Dried Specimens

[Ron Gatrelle]

----- Original Message -----
From: "1_iron" <1_iron at msn.com>
Subject: Re: Dried Specimens


> Hi, Xi!
>
> I live in the humid South. I could leave my specimens on the boards for
> months - and within a few days of taking them off the wings are droopy. I
> suggest you do as I do; enjoy the warm weather and let the wings sag.
>
> Jim Taylor

This reminds me of another angle. All the spreading boards I use are
slanted up. About 20 years ago a friend gave me some really nice home made
spreading boards made of Redwood, deep narrow groove, cork pin area - just
the right size and structure for little skippers and lycinids which is
mostly what I do. One problem, the surface was flat. Everything drooped
almost as soon as I took them off.  The bottom line is that the ones I
spread on the beveled Bio Quip boards end up flat. Perhaps the more humid
the area the greater angle needed on the spreading board. Someone could
probably come up with an equation :-)

On storage.  I have taken two drawers out of one of my cabinets and set
specimens in there to dry. I have two types of cabinets. Some metal ones I
got used from the Allyn Museum when they went to an automated system years
ago, and the double row (12 on a side) Bio Quip Cal. Acdmy.  Both of these
types seal super tight and the commercial drawers are extremely tight too.
I never have to use pest deterrents in these as nothing can (has gotten)
get in. I do have to watch may specimens in two home made, open front,
cabinets that hold 60 Redwood schmitt boxes.
Ron


 
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