Larval preservation

[Richard Worth]

Kevin,
Many people use KAAD (Kerosene; Ethanol(Alcohol); Glacial Acetic 
Acid; and Dioxane----sold through Bio-Quip or can be made) which 
supposedly fixes the color a bit.  It also puffs them up like putting 
them in boiling water to kill and then into 70% Ethanol.  I would be 
interested in the results of a combination approach of KAAD and then 
the freezer to see if that preserves them a little better.  People 
have also used freeze drying with dry ice and a vacuum pump and 
chamber, but the regular freezer will do the same thing, I suspect, 
only with a bit longer time to dry.  As Bill mentions, these methods 
do require more "special stuff".

Cheers,  Rich

>Is anyone familiar with a method for preserving caterpillars, either dry
>or in liquid, for identification/display purposes?
>
>
>Kevin:
>I've had fair luck leaving them in a frost -free freezer for a week or so.
>They usually change color, but it takes no special stuff & they can be
>included in the same case with the adults. Lay them on their side in a
>cardboard box.
>Bill

Richard A. Worth
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Plant Division
rworth at oda.state.or.us
(503) 986-6461
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