How to Prepare Insects for Pinning

Last Updated: March 8, 2023 References

Who doesn’t like a super cool insect collection? They’re actually easier to make than you may realize. Whether you have a freshly-caught bug or a dried one, preparing it for pinning is simple, but it’s also super important. If they aren’t properly prepared, your bug could break down or the pin could prevent you from seeing some of its unique characteristics. But with the right approach and preparation, you can pin and display your insects in no time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Killing Live Insects

1
Soak cotton wool with nail polish remover and place it in a jar. Take a small piece of cotton wool or a cotton ball and apply nail polish remover to it so it’s saturated. Add the soaked cotton wool into an airtight jar with a lid.^{[1]
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- You could also use a sealable plastic container.
- Nail polish remover can put off noxious fumes, so avoid breathing them in directly.
2
Seal the insect in the jar with the wool until it dies. Place the live insect into the jar with the cotton wool soaked in nail polish remover. Close the lid on the jar so it’s sealed and airtight. Wait until the insect stops moving.^{[2]
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- Smaller insects like flies and bees may die within a few minutes, while larger beetles could take up to an hour.
- If you’re pinning multiple insects, avoid placing larger ones in the jar with smaller ones or they may eat them.
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3
Pin the insect within a few hours after killing it. The insect will be most pliable and easy to pin and preserve right after it dies. Try to pin the insect as soon as possible after it dies for the best results.^{[3]
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4
Place the jar in a freezer if you plan to pin the insect later. If you aren’t able to pin the insect soon after it dies, store it in your freezer to help keep it from turning rigid and brittle. When you’re ready to pin the insect, take the jar out of the freezer and let it defrost for 15-20 minutes so it becomes pliable again.^{[4]
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- You can keep the insect in your freezer for a few days until you’re ready to pin it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Relaxing Dried Insects

1
Moisten 2-3 sheets of paper towels and lay them flat in a container. Take a few sheets of paper towels and dampen them with water so they’re moist but not fully saturated. Place them in the bottom of a sealable container such as a jar or a plastic container.^{[5]
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- Soaked paper towels can oversaturate the insect specimens. Squeeze out any excess before you add them to the container.
2
Stack the insects between layers of damp paper towels. Create a single layer of insects on top of the wet paper towels in the bottom of the container. Dampen a few more sheets of paper towels so they’re moist but not saturated. Gently lay them over the insects so they’re covered by the 2 layers of paper towels. Add another layer of insects on top of the paper towels and cover them with damp paper towels as well. Continue stacking until all of your insects are encased in between a layer of damp paper towels.^{[6]
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- If you’re relaxing multiple insects, stack them between layers of paper towels
3
Seal the container for 2-6 days until the legs are mobile. Put on the lid and seal the container so it’s airtight. Place the container somewhere it won’t be disturbed such as a cabinet or a drawer and allow the specimens to gently relax and rehydrate for 2-3 days before you pin them. Larger beetles and hard insects may take 5-6 days to relax. Use your fingers to try to move the legs to see if they’re mobile and no longer rigid to tell if they’re relaxed.^{[7]
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- If the legs are still stiff, don’t try to force them to move. Place the insect back into the container and wait another day or so before you check them again.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Positioning the Pins

1
Use 38mm entomological pins to avoid corrosion. Choose pins that are specially designed for entomological specimens so they pass through the specimen without corroding from the insect’s body fluids. Entomological pins come in a few sizes, but size 3 is the most commonly used and is suitable for most insect specimens.^{[8]
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- Look for the pins at entomological supply stores. You can also order them online.
- Avoid using sewing needles or other metal pins, which may rust and damage your specimen over time.
2
Avoid pinning soft-bodied insects. Soft-bodied insects like caterpillars, mayflies, and silverfish will dehydrate and can’t be pinned. Choose hard-bodied or other insects, which are more suitable for pinning, such as grasshoppers, butterflies, and beetles.^{[9]
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3
Go through the center of the thorax for butterflies, moths, and dragonflies. Butterflies, moths, and dragonflies have smaller bodies, so choosing the heavier parts of the body will help preserve them. Choose the center of the thorax between the base of the forewings, which are the smaller pair of wings beneath the larger top wings.^{[10]
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4
Pin bees, wasps, and flies through the thorax slightly right of center. Look between the base of the forewings. Line up the pin so it’s just slightly right of the middle line of the insect so the fore and hind wings are coupled together.^{[11]
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- Proper pin placement will help prevent destroying important identifying characteristics of the insect.
5
Place your pin through the scutellum of true bugs. True bugs are an order of insects that includes cicadas, aphids, and shield bugs. The scutellum is the triangular area beneath the base of the wings on the back of the true bug. Choose this area for your pin placement.^{[12]
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Select slightly to the right of the saddle for grasshoppers and crickets. Insects like grasshoppers and crickets have a prothorax, also known as a saddle, which is the lower segment of the thorax, where the first pair of legs are attached. Place your pin here to help support the weight of the insect and keep from blocking any identifying characteristics.^{[13]
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Push through the right wing cover near the centerline of beetles. Beetles and other hard-bodied insects have shells or covers over their wings. Place your pin near the top of the cover, just to the right of the centerline on the back of the insect.^{[14]
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8
Mount the pinned bug to an insect display case. Use an insect display case specially designed to hold and show off your cool bug collection. After you insert the pin through your bug, stick it to the mounting surface of the display case. Make sure the pin is securely attached so it won’t fall out.^{[15]
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- Look for insect display cases at entomological supply stores. You can also find them online and order a design that you like.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Spreading Flying Insect Wings

1
Use a freshly killed or well-relaxed winged insect. Winged insects like moths and butterflies have delicate, fragile wings, especially if they’re dry or dehydrated. Choose either a recently killed insect specimen or make sure the specimen is fully relaxed before you try to spread the wings so they don’t break.^{[16]
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- If the legs are easy to move and aren’t brittle, then the insect is relaxed and ready to be pinned.
2
Pin the insect through the thorax and stick it to a spreading board. Use an entomological pin and carefully push it through the center of your insect specimen. Pin the insect to a spreading board which is a piece of equipment made of soft wood designed to help spread insect wings without damaging them.^{[17]
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- You can buy spreading boards at entomological supply stores, or you can order them online.
3
Cut 2 strips of paper about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) wide and 6 inches (15 cm) long. Use wax, tracing, or plain white printer paper. Take a pair of scissors and cut off 2 strips so you have 1 for each wing.^{[18]
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- Make sure the paper isn’t sticky or it could damage the wings.
- Avoid using newspaper or colored paper, which could potentially stain the wings.
4
Slip a strip of paper between the wings and push 1 wing down. Take 1 of your strips of paper and slide it between the wings of the insect specimen. Gently press 1 of the wings down until it’s even with the spreading board.^{[19]
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- Don’t force the wings or you could break them. If the wing won’t move or open, try relaxing the insect again.
5
Pin the top and bottom of the paper to hold the wing down. Hold the wing down with the strip of paper. Stick a pin at the top of the strip of paper into the spreading board and another at the bottom so the paper gently holds the wing down.^{[20]
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- It can help to have a friend pin the ends of the paper while you carefully hold the wing open.
6
Use the other strip of paper to pin the other wing down. Take your other strip of paper and gently press the other wing down so it’s even with the spreading board. Pin the top and bottom of the paper so both wings are held open by the strips of paper.^{[21]
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Allow the insects to dry for 2-3 days before you remove the pins. Leave the insect to dry so the wings remain open. After a few days, you can remove the pins and the strips of paper and pin your insect into an insect display case with the wings spread.^{[22]
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- If the wings move or begin to close after you remove the strips, open them back up and let them dry for another day or so.
- You can find insect display cases at entomological supply stores. You can also order them online.