Hi all, I would like to know whether you had any tips or tuto to mount very small insects (such as Neuroptera like Mantispidae Symphrasinae). They der collected and dry stored so I have rehydrated them. But the wings are very very fragile so I have a lot of difficulties not to damage them. Do you have any suggestion or idea? Many thanks!
Christophe, I have no specific approach for them rather than keep material wet in ethanol. Not only are these specimens fragile as you describe, but also losing colour when becoming dry (and same in ethanol).
If you are very concerned about their wings, perhaps you can store specimens in micro-vials like those used for storing pills or insect genitalia and pin the labels to the vial.
Small insects can be mounted on card points, on minuten pins or on microscope slides as temporary or permanent whole mounts. However, most small insects are mounted on points, which are elongated triangular pieces of light cardboard, about 8 to 10 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide at base, and the insect is glued at the tip of the point.
Air dry the specimen. Stretch them using zero size needle and brush and mount them on small cards using water soluble glue.
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