Where and how to preserve an insect collection?

Question

I know how to get the insects, how to kill them (Killing jar or freezer) and how to pin/glue them, but I am wondering where I could place the styrofoam in which the insects are placed and if it will attract dermestid beetles or such a thing.

Also, is there some kind of container I could build that would protect the collection(s). i read that cedar helps repel these insect collection eaters...

I have not made any collections yet, any help on not getting an infestation would be greatly appreciated.

For geographic reasons (maybe it helps), I live in montreal, (Southeast of the Quebec province, in the east of Canada)

Answer 1

paint tthem with  clear fingernail polish.  they will be preserved if you soak them long eno'ugh.......longer for bigger insects.

shorter for thin, fragile, or winged insects.

Answer 2

Ummm....wow....

Killing insects for a collection is soooooooooo not cool.  Try to find some that are already dead.

Answer 3

If you're planning to take the styrofoam (and I believe they use a cotton filling) and encase it in the black hardboard, as many professional entymologists do, it shouldn't attract any additional insects. However, if you wrap the strofoam in a material then it may attract a variety of other insects incl. beetles. I suppose to you could put some cedar chips along the sides & bottom of the casing without much harm to what you're saving. But, don't paint them with nail polish as suggested by another poster.

If you don't get the answer you're seeking here, try the science dept at any college close to you. There you will be able to see just how they preserve their bugs.

Personally I love freshly dead cicadas. They're awesome.

Answer 4

Protecting the art

Besides enhancing the art, a major purpose of framing is protection. One of the most important things is using rag board for matting. Rag board is made from cloth instead of wood pulp, so there is no acid to leach onto the art. Preservation of your art is also a factor in where you put it. Never hang art within 10 feet of direct sunlight. If you must hang art in an area of intense sun, consider something that is replaceable. Ideally, art should be rearranged periodically to keep light patterns from damaging it.

Avoid placing art above a fireplace; soot, heat and dryness can damage art. If you must put a painting above a fireplace, place an insulating sheet of plywood behind it to protect it from chimney heat.

Beaudin and Cooper say that lights attached to frames are a bad idea; the light is too close and can damage art, not to mention the frame.

Never put valuable art in a bathroom or kitchen. Avoid picture wire to hang art; the tension can damage the frame. Instead, put two hooks in the walls, and hook them directly into hooks in the frame.

A short class on glass

There are a several options when choosing glass for your artwork.

Regular picture glass: Blocks about 43 percent of harmful ultraviolet light, but there's a lot of glare.

Nonglare: The familiar "fuzzy" glass. This acid-etched glass affects the viewing of the art.

Image Perfect: A brand of nonreflective glass that doesn't change the way the art looks.

Museum glass: Nonreflective, it also blocks 99 percent of ultraviolet light.

Acrylics: A lightweight alternative to glass. It's recommended for very large pieces to cut weight

Now that I have explained that - here is a web site for you to see finished frames for insect displays -

I'm sure you could construct one of these yourself with an old/new picture frame with a open close clasp and hinge if you want to  - or seal them completely for saving.

Glass Top Display Box

If you wish to maintain your collection for a number of years, a glass top display box will be more satisfactory than a cardboard or plastic box. Glass top insect boxes can be purchased from supply houses or can be made according to the illustration below.

Materials needed

One piece of masonite or hardboard, 18 by 24 inches

Two side pieces of pine, 3/4 by 3 1/2 by 24 inches

One end piece of pine, 3/4 by 3 1/2 by 16 1/2 inches

One end piece of pine, 3/4 by 3 1/8 by 16 1/2 inches

One piece of styrofoam or soft fiberboard, 16 1/2 by 22 1/2 inches

One piece of window glass, 1/8 inch thick by 17 by 23 1/2 inches

Procedure

Construct according to the diagram at the below web site.

For the top cover - i would use a frame - save you from building that part - and just construct the sides around it.

Cover your styrofoam with some nice fabric - maybe a synthetic velvet -  pin your insects and there you go - a sealed protected collection

And here is the answer to your suspected insect infestation:

If collection boxes, shadow boxes or display domes become infested with book lice or dermestid (carpet) beetles, place them in a freezer for a number of days to kill these pests.