SPREADING OR DRYING BOARD

This board, called a spreading board, is made to support the insect in the right position until it becomes dry. The length is about 16 inches (40 cm). That will support three big butterflies or more if smaller. The width of the board depends of the wingspan of the insect.

The most important thing to consider is the groove that runs from one end of the board to the other. This groove receives the body of the insect. As the body of a butterfly varies in size, it is useful to have different sizes of grooves.

I recommend a styrofoam board for beginners. They are made of polystyrene and have the advantage of being cheap and easy to transform into all sizes of pinning boards. Ask somebody to make the groove on a bandsaw. The average groove is about 1/2 inch and 3/8 inches deep. For some big moths, you will need a groove up to 1 inch wide and 3/4 inches deep.

The first ones that I constructed were made of pine baseboards glued onto styrofoam. The wood you will choose should be soft enough to easily insert needles.

I suggest that you arrange the wings in a flat position. It makes it easier to set the focus when you want to take some pictures.

You can find some spreading boards for sale by looking in my links pages. Some boards are more sophisticated and more expensive .