Kill Bugs Fast -Reply

Nick Greatorex-Davies NGD at wpo.nerc.ac.uk
Fri Oct 2 10:18:56 EDT 1998


I have used Ethyl Acetate as the main killing agent for at least the last 25
years (almost entirely moths these days) and have not had a major
problem with greasing of specimens. Some species seem to be prone to
it, but not many. 

Over the last couple of years I have tended to leave specimens in the
ethyl acetate vapour for 24 hours!! (glass jar with plaster-of-Paris wetted
with distilled H2O & ethyl acetate) - does this mean I will have problems
with these specimens in years to come? The ones I mounted last year
still look fine - not a single one showing any signs of greasing.

The reason I leave them in overnight I explained in a past e-mail to this list
and I got no comments back then! (Wow I wish somebody had warned
me!) Basically, when left in overnight the specimens come out of rigor
mortis and are perfectly relaxed for mounting, which makes micros,
especially, easy to mount, including the antennae. I have found no better
way of getting specimens as well relaxed for mounting - strangely
freezing does n't.

Concerned

Nick Greatorex-Davies
ITE Monks Wood, UK



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