Moth Collecting and Curation Techniques

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since 25 April 2002

Compiled by Bruce Walsh, at the Department of Ecology and Evolution Biology and the Center for Insect Science of the University of Arizona.

Back to the Moths of SE Arizona website

Tools

Helpful on-line tools

1. Global Lepidoptera Names Index . A spectacular resource from London's Natural History Museum. Enter a name, and an imagine of the extensive card catologues of items such as location of time, where figures can be found, etc. displayed for most of the worlds leps!
2. Zoological Record
3. HOSTS a database of the hostplants of the world's Lepidoptera. Another outstanding job from the fine folks at London's Natural History Museum.
4. Nearctica North America Lepidoptera database. Basically, MONA on line.
5. Link to the CFS Northern Forestry Centre Biodiversity site. which contains a downloadable file of the Checklist of Microlepidoptera of North America. Thanks to all the fine folks up in the great white north!
6. Web Images of North American Moth Species from John Snyder at Furman University.
7. Bob Patterson's Western Moth Plates. Basically, field-guide style plates of many western moths.
8. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera
9. Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands by Jeffrey C. Miller and Paul C. Hammond
10. Opler's Moths of North America site

Techniques

Here's the current list of techniques posted. I'm always interested in posting more and will be happy to post yours! Just email me at jbwalsh@u.arizona.edu.

1. Tomas Mustelin's "Kitty litter" light trap -- an easy to make and very portable lack light trap for moth collecting.
2. Biological Survey of Canada's label data standards for terrestrial arthropods
3. Rapid drying of spread material
4. A number of helpful tips from Tony Thomas
   • A simple method for getting moth wings exactly equal on the setting board
   • Techniques for Field-Pinning, Storing, Degreasing And Relaxing Moths
   • Technique for Shadow-free moth (and butterfly) images
   • A simple technique for preparing and photographing moth genitalia. Word file
5. Jim Troubridge's quick and easy de-greasing process (forwarded by Gary Anweiler)
   Chuck moths with pin, labels etc. intact into a wide mouth jar of Coleman white campstove gas. Leave in there for a week or a month - however long you like and depending on how "waxed" it was. Remove when ready and blow dry with a hair dryer on low power (or be prepared to chase down the wings) and with the heat on.
6. Cliff Ferris' light box for photographing spread material
7. Shoestring-Budget mercury vapor collecting lamp construction (from Joel Szymczyk, Las Cruces NM)
8. Building cabinets to house California Academy or Cornell drawers (from Kelly Richers)
9. powerpoint file on various spreading methods from Utah Lepidoptera Society member Vernon Evans. (about 2MB)
10. BioQuip's new self-supporting collecting sheet
11. Notes on Mercury Vapor Setups for Moth Collecting

Generators

Stalling of a Honda EU 1000 generation? While I think the EU 1000 is perhaps the best generator for MV collection, it has the odd habit be being VERY sensitive to the level of oil. If it is a drop to low, it will simply stop. You can wait a few minutes and then start it up again, but it will run a few minutes and then stop on you., I avoid this by always backing one of those plastic squeeze bottles with the drip top, allowing easy topping off of oil when needed. This is a real life saver if you are 10 hours from home!

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Rapid Drying of Spread Material

I use small Styrofoam and balsa wood spreading blocks for my material,

I then place these on a cookie sheet, and set in the oven for 2-4 hours at 150 degrees F (66 degrees C). AVOID USING HIGHER TEMPERATURES!! Styrofoam melts around 200-250 F (93 - 120 C).

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A simple method for getting moth wings exactly equal on the setting board

From: Tony Thomas ( mothman@nbnet.nb.ca

I cover all my setting boards with graph paper using 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive. Simply spray a sheet of graph paper and apply it to the board. It's important to keep the paper lined up with the length and width of the board. Also, completely cover the entire board including the groove with the graph paper. When the adhesive has dried - I leave mine overnight - use a sharp blade to cut out the paper that is over the groove. The result is a smooth paper surface with guide lines that allow the right and left wings to be aligned to the nearest mm or better. This may be a common practice but I have never seen this method "published".

I tend to use "inch" paper for the larger boards (as in the image), each square is 1/10" x 1/10". For the smaller boards I use "cm" paper.