Kill Bugs Fast -Reply

[John Grehan]

Nick Greatorex-Davies wrote:


>
>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?

My understanding is that this is possible, at least in some specimens. I have
no exact figures on this.


The ones I mounted last year
>still look fine - not a single one showing any signs of greasing.

That is usually the case. Greasing does not have to happen in that time. It may
not happen at all. I think the best option is to limit use of ethyl acetate
to just the
amount of time necessary to kill - just to be on the safe side as also suggested
by others on the list.


 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.

Is it possible you might get the same effect by placing the specimens into
a sealed container with damp paper? I have found that micros will be
relaxed after ethylacetate if you remove them after the short exposure needed
to kill them (length of time based on experience)

John Grehan