Introduction and issue with spreading wings

[box1763]

Hi everyone,

I’ve recently gotten back into entomology and collecting after a long hiatus. I'm especially interested in Neuroptera (as that order was defined several decades ago - now it has been split into three orders!) and Megaloptera. I used to be a biologist, but nowadays - not far from retirement - I make my way as a software engineer and a banjo teacher.

But I have a small problem some of you may know a solution to. There are certain species of Lepidoptera that give me a lot of problems trying to spread wings. Not all species, mind you, just some of them. It’s like they have become so tense that you cannot begin to spread their wings without damage. Typically, these species are about 1 inch in length, and rather long-legged. Oh, and I have collected them in a light trap that uses dispatching fluid composed of mainly isopropyl alcohol and water (I may start adding about 5% glycerin to that mixture). I spread them the morning of discovery after letting them dry for a few minutes on a paper towel. BTW, on the ones that are spreadable, even though they are pretty wet when starting out, I notice after they dry they have little wing scale damage if handled with common sense.

So does anyone else have that problem? I hate killing something and just having it go to waste like that! I suspect one of the following to be the issue:
1 - Perhaps certain species simply stiffen up like that - tough luck
2 - It may be the dispatching liquid - try something else
3 - It could be that I have simply lost my touch after many years - practice makes perfect!

[wollastoni]

Welcome here !
Have you tried ammonia injection, check this forum topic : viewtopic.php?p=6745#p6745

This is what I use for hard-to-relax butterflies like Agrias.

[adamcotton]

Welcome here too.

I just posted a reply to your 'Presentation' post on the Insect Collectors' Forum, having checked that forum first. Please check the links I posted there about Neuroptera classification.

If you post a photo of the long legged moths that it seems go straight into 'rigor mortis' some of the US members here may be able to advise how to deal with the problem of spreading them. Possibly you need to relax them for 24-48 hours on a damp cloth in a sealed box after removing them from the trap. That may soften the muscles which will enable you to spread them successfully. I suspect that these may belong to a family in the microlepidoptera.

Adam.

[vabrou]

Hi Box,
Seems your problem is what anyone collecting and processing microlepidoptera deals with daily. Around 10 years ago I published a brief two pages on this subject including images and how to solve the problem you are having. Your methods of handling captured specimens needs to be fine tuned. google this entire title: How to eliminate drying in delayed processing and spreading of lepidoptera specimens I have used these very same methods every day for the past 45 years, and before that for another 15-20 years without chlorocresol. I have personally used this method daily to process hundreds of millions of insect specimens of numerous orders. The pdf is freely accessible on the web.

Collectors of microlepidoptera often pick up their captures at or before dawn daily. And they place their captures in a closed or humidity controlled containers. I myself have also developed around 500 unique specialized collection chambers to collect numerous billions of insects in very good condition, and I currently have over 50 chlorocresol-charged relaxing chambers (containers) in which the specimens are placed usually daily. Here are some larger lepidoptera in one of my chlorocresol relaxing chambers.

[Chuck]

There are certain species of Lepidoptera that give me a lot of problems trying to spread wings. Not all species, mind you, just some of them. It’s like they have become so tense that you cannot begin to spread their wings without damage. ... collected them in a light trap that uses dispatching fluid composed of mainly isopropyl alcohol and water (.

I can tell you with great certainty that Catocala killed with isopropyl alcohol submersion (even mixed with water) will stiffen like a rock, and no amount of softening/ relaxing will change this; I've been unable to find a way to restore flexibility. My solution then has been to (1) quit dispatching Catocala with alcohol and (2) simply tossing away any that fall into alcohol traps and (3) quit using alcohol in light traps, instead using water and dish soap.

Given that you have the same problem with other taxa, I'd suggest to dump the alcohol and use water and dish soap.