Larval preservation

Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca
Tue Aug 14 14:12:21 EDT 2001


Many years ago Joe Belicek showed me a Polygonia larva that appeared almost
lifelike. Somehow he managed to 'squish' the guts out and then injected
plaster of paris or some such thing to 're-inflate' it. Interesting approach
but the results were superb in terms of appearance.
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Worth [mailto:rworth at oda.state.or.us]
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 11:05 AM
To: kbremn71 at maine.edu; leps-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: Re: Larval preservation



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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