Thread subject: Diptera.info :: pinning alcohol preserved diptera

Posted by ChrisR on 31-12-2010 11:16
#3

Jim's method with ethyl-acetate is probably the best of the 'quick and dirty' methods and would work well for tachinids. I haven't used it though because the specimens do come out very brittle and difficult to handle - hence the need to glue them to the pins. I think there is a more complex method used for smaller insects that involves using different dilutions of another chemical - I think John & Barbara Ismay use the more complex method because they tend to work on the smaller families.

If you can remove the specimens from alcohol within weeks of being caught then often you don't need to do anything more than drying them out. Some of the larger tachinids seem not to shrivel even when in alcohol for years :)

EDIT: For Louis' benefit the Tachinid Times article is here.

Edited by ChrisR on 31-12-2010 11:17