Transcript How to Pin Insects - College of Natural Resources

How to Pin Insects
A Guide to Pin
Placement for Different
Specimens
Pin Height
• Mount the insect about 1
inch up on the pin (1/4” of
pin left at the top)
• For large insects, there
should be enough above the
specimen to allow easy
handling.
Mounting on Points
• Insects that are too small to pin
must be mounted on points. A
point is a small triangular piece
of card stock.
• The pin goes through the thick
part of the point. The insect is
glued to the point of the
triangle.
Mounting on Points
• Look on page 13 of your
Peterson Field Guide for
more information or for
reference.
Pinning Specimens
• When pinning your insects, be
sure that the pin goes
vertically through the insect.
The pin should not be angled
at all. If it is angled, the
insect will look off center
when place on the styrofoam.
Pinning Butterflies,
Moths, & Dragonflies
• You will need to pinch a few
pieces out of your styrofoam
to allow the body to sit in.
This allows the wings to dry
perfectly flat instead of
angled above the body.
Mounting Butterflies
• The pin should enter the top
of the thorax (just behind
the head).
• The butterfly should be
mounted 1 inch up the pin.
Mounting Butterflies
• Place the butterfly on your
styrofoam and place 2 pins
on each side of the body.
• Then, use a pin to move the
forewing to perpendicular
(90 degree angle) to the
body-Do on both sides
Mounting Butterflies
• Place pins into the hindwing on
an angle. This helps keep the
wings flat.
• Then, place 2 pins on both sides
of the abdomen to help support
it. They will cross underneath
the abdomen.
Mounting Moths
• The pin should enter the top
of the thorax (just behind
the head).
• The moth should be
mounted 1 inch up the pin.
Mounting Moths
• When the first pin is in place,
you will want to move the wings
into the same position as you
would with a butterfly (see
Mounting Butterflies)
• Also, support the abdomen in
the same way.
Mounting Dragonflies
• Place pin through the thorax
(in between the wings).
• Mount the dragonfly 1 inch
up on the pin.
Mounting Dragonflies
• You will need to spread the
wings and support the
abdomen just as you did
with butterflies (see
Mounting Butterflies).
Mounting Beetles
• Pin placement
should be
through the
right elytra
Mounting Bees, Wasps
or Flies
• Pin through
the thorax, a
little behind
the
forewings
Mounting Stink Bugs
• Pin through
the V-shaped
shield
(scuttelum),
to the right
of middle
line
Mounting Grasshoppers
• Pin through
the thorax &
to the right
of the middle
line
Mounting Labels
• Mount the location/date label
5/8” up on the pin.
• Mount the collector’s name
about 3/8” up on the pin.