good sense of scale and size, but that can be mitigated by adding a scale or label in each photo.
Chuck
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 886
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:30 pm
Solomon Islands

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Chuck »

Cabintom wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 1:46 pm If the goal is simply comparison of specimens, you could photograph them dorsally & ventrally (in a standardized fashion), and work from digital images instead of the physical specimens.....adding a scale or label in each photo.
That's what I'm thinking. I've already done some of them simply by inverting, pushing the head into modeling clay, and photograph. The scale is tougher because they're not all at the same height on the pin (I changed setting methods which changed some pin heights).

Generically, photography in high resolution is the way to go. I had to ID a bunch of small stupid Lycaenids from a poorly studied region, and the ability to expand details, which were not possible to discern with my naked eye, proved invaluable.
User avatar
kevinkk
Premium Member - 2024
Premium Member - 2024
Reactions:
Posts: 313
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 5:06 pm
Location: Oregon
United States of America

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by kevinkk »

"small stupid Lycaenids" That's funny, I have a lot of admiration for people who work with small leps and manage to set them nicely.
It takes something special to get me to bring home smaller specimens, I know they'll be difficult to properly set, and I've torn more than
one to a worthless condition- bringing home more than 1 can help, a little. Is it worth the work when it comes out right? Sure, but it's still a skill
I haven't mastered yet.
User avatar
Cabintom
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 257
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2022 1:54 pm
Location: D.R.Congo
Canada

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by Cabintom »

Chuck wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 2:21 pm
The scale is tougher because they're not all at the same height on the pin (I changed setting methods which changed some pin heights).
I solve this by suspending the butterfly across 2 parallel (and level) fishing lines. The pin (be it the point or the head) isn't in contact with anything. The scale is also suspended across the fishing lines and so is at the same level as the wing surface (if the scale isn't the same distance as the wings from the camera lens, it's a practically useless scale).

One of these days I'll post a thread to explain my set-up and process. Just need to find some time.
User avatar
jhyatt
Meek
Meek
Reactions:
Posts: 108
Joined: Mon May 23, 2022 2:08 pm
United States of America

Re: Method to display already pinned specimens upside down

Post by jhyatt »

kevinkk wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 4:52 pm "small stupid Lycaenids" That's funny, I have a lot of admiration for people who work with small leps and manage to set them nicely.
It takes something special to get me to bring home smaller specimens, I know they'll be difficult to properly set, and I've torn more than
one to a worthless condition- bringing home more than 1 can help, a little. Is it worth the work when it comes out right? Sure, but it's still a skill
I haven't mastered yet.
Speaking as someone with a total of 98 drawers of Lycaenids, Riodinids, and skippers, thanks kevinkk for saying you appreciate people who collect such
items! Mine are far from all being perfectly set or undamaged, so I obviously don't agree with your view that badly set or ripped specimens are in a "worthless" condition. Like many scientific (not aesthetic) collectors, damage on a specimen seldom bothers me much at all. Disappointing when I inflict the damage, but life is full of disappointments.

Now those people who collect and prepare immaculate collections of beautifully prepared micromoths, they're the ones I have infinite respect for!

Cheers,
jh
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in