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"How do you hold the flies when pinning not to break bristles etc? They are generally quite fragile, I believe."


I put the fly on the table and simply I push the pin manually against the table (of course, I use a protection to avoid damage for table). :) Then I use another pin to help putting the fly in the middle of the pin.
Of course, I do this with 100% concentration and holds the fly very gently. :) There are specific FORCEPS SOFT that can help you to handle soft and very fragile specimens.


"How do you arrange the legs and wings in the right position? I think lepidopterists use (rice) paper to pin down the wings when drying."

Gently with a forceps soft, for example. Or with a normal pin! :)

"If killed in alcohol. Can the flies be pinned directly or do they need to be dried first? ... or maybe you never pin flies that have been in liquid?"

YES. You can pin the flies even AFTER they have been in ethanol.