Insect collection was always fun during undergraduate studies. We did it for academic scores but observed and learnt many things apart from the curriculum itself. After insect collection, I was able to tell the location and crop where you can find the particular insect in different seasons. Exchanging of insects with friends was like a big business deal🤭. We used to keep our insect box safe so that no one could steal our gems. Those who find rare or large insects got a different attention and respect from peer.
Iam an undergraduate in agriculture i failed in entomology post graduate but love for entomology never diminishes iam 23 still thinking of being an entomologist
Crazy how the hobby differs, im obssesed with keeping them alive. Then i see the specimens they have in Thailand and just Asia in general but its illegal to import. If i could just get a male and a female and establish a captive bred population man
Can you pin an insect if it has been dead for over 2 years? Will the rehydration process work just fine for it? Fluffier insects (like bumblebees) before pinning are preserved in alcohol, but what type, what's the exact chemical word for the substance used? Some have told me isopropyl and others ethanol. And how do you exactly take care of the insects once they're dried and put on display. Besides moth balls, what else is there to it? P.S. I loved the video, very informative and always so refreshing listening to somebody talk with so much passion about a topic they love ♡
As long as the insect was stored properly in those two years, theres no reason the rehydration process would be any different. Like he said, if the dried insects are stored in those little envelopes, they can be kept for decades
I have been looking to identify an insect I saw over 20 years ago. It had a long narrow body about 2cm. It was brown with a 1cm band of gold across the back. The gold was very bright and shiny. I believe it to be a carrion eating insect as I found two of them on a dead squirrel. Have you seen anything like that in your travels?
I would get a good butterfly net(not one of the ones from the dollar tree) and a container to study them in(a plastic tub or one of those butterfly things he has in the background of the video). Then identify them, if you want to you can also right down we’re you found, what day and size. You can try pinning in but that can get hard and expensive. I just take pictures of them. If you want to be super precise ,you can get google earth, find where you found it, and write down the coordinates. I use the Apple numbers app to keep records. I am not an expert in pining so if you want to do that, you can do some research. A method I use is I take a white sheet,(you can staple sticks around the edges to make it easer to hold or have your siblings help if you have any)hold it out under a bush, and hit the bush with a stick. Most of the bugs will fall onto it for you to find. If you have and bright lights like front door ones or a flashlight, set those out at night to attract moths or other insects. You should also learn the different parts of insects. Like the head, thorax, and abdomen. But most of all, don’t get stressed out, just go out and enjoy nature. P.S. Forests and Parks are good places to find insects, and remember to check under rocks and logs.
Chloro-m-cresol, you can order it from BioQuip. But you don't need to have it. You can wet a small piece of sponge with water and a bit of bleach to put inside the container to prevent mold.
Entomologists should be at the forefront of paying attention to animal trafficking, it’s not good enough just to say- oh well, there’s no one paying attention, it’s sent in the mail. Collectors are the reason people take these rare species from their environments- for money.
