Drooping wings after spreading

[Richard Worth]

Hugh,
Do you have small slits in the end corners of your blocks to hold the  
thread as you wrap?  I have never used thread blocks, only the more  
traditional long boards with pinning strips.  For most larger stuff I  
have found the best material to hold the wings (if they are not wet or  
greasy) is thin overhead projector plastic cut into strips.  It  
doesn't tear even under significant pin torque thereby putting good  
pressure on the wing. They are also totally clear so you can see the  
specimen well.  One drawback is static sometimes.  That is why for  
small stuff I use glassine strips.  The wing muscles are much weaker  
and don't need quite the torque.  I have had tails ripped off  
hairstreaks by the plastic static which is why I switched on small  
stuff.  I just keep the sliding or rubbing the plastic to a minimum  
and its' not a problem.  The plastic doesn't seem to affect the  
drooping issue.
Best,  Rich

Richard Worth
Entomologist / Lepidopterist
Plant Division
Oregon Dept. of Agriculture
635 Capitol St. NE
Salem, OR  97301
503-986-6461
503-871-7108: cell
rworth at oda.state.or.us
http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/index.shtml

So many moths, so little time...


On Nov 5, 2010, at 7:12 AM, Hugh McGuinness wrote:

> Dear Leppers,
>
> I too would like information on this subject, as I have the same  
> problem. I concur with Bruce that small material is especially prone  
> to wing droop. Perhaps one solution is to spread material on boards  
> that are angled upward from the body by 5-10 degrees. However, I use  
> pinning blocks and worry that with inclined blocks (if I could even  
> find someone to make them) the threads would tend to wander to the  
> body and sever the wings.
>
> And Bruce, if you get any helpful answers from all the listservs  
> where I am not a member, would you mind posting a summary to Leps-L?
>
> Hugh
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 9:56 PM, Bruce Walsh <jbwalsh at u.arizona.edu>  
> wrote:
> Fellow Lepsters:
>
> I'm having a recurring problem that I welcome input on.  After I  
> remove spread
> material from their blocks, the wings are nice and level, but within  
> a few days
> they often droop download.  This is esp. problematic for small  
> material.
> Two potential culprits can likely be removed:  One, I dry material  
> in an oven at
> 150 degrees, typically (for small things) for around 3-4 hours.   
> However, when I
> up this to 24 hours the problem still persists!
>
> Second, I live in Tucson, and so excessive humidity is not a problem  
> (esp. in my
> dry bug room)
>
> Any hints?
>
> cheers
>
> bruce
>
>
>
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>
> -- 
> Hugh McGuinness
> The Ross School
> 18 Goodfriend Drive
> East Hampton, NY 11937

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