Preserving a Butterfly?

Question

What are some various options for perserving a dead butterfly?

Thanks =D

Answer 1

When I was a kid I would save my butterflies in a photo album.  I would stick them between the sheets

Answer 2

Immerse it in absolute alcohol (Ethanol) to kill any bacteria on the surface and then pin it in a box to dry.

Answer 3

There are a few things you need to do, depending on how the butterfly died and what condition it's in.

If you killed the butterfly yourself for a collection, there are certain things you must do to preserve it.  If you found it "freshly" dead that's better than finding it after it's all dried up, but either way it can be saved and preserved.  

It's a little involved, but in a nutshell it is this:

If the insect is dried out you need to put it in a large jar with a piece of window screen on the bottom, and under that screen you put cotton balls soaked in water and a "drop" of Carbolic Acid.  The water will soften the butterfly and the acid will keep mold from growing on it and destroying it.  You "can" do it without the acid, but you risk it.  Tightly seal the jar and put it away for a week or so.  When the insect is softened up enough that you can spread the wings and legs without breaking them, you're ready to proceed.  If the butterfly is not dried out all of this can be avoided and you can proceed to the next step.

You then need either some Balsa Wood or some other soft, yet firm, material that can be cut and shaped.  Put two pieces of the wood together with a "slot" running down the middle.  You place the butterfly with it's body in the slit, and spread the wings out over the flat parts of the board on the sides of the slit.  Using straight pins, pin the wings down, spread out the wings the way they look normal.  Do NOT push the pins through the wings, but put them along the edges and "lean" them inwards to hold down against the wings.  

Set this aside in a dry place (not in sunlight) for approximately one month or so, until the insect is thoroughly dry.

Get yourself a "deep" picture frame, a Ryker Mount is best, but any deep frame will do.  Place batting (fake cotton) within it nice and thick. Put the butterfly on top of this and gently lay the glass on top.  Before "completely sealing" it up, put "one" Moth Ball jammed in the corner under the batting.  If you do not, Dermestid Lavae "will" eventually get in and destroy your butterfly.  Put the back on the frame and seal it up along the edges with tape.

No other preservatives are necessary, and your butterfly will last the rest of your life this way.  Every few years replace the Moth Ball.

Enjoy.