Butterflies come in different sizes and colors, and are considered beautiful by many people. Display. Once these butterflies die naturally, they have wings left. Of course the main reasons relate to scientific studies, and for these purposes there are many conventions that have been developed and students are encouraged to follow these whenever possible so that specimens collects and documented can ultimately … You will use these strips to hold the wings in place and keep them from curling as they dry. These people sometimes sell them, sometimes they compost them. But I cant do any of this as the butterfly is quite fragile. Just go ahead and pin the butterfly, following the instructions in the blog, starting with step 4. Collect butterflies for preservation by locating dead specimens or humanely killing live specimens. paper will get ink marks on your butterfly) about that are about 1-1/2” wide and 6” long. So, I found a mummified, perfectly preserved butterfly on my window sill. Its beautiful and I want to preserve it and look at it and may be show it off to people. I have one where the butterfly is pre-set, much in the same way as you would for a collection. After pinning, it is helpful to force the wings down with forceps. After following the steps to spread the butterfly’s wings and keep them in place, leave the butterfly for a good week. I was told to hairspray it, which I did, and to place it in the freezer, where it is now. Then, after the butterfly has dried in the way you like, there was a bit of glue on the bottom side of the thorax glued directly to the glass. I would not wait. Relaxing and drying are necessary to prevent the specimen from breaking or molding in the future. Our collection of framed butterflies is mounted with UV blocking glass in a gallery frame and includes the famous Monarch Butterfly, Framed Morpho Butterflies, Charles Darwin’s favorite butterfly, and species from the Swallowtail Family. I believe I found it very shortly after it died, because it wasn't brittle or falling apart. 3) Holding the pinned butterfly, place the body in the groove of a spreading board and push the pin into the groove to hold butterfly in place. The butterfly has such a short lifespan that we need these conservation groups to keep them populating. Gently insert a sharp pin between the veins on the front edge of the left fore-wing and pull the forewing into place. As far as how the frame and glass, i am sure you could buy one online or make it on your own. This step makes the specimen easier to manipulate once it is positioned on the mounting board. Preserve a butterfly specimen by relaxing, pinning and drying the specimen. Because of this, butterfly-themed rooms, areas and pictures have been adorning homes for generations. See if I can make a brooch or something out of it and give it as a gift to people close to me. The longer you wait, the more dry, stiff, and friagile the butterfly’s wings will become. Wings last for a very long time, and a lot of butterflies keep their color for hundreds of years if left untouched. I am trying to find out how to preserve it, but I have no experience with this. Although the technique and method of preservation varies depending on the life stage of the butterfly, preserving a butterfly typically involves placing the specimen in preservative fluids and then storing it in rubbing alcohol to keep its wings moist and relaxed. 4. There are a variety of reasons people collect, preserve and display specimens of insects and their relatives. 4) After the thorax is pinned in the groove, place thin strips of paper (or index card) over each side of the wings, close to … I found a butterfly today. It's wings are spread completely apart. 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