Feedback on buying preserved insects...

[joossa]

Has anyone ever bought preserved/mounted insects online, especially beetles??? I am really interested in buying some large stag and Hercules beetles.

Are they expensive?

Any site recommendations?

Any other tips/hints on buying/keeping preserved insects?

 

[robo mantis]

i got a rhino male and a female (D.granti) but i just put them in about a few weeks ago i think i will keep them though

 

[Rick]

Here you go:

http://www.insectsinternational.com/

 

[joossa]

Thanks!

 

[Butterfly]

I have hundreds (literally) of preserved Butterflies from all over the world.

We've found them mostly on ebay here in the US and on a trip to southern Mexico in 2000 and various other places online. It shouldnt be that hard to find some beetles, check with your local wild animal park perhaps, ours sold me some live butterflies once...

Since were on the subject does anyone know what to put in with a dead mantis so that it can be preserved?

I wanted to keep my Mantis Religiosa when she passed but she got dark reallllly quick so I didnt put her in a shadow box afterall. (didnt want a stinky mess in a box on my wall)

 

[francisco]

HEllo,

When I have really fat mantis that I want to preserve, after they die I place them in the freezer for a few months, so they can dry freeze, after that you can take out and mount it

FT

 

[joossa]

My male I. Oratoria died almost 3 weeks ago. I decided I would mount him, so I followed Yen-Saw's advice on a previous post (I'll try to find it...). He basically said to use small strips of paper to position the mantid the way you want it, then use pins to hold the paper strips down. Let the mantid dry for about 3 weeks, then you can mount it with a pin in its box.

So far, my male has been drying in my desired postion in my dark closet for about 2.5 weeks, so he's almost ready!

I found the link to the thread where Yen advised on mounting. It has a REALLY helpful picture!!! Thanks Yen!!!!

http://www.mantidforum.com/forum/viewtopic...hlight=preserve

 

[yen_saw]

you can also include moth balls in the shadow box to avoid bugs like roaches, ants, silver fish etc, from messing with your collection. Here is one of the oldest collection, my ghost mantis (top left) that lives the longest time for me.

 

[joossa]

Hey Yen, can the shadow box be a simple small cardboard box (like a chocolate box) with a square piece of styraforam at the base (to hold the pins in place)???

Thanks!

 

[yen_saw]

Hey Yen, can the shadow box be a simple small cardboard box (like a chocolate box) with a square piece of styraforam at the base (to hold the pins in place)???

Yepper!! you can glue the styrofoam to the cardbox just in case it fall out.

 

[joossa]

Alright, thanks! I guess I'm all set now. Hope my little male comes out looking good!