The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

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EdTomologist
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The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by EdTomologist »

Greetings, fellow entomology enthusiasts,

Today, I find myself grappling with a vexing question that plagues many of us: should we store our precious insect specimens in unit trays or forgo them altogether in the name of space optimization? It's a dilemma that has sparked numerous debates among seasoned collectors, each championing their preferred approach. As I stand at this crossroads, I invite you to join me in pondering the pros and cons of each method, seeking wisdom from the collective expertise.

Unit trays have long been hailed as a convenient tool for organizing and preserving insect specimens. These trays, with their neatly arranged compartments, allow us to categorize our bugs by species, region, or any other desired classification. They help maintain order, facilitate identification, and safeguard the delicate specimens from potential damage during storage or transportation. However, the use of unit trays does come at a cost—both in terms of monetary investment and the need for additional storage space.

On the other hand, there is a school of thought that argues forgoing unit trays can be a viable solution to save on valuable storage space. Without the trays, specimens can be stored directly in drawers, maximizing the utilization of available area. This approach is particularly appealing when dealing with limited storage options or unique drawer sizes, such as the ones I have encountered with my self-made drawers. However, it is crucial to consider potential drawbacks, such as increased vulnerability to physical damage or difficulties in locating specific specimens amidst a more chaotic arrangement.

As I contemplate my next move, I invite your input and suggestions. Have you found a creative compromise that marries the benefits of unit trays with efficient space utilization? How do you strike the balance between organization and practicality? Perhaps you have innovative storage solutions or alternative methods that have proved successful in your own entomological endeavors. I am eager to hear your experiences and insights as we navigate this entomological puzzle together.

Inquisitively yours,
Ed


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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by kevinkk »

this subject has come up before in some form, I'd never seen or heard of unit trays until it came up in a thread here. I think you don't find out
what system is going to work best until it's a pain in the back to change it. I see the differences, and while I'll never need to worry about it, I like
clean cases with as many options as possible when things get crowded, so- no unit trays for me. I don't pull specimens for study, so I just need to
be careful rearranging things now and then, I just had to rearrange the case of Hyalophora to keep things in order. My specimen placement does have
logic to it, and I try to stick with that as much as possible.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by Trehopr1 »

The unit tray (system) works best in a research collection
(museum situation) or in that of a specialists collection
where things are extremely well sorted out due to a
focused interest.

I have incorporated unit trays into a portion of my personal
collection but, limit it to my singleton's, odds-n-ends, vintage/
historical specimens etc. I really do like the compartment
style look and yet somehow it feels like some space is lost...
Probably best to stay with drawers with a full sheet of foam.

Of coarse, ultimately keep only what really "grabs" your interest.
If you wind up collecting "in every direction" that's a recipe for
expense, space issues, and management (upkeep) problems.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by Chuck »

Benefits of Unit Pinning Trays:
1. Easily separate taxa
2. Easily view data (e.g., name) on a label on the tray w/o removing specimens
3. Move en masse to avoid breakage
4. Expedite re-collation (reformatting of collection)
5. Reserve space for easy insertion of a newly introduced specimen

For example, some of my reference collection is collated by location. Ecuador is one cabinet; each drawer is dedicated to related taxa (e.g., drawer 5 is Papilio), then unit trays by genus. When I decide to re-collate and move the Ecuador Papilio to all Papilio, it's as easy as moving unit trays.

The line-em-up-without-trays method makes it a bear to insert a new specimen where it goes; often requiring moving a bunch of specimens, and moving is potential for breakage. If you look at the photo Ed posted above, if this is a growing reference collection, good luck inserting another specimen; and in research it stinks to have to hunt for all of a series.

Noting the wasted empty space of unit trays, once I finish with a project, and will introduce no further specimens, I can move the specimens and tile them w/o unit trays. I've done this for some of my non-North America Sphingidae and have packed three drawers w/ trays into one drawer without trays.

I don't use trays for very large taxa like Goliathus. I could only fit eight pair into one drawer w/ trays, but packed almost a dozen pairs into one drawer w/o trays.

The "one more" situation is the real killer with trays. That is, the tray is full, and you have "one more" that needs to go into that tray. It means another tray, which in my case invariably means another drawer, for what? One specimen? In this case, I do two things (1) keep specimens in Pro Tem (temporary storage boxes) until I'm done (e.g., end of season) THEN I see where they will fit, and (2) tile them anyway in the tray; it's not attractive, but it beats dedicating another tray due to one specimen.

I find that the smaller the taxa are, the more important it is to use trays, for all reasons listed above. Who wants to move 100 Cicindellidae, and risk breaking those spindly antennae and legs?

So I think it's not a question of IF to use unit trays, it's WHEN to use unit trays.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by jhyatt »

I'm with Chuck. I use unit trays for all my smaller things (Lycaenids, skippers, smaller Nymphalids, satyrs, Pierids, Parnassians, most moths) and open drawers for the big ones (Papilios, Morphos, Brassolids, Saturnids, etc.)

I started using unit trays ages ago (late '70's) when I bought a bunch of drawers and cabinets from the Carnegie Museum (They were rehousing some of their collection and sold the old unwanted storage equipment). The ancient drawers were decent-looking, tight, and had terrible pinning bottoms. Rather then install new pinning bottoms, I started using unit trays in those drawers. I found that I liked them, and have kept on using them for probably 75% of my collection. I place a determination label in each tray, but not on individual specimens -- specimen pins hold only collecting data. If I trade or donate a specimen, I do add a determination label to it, though. Works for me. And J.F.G. Clarke, famous microlepedopterist from the Smithsonian once told me when I apologized for not having all my material in phylogenetic order, "Hyatt, these are your specimens. You caught and prepared them, and you are perfectly free to arrange them any darn way you want!"

Cheers,
jh
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by Chuck »

jhyatt wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 2:02 pm I place a determination label in each tray, but not on individual specimens -- specimen pins hold only collecting data.

Cheers,
jh
Doesn't that mean a unit pinning tray for one singular specimen of a species? Or ssp? I wish I had that amount of space!
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by wollastoni »

I have never understood how unit trays can be more practical than a classic drawer... I know they are popular in the USA and nearly not used at all in Europe or in Japan...
Must be a Farenheit-use brain disease ! :lol:

Except for micro-moths or micro-coleoptera, I would not bother with unit trays.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by Jshuey »

wollastoni wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 4:03 pm I have never understood how unit trays can be more practical than a classic drawer... I know they are popular in the USA and nearly not used at all in Europe or in Japan...
Must be a Farenheit-use brain disease ! :lol:

Except for micro-moths or micro-coleoptera, I would not bother with unit trays.
I suspect that's it's a scale-thing. If you just have a few drawers of big pretties, then it's no problem moving bugs around. But if you have research material - and you add to the collection constantly, then that gets out of control. Having never seen the BM or Paris collections, all the natural history museums on this side of the planet use unit trays. Even small regional collections in my vicinity - like the Indiana State Museum, Cincinnati, Dayton, and Cleveland use trays. It's just part of the "professional" training in entomology over here to use them.

See Curitiba Brasil below, where you see just 1/7th of the butterfly drawers that they hold. Can you imagine if these were just pinned into drawers?

Image

All of the "older" collectors I know here in the states emulate this model. Other than collectors that are just beginning, I have not seen a serious private collection that doesn't use unit trays at an appropriate level. Most importantly, I can sort species by country and find key bugs almost instantly (hot pink= Belize, blue=Mexico, red=Brasil, lime-green=Peru). "Upside down bugs" are not IDed and curated yet.

Image

I personally can't imagine not using unit trays to protect the bugs in my collection.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by wollastoni »

Jshuey : Paris MNHN has classic drawers for Delias and Agrias.
I will let Adam or Bob answer for the BMNH.

Unit trays really seems to be a New World / Old World conflict ! It is funny !

Or maybe it is more used for "small" butterfly families (Hesperidae, Lycaenidae)...
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by adamcotton »

The BMNH Papilionidae collection definitely does NOT use unit trays. I cannot speak for other families and orders.

Adam.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by Jshuey »

adamcotton wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 7:32 pm The BMNH Papilionidae collection definitely does NOT use unit trays. I cannot speak for other families and orders.

Adam.
Historically - BMNH has not used unit trays. Blanca told me a couple of months ago that they are starting the transition.

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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by Jshuey »

wollastoni wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 5:47 pm Jshuey : Paris MNHN has classic drawers for Delias and Agrias.
I will let Adam or Bob answer for the BMNH.

Unit trays really seems to be a New World / Old World conflict ! It is funny !

Or maybe it is more used for "small" butterfly families (Hesperidae, Lycaenidae)...
I would say that people do what makes sense to them - and that whole drawers are often used as "unit trays". Here's and example with rare Parides and common preponas - the entire drawer is devoted to single species (several drawers for the Prepona species). But the goal is to handle individual specimens as little as possible. Every time you touch them, you risk damage. And it's a personal decision to go this route. My guess is that because the vast majority of universities in the west use unit trays, that most serious collectors around here don't hesitate to opt for this level of specimen care.

But it takes a financial investment in extra drawers because it is less efficient space-wise. And of course the unit trays - which can cost almost as much as the drawers for the small ones.

John

As a complete aside -two serious collections I've seen in the tropics did not use unit trays. But the owners were expats from Europe - Dutch and Italian.

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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by Cabintom »

Neither the African Butterfly Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, nor the Royal Museum for Central Africa (which has pics of its collection online) use unit trays.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by bobw »

As John said, NHMUK ( they don't use BMNH any more) has never used unit trays. They are now starting to use them for some groups as they are recurated, mainly smaller specimens. I recurated their Colias collection over the last few years, but wasn't asked to use unit trays for that. I'm now recurating the Castniidae collection. A few years ago this was rehoused by Geoff Martin, and he used unit trays for about 30% of the drawers - those where a taxon filled less than half a drawer, and these are the Rothschild drawers, so they're big!

I've never used unit trays in my own collection, mainly because I'd never heard of them until about 10 years ago when I started working at the museum. They certainly would have been handy for my Colias collection, as I've arranged it in blocks, which are pretty much the size of a unit tray. However, all my drawers are plastazote lined and I wouldn't want to have to remove all that to make the depth for the unit trays. Also, I'm very limited for space, and could't afford the wastage in the cabinets that using unit trays would create.
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Re: The Great Entomological Conundrum: Unit Trays vs. Space Optimization

Post by jhyatt »

Chuck wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 2:24 pm
jhyatt wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 2:02 pm I place a determination label in each tray, but not on individual specimens -- specimen pins hold only collecting data.

Cheers,
jh
Doesn't that mean a unit pinning tray for one singular specimen of a species? Or ssp? I wish I had that amount of space!
Not at all, Chuck. One determination label (with name of taxon only) is in each unit tray, with as many examples of that taxon as I have placed in said tray. Each specimen pin holds a locality data label, just not a label with the name of the bug -- that's at the head of the series at the top of the unit tray.

I guess it could mean one unit tray per specimen for taxons where I hold only singletons, but there aren't many of those in my collection. I use trays sized to fit however many specimens I have.

jh
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