TAMU insect collection

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Yeah is a shame, mantis is not the interest obviously as you can see even phasmid being labeled in mantid section. Beetles on the other hand were nicely presented, it is probably easier to preserve a beetle than a mantis, frequent removal of the display box is also causing all the broken legs and wings on the mantis specimen. :( bummer.....

 
Great batch of photos Yen! Would you be allowed to get vernier calipers close enough to get reasonable measurements on say, the biggest B. borealis or the five or six inch mantids next open house?

It look like that Oligonicella mexicana male ate the head off the one next to him. :blink:

 
macro junkie said:
yer..aint there other way or is this how u suppose to do it>?
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I had done some pinned collection for mantis before, it is time consuming if you want to keep a nicely display specimen, especially with insect like mantis. Positioning of the mantis alone take a week at least. I like to have one set of the wing strecthed out too, as the pic below.

male.jpg


Here is one of the ghost mantis specimen at least 2-3 yrs ago. (I haven't thought of the wing display yet)

ghostandinsectd.jpg


Orin said:
Great batch of photos Yen! Would you be allowed to get vernier calipers close enough to get reasonable measurements on say, the biggest B. borealis or the five or six inch mantids next open house?It look like that Oligonicella mexicana male ate the head off the one next to him. :blink:
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Thanks Orin. I don't have a vernier caliper. Actually I didn't even bring a ruler, but a guy had a swiss knive set with a steel ruler where he measured that long African stick mantis to be 6 inches. I didn't take the picture with the measurement toegther as he took his "ruler" away by then. He also measured one of the large green mantis around 5+ inches too before leaving. i didn't measure any of the B. borealis but none of them were very long, my guess is around 4 inches, although i have seen a live one that is longer.

 
Hey Yen, I remember that picture from when I barely began researching how to spread and pin. It was very helpful. I agree that it is time consuming... not to mention that you have to be dexterous. In the end though, it is well worth it.

Personally I like spread both set of wings. Some of my specimens look awesome with the full-wing display. I guess it is more standard to spread only one wing set, though. For observational purposes.

 
HELLO Yen and all

Nice pics and nice collection!!!!

The large mantis might be a Heretochaeta sp (poss H strachani) It looks a lot like the one I had a few years back.

I also see lots of Phasmids mixed in the mantis boxes.

regards

francisco T

 
The large mantis might be a Heretochaeta sp (poss H strachani) It looks a lot like the one I had a few years back.
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This specimen is by no means a Heterochaeta. I've already IDed it as Macrodanuria elongata. Even if the label was false and it is from E Africa, it clearly belongs to the Danuriini. Heterochaeta looks different.

 
joossa said:
Hey Yen, I remember that picture from when I barely began researching how to spread and pin. It was very helpful. I agree that it is time consuming... not to mention that you have to be dexterous. In the end though, it is well worth it.Personally I like spread both set of wings. Some of my specimens look awesome with the full-wing display. I guess it is more standard to spread only one wing set, though. For observational purposes.
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Yeah it is the old photo joossa, thought of keeping the dead one in pinned collection but realized it was impossible when my mantis collection gets out of hand. Glad it helped. Spreading both set of wings certainly makes the specimen looks nicer and larger too :) if you still looking for dead specimen let me know i have been giving many dead specimen away.

francisco said:
HELLO Yen and allNice pics and nice collection!!!!

The large mantis might be a Heretochaeta sp (poss H strachani) It looks a lot like the one I had a few years back.

I also see lots of Phasmids mixed in the mantis boxes.

regards

francisco T
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Thanks FT, if you plan to visit Texas let me know the curator in TAMU let me visit the collection room anytime as long as It doesn't interfere with the class work there.

 
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Hi Calvin, no problem, are you back to state?

I will bring some dried specimen to TAMU and hope to see the small mantis section expand next year.

 

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