I need to perform barcoding on a subset of specimen from arthropod bulk samples. As I want to be able to detect endoparasitoids as well, I am considering freezing my samples instead of storing them in ethanol, to avoid contamination with non-target DNA from the bulk sample.

However, I read that freezing-thawing cycles may damage the DNA, and I will need to thaw and refreeze the samples once or twice to separate the target specimen from the bulk.

Hence I am wondering what could be the best compromise between limiting contamination and preventing excessive damage to the DNA.

Could filling up the samples with 99% ethanol shortly before freezing help?

Thank you in advance for your help!

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