How to Make Insect Templates

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This article was co-written by Samuel Ramsey, PhD. Samuel Ramsey is an entomologist and research specialist with the United States Department of Agriculture. Ramsey has extensive knowledge of symbiosis and research into insect disease spread, parasitic behavior, mutualistic development, biological control, invasive species ecology, insect receptor health pollen and pest control. He holds a bachelor’s degree in entomology from Cornell University and a doctorate in entomology from the University of Maryland. Ramsey’s research on bees has allowed researchers to develop targeted control techniques to restore honey bee populations worldwide. He also hosts a YouTube series called “Dr. Buggs.”

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Insects are fascinating and complex creatures. Many people have a hobby of making insect specimens. Insects are often preserved for the purposes of identification and scientific research or for personal preference. Whether it’s finding the carcass of an insect outdoors or indoors or planning to handle a live one yourself, you have a variety of methods for making insect specimens. Soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars and larvae are often preserved with rubbing alcohol. Hardy insects – especially butterflies, moths, bees and beetles – are preserved by pinning. If the insect has an exoskeleton, the best treatment is a pin to dry the specimen.

Table of Contents

Preserving insects in rubbing alcohol

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Pour rubbing alcohol into a glass jar as small as half a jar. Alcohol will preserve the insect’s carcass, preventing it from rotting, drying out or breaking into pieces. Choose a jar larger than the size of the insect, but not too big. You will spend a lot of alcohol if you soak the small insect in a large jar.

Most rubbing alcohol is a 70% solution – this concentration is suitable for insect preservation. A higher concentration of rubbing alcohol – 80 or 85% – is also good, as some insects should be stored in a high concentration of alcohol. ^{[1] X Research Source}
For example, some animals that should be soaked in high concentrations of alcohol are: spiders, scorpions, earthworms and small insects such as lice and silver beetles. ^{[2] X Research Source}
Make sure the glass jar has a tight-fitting lid and doesn’t have any gaps.

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Find a dead insect. Note that molluscs preserved in alcohol are the most common. Insects are everywhere: on windows in your home, in the environment near where you live, even in nearby spider webs. You probably want to keep an insect intact. If the insect died several days ago and is decaying or disintegrating, the preservation will be less effective.

You can also trap insects yourself using a variety of methods, such as catching butterflies or moths with a butterfly racket. ^{[3] X Sources of Research} Some people are against the ethical practice of killing insects for the sake of specimens, but traps are an effective way to obtain dead insects.

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Identification and labeling of insects. When making insect specimens, you must know what species you are dealing with. This is an especially important step if you are making insect specimens for scientific purposes. The label should include the following information: the genus and species of the insect, the date and location of the find, and the name of the collector. Label the information on the alcohol bottle.

There are many useful websites that can help you identify the insect. ^{[4] X Research Resources} You can check out BugGuide.net or InsectIdentification.org. before. If these sites don’t help you, try contacting your local entomologist.

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Carefully place the insect in the jar. Be gentle and very careful when handling insects: they are very fragile and easily broken. It’s best to use tongs or tweezers to hold the insect, as the insect’s parts can be broken or damaged if you hold it by hand.

If the insect has a stinger (honey bee, wasp) or is venomous, you should wear latex gloves when handling it.

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Pour in rubbing alcohol to fill the jar. Only do this step when the insect has sunk to the bottom of the jar. Slowly pour in the alcohol until the bottle is full. If you pour too quickly, you may break or damage the slide.

Cover the jar tightly and store it in a safe place. If you’re going to do a large collection, it’s best to set aside a tabletop for displaying specimen vials.
Keep insect jars away from food, children, and pets.

Preserve insects in hand sanitizer

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Fill the bottle 2/3 full of hand sanitizer. Similar to rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer also works to preserve insect carcasses, preventing it from rotting or decomposing. However, unlike alcohol, the dense texture of the hand sanitizer makes the insect carcass suspended in it, making it more attractive to display and also easier to observe. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Use a jar large enough for the insect to float in without wasting hand sanitizer.

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Place the insect in the hand sanitizer. Avoid handling insects; you should use tongs or tweezers to pick it up. ^{[6] X Research Source} Gently submerge the dead insect in hand sanitizer until it is suspended in the gel.

If it’s a delicate insect such as a honey bee or wasp, be very careful not to break the insect’s wings or body when submerging it in the gel.
Harder and larger insects – such as butterflies – can be difficult to store in hand sanitizer, as the gel can break their parts. While other hardy insects can be preserved in hand sanitizer, you should look for ones that don’t have wings or a delicate protruding antennae.

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Boil the container to remove air bubbles. To get rid of ugly air bubbles in hand sanitizer, you can fill a saucepan with water up to 2.5 – 5 cm high. Bring the water to a boil and place the jars (two-thirds full of hand sanitizer with the insect on top) in the boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes. ^{[7] X Research Source} Remember to open the lid of the vial when boiling to avoid exploding the vial.

Don’t let water get into the bottle so the hand sanitizer doesn’t get diluted.
Many people think that the air bubbles in hand sanitizer look unsightly and distracting when they are observing the insect, but if you don’t mind the bubbles, you can skip this step.

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Continue filling the bottle with hand sanitizer. After you remove the vial from the boiling water and allow it to cool to room temperature, you will fill or fill the bottle with hand sanitizer. When the jar is full, you can use tweezers or tongs to fix the insect into the desired position. Label the outside of the vial, tighten the cap, and your copy is done.

These vials can be displayed in museums or other events, and can be picked up by children (under adult supervision). ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Pin the insect template

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Buy insect pins and foam sheets. An insect pin is a type of needle made of tempered steel and is usually about 3.5 cm long. This type of needle is quite thin so as not to damage the specimen. For insects with thick bodies, you should use thicker needles (and use thinner needles to pin smaller insects). Any kind of foam will work, as long as it’s thick (so insects won’t fall off). ^{[9] X Research Source}

Insect specimens are also often pinned on cork instead of foam board.
Both pins and styrofoam (or cork) boards are available at craft stores or biomaterials companies, such as BioQuip. You can also buy these pins and foam sheets from online retailers, including Amazon.

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Rehydrate the specimen. If you’re posing for an insect, you’ll need to rehydrate it. You can skip this step if you can still move the insect’s legs a little without difficulty. Find a container with a tight-fitting lid. Dab a little alcohol on a rag or paper towels to moisten and line the bottom of the box. You can use ethane, isopropyl alcohol, or even nail polish remover. Do not place the insect directly on the wet towel. Place a folded piece of cloth or several sheets of dry paper towels on top of the wet towel and place the insect on a dry surface. Your aim is to keep the insect dry while exposed to the alcohol vapors. The trick here is to use multiple layers of dry towels.

Most hard-shelled insects will stay moist enough for 3 days. Larger bugs take at least 5 days. You can check daily; When the insect’s legs can be moved easily, the requirements are met.
The slide can get wet if you use too much alcohol or just use a tissue, or leave it on for too long. This may cause the specimen to degrade or rot. You can avoid this by lining up extra layers of dry towels to separate the insects from the wet towels.
If your insect starts to show signs of deterioration, you can still save it. Do not pick up the insect. Take out the dry paper with the insect on it and wait for it to dry, then try rehydrating it when it’s no longer wet.

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Pin the needle to the insect. Pins are the most effective method of preserving hardy insects. Pin the needle to the chest (middle part) of the insect carcass so that it is about 2/3 full of the insect; The idea here is that you can hold the needle to lift the insect without touching it. ^{[10] X Research Source}

For the beetle, pin it in the center of its right coat. ^{[11] X Research Source}

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Attach the insect to the foam sheet and label it. Pin the needle down the foam sheet to a depth of about 1.5 cm. Be careful not to break the insect. You can leave it as it is or use more pins to correct the position of the specimen. If it’s a large insect, make sure it’s rehydrated enough so you can move its legs without breaking. Do not pin the needle through when adjusting insect legs. Instead, pin the needle onto the foam sheet so that the insect pins rest against the tip of the pin. As the insect dries, its legs will “freeze” in place. If these pins cannot be fixed, you can pin 2 needles into an X shape to keep the insect’s feet on the V notch of the 2 needles like a hammock.

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Wait for the insect to dry. Depending on the size of the specimen, this can take from 1 day to 2 weeks. Small insects such as ladybugs will dry in about a day, bees in three days, and larger insects can take up to a week or so to dry. You can test to see if the specimen is dry by pressing the insect’s leg with a pin; If it’s moved, you have to wait, and if it still doesn’t move, it’s dry. Once the insect has dried, you can remove the pin and pin the specimen to the display case.

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Label the template. Identify the genus and species of the insect and print it out clearly on a piece of paper. You should also include the location and date of finding the insect, and the name of the specimen collector. Some collectors also make notes about their surroundings when collecting insects: eating leaves, found under logs, etc. ^{[12] X Research Source} Pin the piece of paper to the main pin. insects, or attach a piece of paper near the specimen when framing.

If not framed, you can preserve the specimen by storing it in a drawer or set of drawers, or even in a wooden cigar box. Put a few mothballs in the box to prevent scavengers. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Butterfly template pin

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Buy materials. You will need an insect stapler and flat-tipped tweezers. Butterfly staples will be thinner than insect staples, about 0.25 -0.75 mm. For insects with thicker stems, you will need thicker needles (and thinner needles for smaller insects). This type of needle is usually about 3.5 cm long. ^{[14] X Research Source}

DO NOT use regular tweezers. You can tear the butterfly’s wings if you use tweezers that don’t have flat ends.

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Prepare the butterfly template pin board. To make your own template pin board, you will take a flat piece of styrofoam and make a slit in the center of the board to fit the body of a butterfly or moth. Any type of styrofoam can be used as a staple board, as long as it’s solid (so the slide won’t fall off).

Make sure the foam board is wide enough to pin the butterfly spreading its wings.
Insects are also often mounted on cork or cork instead of foam board.
Make your own or purchase a template pin board that has a V-shaped surface so the butterfly wings form a diagonal angle. This type of board is best to buy, but you can also make your own. If you like making wooden boards, you need to be careful that the wood glue doesn’t get in the way of the delicate insect pins.
Both pins and styrofoam (or cork boards) are available at craft stores or companies that sell biomaterials such as BioQuip. Staples and foam sheets can also be purchased at online retailers, including Amazon and Butterfly Company.

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Prepare the wax paper tapes. Cut 4 strips of wax paper the length of the butterfly’s wings (from the tip to the tail) plus 2.5 cm. Butterflies and moths are fragile insects, so their wings are easily torn. Therefore, the butterfly wings must be held in place with these wax paper tapes so that the pins do not damage the butterfly wings.

You should prepare some extra paper tape just in case.

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Rehydrate the specimen. Unless you have a recently dead butterfly, you will need to rehydrate it. Skip this step if you can still easily move the butterfly’s legs. Find a box with a tight-fitting lid. Dab alcohol on a cloth or several sheets of paper towels to moisten and spread it on the bottom of the box. You can use ethane, isopropyl alcohol, even nail polish remover. Do not place the butterfly directly on the wet towel. You need to line a folded piece of fabric or several sheets of tissue paper over the wet cloth, place an extra piece of wax paper on top, then place the butterfly on the dry wax paper. Your aim is to keep the insect dry while exposed to the alcohol vapors. The key here is to use multiple layers of dry paper.

Small butterflies (1-5cm) may only need 1 day to rehydrate. Medium sized butterflies (2.5-8 cm) will take a few days, while large butterflies can take up to 5 days. You can test it by opening the butterfly’s wings. Use tweezers to separate the two wings of the butterfly in the gap just above its head. If you feel resistance, you need to wait a little longer. If you start pinning and the upper wings of the butterfly are not completely flat, it needs to be continued to be rehydrated.
If you use too much alcohol, or just use a paper towel or leave it too long, the insect can get wet and cause the specimen to degrade or rot. If this happens, the slide is too badly damaged to be stapled. You can avoid this by separating the insect from the wet towel with layers of dry towels.
If the insect’s condition begins to deteriorate, you may still be able to fix it. Do not lift the butterfly. Take the surface to place the butterfly on and leave it out to dry. Consider the butterfly. If you find its wings stick together, you can try to separate them with tweezers and insert a wax paper tape between the butterfly wings until dry. Try rehydrating again after the butterfly is completely dry.

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Pin the insect’s body onto the needle. After the rehydration step, pick up the butterfly by clamping it on its chest. If you hold the butterfly’s belly, it may break. Place your hand underneath so that the butterfly’s wings are facing up. Pin the needle to the center of the butterfly’s chest. This needle must be inserted straight up, not tilted. Slide the butterfly down until the pin is 2/3 of the thickness of the butterfly body; how can you hold the needle to lift the butterfly without touching it. Pin the butterfly to the opening on the template pin board. Pin the worm down so that the underside of the butterfly wing is level with the surface of the board. You can also pin at an angle, as long as the butterfly’s wings are flat.

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Separate butterfly wings. Use tweezers to hold the butterfly wings open. Insert the closed tweezers between the butterfly wings and release to open. Insert a wax paper tape between the 2 wings. The tape should be long enough to stick out from the ends of the butterfly’s wings. Use this tape to separate the wings and insert another tape on the other side of the pin. They will be used to keep the butterfly wings flat.

If you can’t separate the butterfly’s wings with tweezers, don’t try to push the wax paper down from the top. This most likely causes the butterfly wing tips to fold or tear. Try skating from the front (just above the butterfly’s head), as there will often be space between the wings at the shoulder joint.

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Pin butterfly wings. Hold the wax paper to pull down the butterfly wing until it lies flat on the slide board. Do not pin the needle through the butterfly wing , but only into the wax paper tape. Make sure the paper tape is stretched so that the butterfly wings do not move. Do the same for both wings.

When you start pinning and the upper wings do not lie completely flat, it needs to be rehydrated. Do not press down on the butterfly wings as they may break. You can leave the tapes in between the butterfly wings while rehydrating.
If the butterfly wings slip off, pull on the wax tapes and pin them diagonally. Pin the needle so that it tilts away from the butterfly body. This way, the tapes will be stapled more firmly.

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Place the butterfly wings in the correct position and pin them in place. Start from the top wing. Temporarily remove the pin from the top of the wax tape. Do not remove the tape or the butterfly’s wings will close. Do not touch the butterfly wings directly , instead hold wax paper tape or tweezers to hold the butterfly in place. Hold the top of the butterfly towards the center of the wing, not the tip. Once everything is in place, you will re-stapling the wax paper tape. The lower wings are more fragile. Hold on to the edge and drag up or down. Do not pull the butterfly wings away from the butterfly body or it will tear. Pin the butterfly wings down.

Remember to hold the butterfly wing while adjusting the position of the other wing on the same side.
Some butterflies have thick veins towards the tips of the wings. If you don’t have flat-tipped tweezers, you can pull the butterfly’s wings out using a pin against this tendon. Do not pin the butterfly’s wings lest they puncture the wings. Pull the butterfly to the side and pin it in place as usual.
You should wear gloves when working, because oil on the skin of the hands can remove the scales on the butterfly’s wings. If your hands are sweaty, the scales on the butterfly wings can be washed away, even through gloves and wax paper. You should regularly dry your hands.

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Adjust for the last time. If something doesn’t lie flat, cut more wax paper and pin the unsatisfactory areas. If somehow the butterfly’s legs and antennae are still intact (they break easily), you can try repositioning them with a pin. This step requires a lot of practice.

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Label the insect. Identify the genus and species of the insect and print it out clearly on the piece of paper. You should also note the location and date the insect was found and who collected the specimen. Some collectors also note the circumstances under which the insect was collected: eating leaves, found under a log, etc. ^{[15] X Source} Pin this piece of paper with the main pin. insect.

If you’re doing a collection of insect specimens, you may want to use foam board or wide cork to allow room to expand the collection.
Protect pinned insects by storing them in a drawer or set of drawers, even in a cigar box. Add mothballs to the box to prevent scavengers. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Advice

Place insect specimens out of direct sunlight to prevent color fading.
Do not attempt to correct the insect’s posture without rehydrating it, as the insect’s legs will break.
Be gentle with insects. They are more fragile than you think!
Always wash your hands before and after handling insects.
Never inhale the vapors of cleaning alcohol.

Steps

Preserving insects in rubbing alcohol

Preserve insects in hand sanitizer

Pin the insect template

Butterfly template pin

Advice

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