SPREADING OTHER INSECTS

Spreading insects other than butterflies is easy. There are a few rules to consider and some variations depending on your taste and which part of the insect body you want to show the most. Dragonflies, damselflies, cicadas and antlions should be spread on the same kind of drying board as butterflies. Like butterflies, in order to be succesfully mounted, these insects must be freshly caught or humidified in a humidifying chamber for a few days.

The two pictures below show the kind of set-up you need to create.

Where to pin

This illustration shows you where you should insert the needle. As you see, it varies depending on the kind of insect.

Smaller Insects

Small insects can be glued on mounting plates of different sizes using acasuc glue. This glue, made of arabic gum, is soluble in water leaving the small insect free from pin holes. It is also practical if you intend to take pictures of your specimens.