Preserving a Lepidoptera (Butterflies, Moths, and Skippers)

The best methods for preserving a specific insect will depend on the insects taxonomic order, groupings of types of insects based on similar characteristics and evolutionary lines. Lepidoptera is the taxonomic order of insects consisting of butterflies, moths, and skippers! Because of their beautiful, microscopically scaled wings, the method of preserving them involves both pinning (putting a pin through the insects body) and spreading (manually spreading the wings and setting them to dry in place).

While there are good, standard practices in entomology (the study of insects) that should be followed in a museum or research setting, if you are a hobbyist or creator looking to feature insects in your work, things are a lot less strict! I'm sharing things I've learned from coursework in entomology and personal experience as a hobbyist and lover of vulture culture, so I'm going to give some details that indicate what's typically a "standard" and what are alternatives you can do to get the job done without the curatorial specifics.

Often times, insects are humanely killed in order to assist in entomology research, and some hobbyists use these methods as well. For this tutorial, I will only be talking about how to find and preserve Lepidoptera that have died of natural causes. However, if you choose to kill an insect you have caught in order to preserve it, please be sure you follow these standard humane methods to avoid unnecessary harm: (click here for link)

In this instructable I will be going over a few things that are important to preserving your Lepidoptera, including:

1. Making a spreading board
2. Making a pinning block (this is only needed if you want a standard collection)
3. Sourcing and preparing your specimen (including how to make a relaxing chamber)
4. Pinning your specimen
5. Spreading your specimen's wings
6. Label making and further identification

• Styrofoam or Craft Foam
• Box Cutter / X-acto Knife
• Sharpie
• Waxpaper
• Scissors
• Insect Pins* (Alternate: sewing or decorative pins)
• Entomology forceps* or tweezers
• Cardstock / Index Cards
• Tape
• Pliers
• Ruler
• Mechanical Pencil or Pen
• A Lepidoptera!

Supplies for the relaxing chamber:

• Small Tupperware Container
• Paper Towels

Optional:

• An insect collection box*

*For these (and all other entomology) supplies, I recommend the website bioquipinc.com!

Supplies for this step:

• A piece of Styrofoam or craft foam of any general shape or size (this is up to you depending on how many insects you want to be able to pin on this board at once and how often you use it). I picked a larger circular shape because I like the additional room as opposed to the standard long rectangle shape.
• Ruler
• Sharpie
• Boxcutter / X-Acto Knife

Additional supplies if you're using craft foam:

• Wax paper
• Pliers*
• Insect Pins*
• Tape*

*(not pictured in the supply shot because I forgot I needed these before I started cutting up my foam 😅)

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Spreading boards are used to support your Lepidoptera while you spread it's wings, and while it dries out so it is able to hold the position you have spread it in. They feature a trough through the center to hold the body of your Lepidoptera while it's wings remain elevated. You can buy really nice wooden ones with adjustable features, or even buy premade styrofoam spreaders if you don't feel like making your own (again I recommend bioquipinc.com for anything I mention in this tutorial)! For those looking to make their own, here's what I did:

To start, I really recommend styrofoam as opposed to craft foam if you're DIYing your own board because it's much more sturdy and less flaky, but craft foam is just fine if you're willing to work with it! I used craft foam for this tutorial, so I'm going to go through some steps to better preserve the board if you're using craft foam as well.

1. If you're using craft foam, be sure to trace your foam piece onto two pieces of wax paper and set them aside for later. These will be used to protect the outside of the foam in order to keep it from rubbing off on anything or damaging your Lepidopterans wings. Make sure you cut your foam down to the size/shape you want it to be when it's finished before tracing it if necessary!
2. If you're using styrofoam, or once you've already completed the first step for craft foam, you're going to start by using your ruler and sharpie to draw a line down the center of your foam piece.
3. For the trough, mark off about 1/4" width on one end of your foam, centering your middle line. On the other end, mark off about 1/2" in the same way. Mark a depth of about 3/8th" on both sides and then draw two parallel (and slightly diagonal) lines connecting your marks on each side. Because my lines were messy in the center, I filled in the space between my connecting lines with sharpie so the marked off area was distinct. The trough goes from smaller to larger in size in order to accommodate Lepidopterans of different sizes and the beginning and end measurements are adjustable to your needs (if you only want to work with small Lepidopterans, you may want to make your measurements smaller and the same goes for larger as well).
4. Carefully carve out your trough with a boxcutter or x-acto knife, keeping the bottom of it as flat/even as you can (craftsmanship isn't too big of a deal with this though, so don't worry too much).

If you're using styrofoam, thats it! Feel free to move on to Step 2: Making a Pinning Block. If you're using craft foam, here's where the wax paper comes back in:

1. Cut out the shapes you traced on your wax paper and use some of your insect pins to pin one of the pieces to the top of your spreading board. Flip it over and carefully place the other piece on the back, poking the ends of the pins from the front through the paper.
2. With the board still flipped over, use your pliers to bend the tips of the pins so they are flat against the bottom of the board. This pushed my pins up a bit on the front side of the board, but I didn't mind it!
3. Using a sturdy tape (I used painters tape), tape down the bent pins on the back to secure them to the board. Then put vertical pieces of tape around the edges, attaching to both pieces of wax paper on either side of the board.
4. Finally, using your boxcutter or x-acto knife, cut out the piece of wax paper covering your trough and you board is complete!

It's important to keep in mind that your spreading board, if made of craft foam, will be a bit delicate! Handle it with care to prevent unnecessary damage.

Supplies for this step:

• Styrofoam or craft foam block (anything 1"x3" or larger)
• Ruler
• Boxcutter / X-acto knife
• Sharpie

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Pinning blocks are usually made out of wood and can be easily purchased online, but I figured I'd add how to make one just in case anyone was interested! A pinning block is used to measure out the items that go on the pin when pinning an insect for a standard collection, including the insect itself and it's identifying labels. If you don't plan on keeping your collection within this standard or want to use your insect creatively, this step (and tool) is unnecessary!

1. The dimensions for the pinning block are 3" long, 1" at the tallest peak, and 1" wide. You can start by drawing a rectangle that is 3" long and 1"x1" in width and height.
2. Some pinning blocks have four "steps," however the one we are making has three. The tallest is 1" and is used to push your insect up the pin. Mark an inch into the 3" length and create a square for the first section. The second section is 3/4" and should be marked off as well, this section is for the first identifying label that documents where, when, and who caught the insect. The last section is 1/2" and should also be marked off so that you are left with the three tiered outline of the block, this section is for the label that lists identifying information about the insects order and family, and Genus species if known.
3. Once you've sketched your outline for your pinning block, carve away all the excess foam with your blade. From here you can mark three dots in the center of each square where you will insert your pin when adjusting your pinned insect, and you're all set!

Supplies for this step (if you need to make a relaxing chamber):

• Small tupperware container
• Wax paper
• Paper towels
• Scissors
• Forceps or tweezers
• Your (dry) specimen

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Sourcing insects, especially Lepidopterans, that have died naturally but are still in decent condition can be a challenge, but with some practice and dedication it's not impossible! While most you come across won't be museum quality, they do the job for hobby and creative purposes and make for good practice with your pinning and spreading skills.

Once you become interested in insects, you start noticing them more and more. Taking time to familiarize yourself with your local area while keeping insects in mind can help you find areas with high insect activity that may be good spots to find dead Lepidopterans. Places like under lamps/lights and in areas with flowering vegetation are hotspots for Lepidopteran activity, so it's good to find a place or two like that that you can consistently check and hope you find something good! Some buildings / human structures also create spots where insects can get caught by the wind and trapped, such as in outdoor stairwells or walkways that pass corners where two buildings meet, and these can be good places to keep an eye out for while you search.

Another method of sourcing naturally dead Lepidopterans is to reach out to your local butterfly sanctuary or garden and ask them what they do with the insects that pass away! Many places will be willing to give over dead specimens for free, so it never hurts to ask, especially since they tend to go to waste otherwise. You can also put out ads in your local area to reach insect breeders and hobby collectors who may have specimens that have died naturally while in their care.

If you're really dedicated, you can also get into raising Lepidopterans yourself! Since many have rather short lifespans and are generally easy to care for, they can be a good source for specimens, especially if you need many of the same species for a project or collection. Here's a link to a source on raising caterpillars, however be sure to do specific research on the species you plan on raising if you decide to pick this option: (click here for the link).

It's important to note that some species of Lepidoptera are critically endangered and may be off limits according to laws and wildlife regulations in your area. Be sure before starting your search that you freshen up on species in your area that are restricted due to conservation efforts! For instance, where I'm at, the Miami Blue Butterfly is so endangered that all species even resembling it are protected by law from being interfered with by humans and they cannot be caught or collected. I will go more in depth on how to identify your specimen in Step 6: Label Making and Further Identification, however you should still do some preliminary research before collecting anything! Many national parks and nature preserves also restrict you from taking any specimen from their area, so be mindful of the regulations for the specific location you're searching in as well.

Once you've acquired a specimen, you can prepare it for preservation! Be sure to write down the date and location you found it in to save for the label you will make later. If it's died recently, it will be pliable and ready for pinning immediately. If you're not ready to pin it, placing a freshly dead insect in the freezer will keep it hydrated while being stored. Once you're ready to pin it, you can just thaw it out and jump right into things!

If the specimen you find is dried out, have no fear! When insects die they desiccate, which is the fancy term for drying out, and they can become very brittle and will break if you try to pin them. In order to hydrate a dry insect and prepare it for pinning, entomologists use a "relaxing chamber." This is a super simple method that works wonders, but may take a bit of time depending on the size of your Lepidopteran. Here are the steps below:

1. Wet your paper towels with warm water and squeeze them well so they are damp but not dripping. Fold them up and place them in the bottom of your tupperware container.
2. Cut a piece of wax paper to place on top of the paper towels, this will protect your specimen from the wet paper towels.
3. Grab your Lepidopteran with your forceps by gripping the thorax: the area between the head and the abdomen at the end of the body. Sometimes because of the size and slipping scales on the body of the insect it can be difficult to get a good grip, so alternatively I will grab the specimen by a sturdy looking leg if I'm sure it won't snap off (be very careful doing this, especially if your specimen is particularly brittle or small) to avoid roughing up too many hairs and scales.
4. Place your specimen in the container and put the lid on it. Store your container somewhere safe and at room temperature and give it time to build moisture and allow your specimen to rehydrate (this can take anywhere from a couple of days to a week or so depending on the size of the insect). Be sure to check routinely to ensure that mold isn't growing in the container, if this happens, change out your paper towels for new damp ones and add a small bit of Pine-sol to them. There's also other methods of mold prevention you can look into, but I will say I have yet to have mold grow in one of my relaxing chambers!
5. Check to see if your specimen is ready by gently squeezing the abdomen with your forceps and seeing if it squishes in slightly, if there's no give then it is still too dry to pin. You can also test the joints by trying to wiggle a wing or leg, if they are able to move you should be ready to pin!

It's important to always be careful when handling your Lepidoptera as they are very fragile and tend to shed the scales that give them certain colors and patterns easily. Avoid touching the wings all together unless you are in the spreading stage and avoid touching the specimen with your bare hands as the oil on your fingers can be damaging. It's best to stick to using forceps to move your insect when necessary!

Supplies for this step:

• Spreading Board
• Forceps or tweezers
• Scissors
• Wax paper
• Prepared specimen

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Insect pins are made specifically for pinning insects and they come in a variety of sizes indicated by a single digit number. The lowest number (1) is the thinnest, and as the numbers increase the thickness of the pin increases. You should choose a pin that fits with the size of the Lepidoptera that you're pinning, but 4 is a pretty average size and is the one I'll be using to pin my specimen, a moth. You can also use sewing pins or decorative pins as an alternative if you're wanting to use something you already have available to you or for a creative project.

1. Grabbing your insect by the thorax with your forceps again, place it somewhere in the trough of your spreading board depending on its size. You want to make sure the wings are fully supported by the sides of the trough while the gap is big enough to fit the body without rubbing up against the sides of your insect.
2. Using the forceps to stabilize the specimen, align your pin with the center of the thorax, right between the wings. Different orders have different pinning locations depending on their features, and this placement allows for the best view of the most important features for Lepidoptera!
3. Try your best to align the pin so it is straight up and down and will pin through evenly. This is particularly important for a standard or curatorial collection, but don't worry too much if you're not able to get it completely straight for your own personal collection.
4. Push the pin through while still gently stabilizing the body. It may take a little effort depending on the species and the quality of the specimen so don't be shy about applying a bit of extra force if needed! Once pinned, you can flip the specimen to see how even you were able to make the pin.

Now that your pin is in place, be sure to only grab your specimen by the head of the pin either with your fingers or your forceps to avoid any unnecessary damage to it now that you're begun the process of preserving it.

Supplies for this step:

• Spreading Board
• Pinned Specimen
• Wax paper
• Scissors
• Forceps
• Insect pins
• Lots of patience and a steady hand

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Spreading is the hardest part of the process and will take time and practice to perfect! The goal is to pull the wings open and align them symmetrically, allowing for a full view of the wings shape and patterns. The process is very delicate and takes focus to avoid breaking any parts or damaging too many wing scales, however know that mistakes happen! If all else fails, a little dab Elmer's glue can put a bug back together quite well, and if not, it was still worth the effort to have tried.

1. Start by returning your pinned specimen to the trough section it fits in on your spreading board, ensuring you push the pin it's on far enough into the foam that the wing lay flat on top of the surface of the board.
2. Cut wax paper strips that are able to cover the wings, leaving excess length above and below the wing so that you are able to pin through the strips to hold the wings in place as you spread them.
3. Place the strips over both wings and put an initial pin in the to hold them down. If you're working with a butterfly or skipper, you will have to put some effort into getting the wings to lay flat and will likely need to start with one wing and pin it at the top and bottom before going to the other wing and doing the same.
4. Once your initial pins are in place, take your forceps and grab the small area of the wing closest to the body of the insect. There will be a small, solid line that is part of the structure of the wing that you can grab with minimal damage to the wings (if you try to grab the actual wing anywhere, it will likely tear). Holding down the wax paper strip with your other hand, pull the wing upwards so it spread open and gently hold it in place with the hand you have holding down the wax paper strip. Place another pin closer to the wing, under it so it can't move back downwards and close up again. Repeat this for the other wing. In this step, don't worry too much about a full spread but rather about just getting the wings in the general position you want them to be in.
5. Now that both wings are somewhat spread and pinned down with the wax paper, make adjustments in order to fully spread them and reveal a bit of the smaller hind wing. As you adjust the wings, place more pins surrounding the shape of the wing to ensure it stays exactly how you have placed it and dries that way. This step can take some time if you're dedicated to a nice, even spread like that in a standard collection, but you don't have to be as precise if you don't want to be.
6. For a crooked or drooping abdomen (the last segment of the body), I usually place two pins vertically on either side straighten it out (which is what I did for this moth) or two pins in an X shape underneath the abdomen as a supporting cradle to lift it up (I've added a picture with an example of this).
7. Allow your specimen to dry in a dry, room temperature or slightly warm place. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to fully dry depending on the species/size, but be sure to give it at least 5 days before attempting to unpin it. Lepidopterans that are unpinned too early will either revert back to their original death position or their wings will slowly droop over time.
8. Your specimen will be ready for the next step of identifying and label making while it's still spread, but once it's dry be sure to remove all of the pins except for the middle anchoring pin that you handle your specimen with.

Note: The legs will sit against the body and within the trough, so don't worry about posing them the way you would for other insects. The most important feature for Lepidopterans is their wings, so the legs are fine being left in a natural position under the body.

Supplies for this step:

• Index card / cardstock
• Mechanical pencil or ink pen
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Pinning Block
• Insect Pins
• Your specimen
• Optional: field guides or identification books (the internet works just fine though and you'll likely have to do some online research even if you consult a guide)

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Making labels for your specimen is especially important if you're making a standard collection, but not so much for creative projects, so this step is optional depending on your goals. In a curatorial setting, labels are very important because without the time and location it was collected, the specimen looses it's value in research, rendering it useless. For your own collection, a label is a good idea, but you can deviate from the standard because it's for personal use! Within standard practice, the best paper for label making is archival paper because it is able to withstand time and yellowing, however any cardstock or index card paper is fine! You can also substitute this with any kind of paper if you're looking for somethin more creative, just keep in mind how the material you use may be affected by time passing. Make sure as you're making your label you write very small and keep the label as small as you can manage while still legibly having all the necessary information listed on it. Standard labels are typically printed, however hand written labels are the easiest and frequently used even by professional entomologists!

The first label lists the location, time, and collectors information:

1. Start by drawing out a square no bigger than 7/8th x 5/8th of an inch. You can use a ruler for this, but usually I just eyeball it and align it with the lines on the back of the index card because I don't prioritize precision for my label making in the way you might for a standard collection.
2. Using your mechanical pencil (on the blank side of the paper if you're using an index card), write the state and county you found your specimen in at the top of the label (abbreviate county as Co.)
3. The second line is a specific location if applicable, but isn't necessary if you don't know or don't want to list it. The more specific your information is the better, however it's not as important for a personal or hobby collection. My insect, for instance, was found at a college in Florida, so I listed the name of that college campus as my specific location. You can also list the name of a park, or geographic coordinates if you have them.
4. The third line is for the city you found it in followed by a comma and a zipcode.
5. The fourth line is the date you collected it. You can write it however is easiest for you, however the standard format is Day-Month (in roman numerals)-Year for the best clarity and international legibility if your specimen will be looked at by other people.
6. The last line is your first initial and last name, to credit you as the collector! If you did not collect it, it's important to put the name of the person who was responsible for acquiring the specimen, even if you're the one preserving it.

In order to make the second label, you'll need to do some work identifying exactly what sort of Lepidopteran you've spread, beyond any initial information you may have from your preliminary research on species in your area. Many collections just label the order and family, as identifying genus and species usually takes special skills and magnifying tools differentiate, but if you think you've identified the genus and species and are relatively certain it doesn't hurt to put it on the label for your own collection!

As you learn about insects or develop a collection, you'll have an easier time quickly identifying order. All butterflies, moths, and skippers are in the order Lepidoptera so you've already got that covered! You can look into the differentiations between butterflies, skippers, and moths, but the easiest way is to look at the antenna. Butterflies have thin antenna with little knobs on the end, and skippers have similarly thin antenna that are hooked at the tip. Moths have feathered antenna, which can be large (if it is male) or small (if it is female).

If you enjoy field guides, you can flip to the section of Lepidoptera and start looking at images of species listed, for something that resembles your specimen! It's important to look at color, pattern, wing shape and position, body shape, and size. While flipping through my copy of the National Wildlife Federation's Field Guide to Insects and Spiders of North America by Arthur V. Evans, I saw a group of moths in the family "Sphingidae" (Hawk Moths), that share the same body type and general form of the moth that I collected. Based on past experience, I'm pretty confident in labelling this moth as a Sphingidae, but I want to know more, since I don't think my species is represented in this book.

Taking the order and family information is enough to complete the second label, but if you're looking for more you can confirm your identification or try to locate the genus and species by googling the relevant features of your insect and the identifications you know already. Professionals often use dichotomous keys to do this, which are charts for specific groups of organisms that break down the features into routes you can follow by identifying the features themselves. You can often find these online, but they tend to have entomological jargon that takes previous experience to know. For the sake of my collection, I'd google "brown [the color] Florida [the location] Sphingidae [the family] with fan shaped abdomen tip [a unique feature I noticed on this moth]." Depending on the species, you'll either get something right away when searching the descriptors you use, or have to do some more digging and adjust your search terms. It took me a long time of searching through google and using resources like bugguide.net and inaturalist.org to find something resembling my specimen, but eventually I came across the the Mournful Sphinx moth (Enyo lugubris)! After some more research on this specific species, such as location and defining characteristics, I felt confident enough to identify my moth as a Mournful Sphinx. Do your best to be accurate, however the differences between some species are very hard to determine, so don't be worried if you find out your identification was wrong. As new information comes from entomology research and you learn more, you'll be able to adjust your identifications and make new labels in the future. Starting your labels in mechanical pencil is good to be able to make edits, however you can write in ink if you prefer and simply remake a label later if necessary.

Now that you've identified at least the order and family, you can make the next label:

1. Starting on a new label of the same size as the first one, write the order name on the first line with a colon after it.
2. On the second line, write the family name.
3. On the third line, if you feel like you have identified the genus and species, you can write it in italics with Genus capitalized and species in lowercase (this is the standard when writing scientific names of genus and species anywhere).

After making these labels, cut them down as small as you can while maintaining legibility. You will pin them on the right hand side, and I like to pre-poke my holes in the labels with a spare pin before putting them on my specimen so I don't have to apply pressure to the pin that my moth is on in order to poke the holes. While your insect is still drying, pin your labels on the board next to it to keep track of your information (this is especially important if you're pinning multiple things at once so you don't mix any specimen up).

Once your insect is fully dry, you can remove it from your board and use your pinning block to add the labels and adjust the placements to the standard sizes:

1. With your insect on the pin, gently insert the pin all the way down into the center of the tallest block on your pinning block. This will push the insect up the pin into the standard position. Be careful during this step because you could break your insect if too much pressure is applied.
2. Slide your first label (location information) onto the pin and then insert the pin on the second tier of the block, pushing the label into the correct position.
3. Now, slide the last label (taxonomic information) onto the end of the pin and stick it into the last tier, pushing the label into the correct position.

Optional supplies for this step:

• A standard insect collection box or a box with a foam inlay at the bottom

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Now that everything is dry and on your pin, you're all set to use your Lepidoptera as you please! For my collection, I keep my insects in a standard collection box from BioQuip, but you can easily make one as well or find another creative way to showcase your beautiful Lepidoptera.

The methods for preserving Lepidoptera can be difficult at first, especially as you're learning the ropes and experiencing how fragile the whole process can be. It takes a lot of practice, patience, and muscle memory before you start getting the hang of pinning and spreading! Don't be too upset if your first try doesn't work out, or if you make a mistake and damage your specimen along the way. For broken bits, Elmer's glue is a good solution to reattach parts and is water soluble so you adjust any reattached pieces as needed. Overall though, even if your Lepidoptera is rough around the edges, practicing the process is just as important as ending up with a well preserved specimen! I included a picture of my first ever spread, a tiny Skipper, and my latest spread (before this tutorial) of a White Peacock Butterfly to show you the difference between them, and you can see how much I've improved with practice. That poor Skipper got all sorts of damage as I figured my way through the process, and ended up lopsided as well, but my latest work shows a lot of improvement and I'm really proud of it! Be sure to take it slow and enjoy mistakes for the lessons they offer.

I also want to mention the awesome creative works that involve preserved insects, because as much as this is a very scientific process, I think it has so much potential in the art world! From crafts to a gallery setting, people use insects in so many ways that go beyond the standard collection in a museum. Here's a really cool article featuring artists who use preserved insects as a medium for painting and sculpture alike: "Medium a Month: Dead Bugs" by Charles McQuillen (click here for link)

Thank you for reading through my tutorial and I hope you've learned something new! Let me know if you try this out and how the process went for you! 🦋