InsectNet forum

Hi everyone! I'm a beginner when it comes to insect pinning/preservation, and I'm currently working on an art project that will require me to attach multiple insects to clay. The sculpture may have to be moved around a lot and I don't want anything to break. I've heard that E6000 glue is good, but I'm not sure how it will hold with clay.

I also have to destroy the wings of the insects to make it seem like they're burning, and I'm not sure what type of paint is safe for the insects. Will fabric acrylic paint work??

I also wanted to preserve the insects in life like positions, but I don't really know how (ex: wings partially open).

Final question: Can I just glue the preserved insect to the clay, or should I pin it to the clay?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!!! Thank you all and have a wonderful day

sounds like a learning curve is ahead for you.
As far as glue, either super glue or a multi purpose like "Duco cement" (brand).
Having done just a few display cases using glues, avoid hot glue, it will sag, I'd probably avoid
pinning, eventually the pin may loosen and your specimen will spin.

I've never painted an insect, I've used a lot of modeling paint though, I'd try acrylics and avoid enamel,
of course, I could be wrong about anything, because I haven't done much insect art.

If you need to relax insects, there are endless methods and everyone has a favorite. Recently a method was offered in a post here that
called for putting insects in a closed plastic container with damp paper towels and put into the fridge for the duration, which
varies from 1 day to 7 depending, no anti fungal is needed, I used this method to relax Ornithoptera and it worked very well.

How do I keep the wings in position if they're not flat?? this is the biggest thing I'm concerned about currently. Thank you all again!

Over the years I've learned a few things. E6000 is a good glue, almost too strong as it can be hard to remove. Should work on clay. I never put any other biological material into a display other than the specimen(s). The small amount of moisture other biologicals may have in them can play havoc with the inside of the display. Finally as much as I like all my frames and displays to be sealed very tight, I try to make large pricy displays have a way to be opened for possible cleaning. Perhaps a thin strip of foam tape along the bottom of the top cap can make a sufficient seal, as I've seen mites so small as to be almost invisible.

Pest intrusion is somewhat inexplicable. What I mean is this- I have Riker mounts around the house with specimens that didn't make it into cases,
those mounts sometimes will have pests, but not always, certainly unsealed cases or displays are more likely to get pests, but it's not a given.
Many people have mentioned they pre-sterilize specimens with freezing or other methods before placing them.