Thank you so much! My Eastern Hercules Beetle, Midas, just passed away and he is just too pretty to bury. Although I will miss watching him throw fruit around his terrarium I can now preserve him proper. Great video!

@aperry3869

9 ай бұрын

I'm so sorry for your loss, Midas sounded so fun! Glad ya can preserve them now :)

Best pinning video I've watched so far. Absolutely loved it. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain everything beautifully! Greatly appreciated

@Mlighthipe

3 жыл бұрын

So glad you liked the video. I totally love insects and am thrilled to help out another bug enthusiast!

A helpful way to avoid mold and fungus growth is to use a little bit of isopropyl alcohol with the water.

Super informative! My daughter and I found a Palo Verde Beetle remarkably well preserved outdoors, and I'm going to try my hand at this for the first time in a couple days!❤

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

Excellent find! I hope it comes out great. Let mw know if you have any questions. Thanks for stopping by my KZread channel!

Thank you!!!! Thank you so much!!! I was having trouble opening the wing case, so I looked up a tutorial and figured out that I had to rehydrate my beetle.

I have a super large collection of deceased insects I’ve been meaning to pin, thanks for the tutorial!

This is so detailed and informative! I've been wanting to pin moths and beatles for a while now but wasn't sure exactly how to do it and needed a step by step with instruction. Thank you!

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

So glad this helped. It takes a bit of practice but totally worth doing. My suggestion is to purchase some insects that are medium size and not too expensive to practice until you get comfortable with doing it. Have fun!

i just found a dead june bug that seems to be fully intact. thank you for your video, i'll try rehydrating it and pinning :]

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

Excellent! Just make sure you are careful when opening the elytra. The wings will be folded inside and can be delicate. Good luck!

I found a fairly plain deceased June beetle outside my house today. It has all six legs and is in beautiful condition, so I’m going to try pinning it with the wings out, the legs are already in perfect position. You made it look so easy, thank you for the tutorial!

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Freya! what a great find! They have beautiful colors. Be patient. If the elytra will not open for you don't force it. Let it rehydrate a little more. It may be slightly resistant to opening so you may need a little tug but not too much. Good luck! ~Mindy

@oopalonga

Жыл бұрын

Train Beatles are awesome! They are so adorable not to mention when you pick them up they hiss

Personally, beetles are my favorite. I would probably wanna specialize in beetles and/or moths in entomology.

This is great! Thank you so much! I'd love to see an Orchid mantis pinning and how to glue some beetles or other insects into a boxframe instead of cotton Great explanation, I'm ordering my new bugs now 😁

@Mlighthipe

3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! So happy you liked the video. I have not pinned an Orchid Mantis. They are super amazing!!! Glad you will be ordering some insects to pin. Make sure you buy from ethically sourced suppliers!

This is so rad!😆 I'm gonna try and get a kit during the holidays 😃

Thank you best tutorial I’ve seen yet!!

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ceecee! I am glad you found it useful!

This was very helpful, thank you!

Awesome video! Very detailed and easy to follow. We keep various types of beetles and insects. I’ve been keeping the dried specimens in jars as well as snake sheds, chameleon sheds and spider sheds/carcasses, to look at and admire. Thinking now that I may try to rehydrate using your methods and have a go at pinning them for proper display in box frames!

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

Awesome Sam! So glad you liked the video. It takes a bit of practice but well worth it. Go for it! Mindy

Very excellent and thorough video! I found a cicada in good condition, and im gonna try pinning it!

You rock!! 😻Amazing content with lots of information 💕thank youu

Thankyou so much for this video !

So very helpful. Thank you so much!

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome. I hope you find it easy to pin and spread the wings on a beetle. It takes some practice but go for it!

Thank you so much!! I’ve always wanted to be able to do this and this inspired me to actually try !

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Go for it! It takes a bit of patience but beetles are tough and in someways easier than butterflies. Good luck!

Thank youuu explained very well, super appreciated

of all the pinning videos I've watched so far this is by far the most informative!! ill definitely be subscribing and referring back when my insects come in :)

@Mlighthipe

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Rhiannon- So glad you found this video helpful. There are lots of really good ones on spreading butterflies but I was unable to find any with beetles with the wings spread open. Happy spreading! ~ Mindy

Thank you! I am new to pinning bugs and put my beetle in a tub filled with water just ontop of some Styrofoam (i think it got wet some too). It ended up modling in just a few hours so this helps a lot to fix that issue, thank you!!

Great tutorial. I’ll definitely be referencing this when I start pinning my beetles. I’ll probably have to let my Atlas and D. Titanus rehydrate for a few days though since they’re both 75mm+

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Just make sure you keep checking them. You don't want them to grow mold. Happy pinning!

@elitrumbley6506

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mlighthipe once I get home from work I’ll check them as by the time I get home 24 hours should have rolled over from when I first put them in the rehydration box

@alexmoon4310

Жыл бұрын

@@Mlighthipe what should I do if my specimens mould while hydrating?

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

@@alexmoon4310 Mold can be a big problem. You can still try to pin and move the parts into place. If you have a small tweezer, you can try to remove some of the mold. After positioning you can let it dry and use a small brush to dust off any residue from the mold. If possible check your specimens before they get moldy. Good luck!

Thank you a lot for this tutorial I'll preserve my insects when they pass :)

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Great! It is really fun to collect and preserve them. Enjoy!

Thanks for this video! I'm giving it a try with 3 black scarab beetles. I am thinking I should have started with something a little bigger for the first go. 😜🐞❤️💛💙

Thanks so much! I have an Eastern Hercules beetle that I didn't know how to pin and had a hard time finding the information.

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

So glad this helped Erin! Good luck with pinning. Just be careful with the legs..... when they are "ready" they should move......... you don't want to end up with a leg in your hand!

Love it thank you

@Mlighthipe

3 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome

Great, clear video! I’ve always wondered how to preserve them properly and nicely. I’ve been walking recently and found some amazing beetle specimens I’d love to preserve properly so this really helps. I do have a question, how long should you leave the beetles to dry after pinning them and how should you store them while they’re drying?

Very cool thsnks!!!!

@Mlighthipe

5 ай бұрын

My pleasure!

Your hands look amazing lol. I’m still listening 👂🏾.

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

😊 thank you

Esse é o vídeo que eu precisava! Eu consegui um besouro super lindo, mas não sabia como cuidar a parte das asas, é a minha primeira vez com um inseto que tem as asas "escondidas", muito obrigada pelo vídeo!

@Mlighthipe

5 ай бұрын

Glad to help!

I’m watching this tutorial so I can pin a butterfly and a dragonfly together that I found! If you have any additional tips to give please tell me I’d love the hear!

Thank u

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

No problem... my pleasure.

Awesome video! I’ve been trying to find out where people buy their insects and some concerns of ethical sourcing have come up. Do you have a recommendation on where to purchase dead insects?

Thank you for the video, I enjoyed it! Do you need to spray it with anything to seal it before you put it in a glass display case?

Hi, love the video but I have a question. There’s a bunch of lantern flies in my area dying in PERFECT condition, do you know how to preserve them & spread the wings? I have a few of them so I’m gonna try this technique and see if it works the same too. Thanks so much!!

So what prevents them from drying out though and becoming crispy after you've done this? Do you need to worry about that or no? Thanks for the video this looks pretty fun

Good

Impeccable explanation and demonstration, Mindy. Thank you! Can I assume from your closing comment that this technique can be used with found beetles? Or, was the beetle treated with a humectant of some type prior to sale?

@Mlighthipe

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Donna- Glad you found the video useful. This can be done with any specimen. Larger beetles require more time to hydrate and possibly the older the specimen the more time it will need to rehydrate.

@Bleauskies

3 жыл бұрын

@@Mlighthipe Very cool-now I have something to do with my collection :-)

This video is wonderful! But I do have a question, do you have to rehydrate insects that you found outside?

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

If you find an insect and it has just passed, the legs will move and you can spread it immediately. If the legs are stiff it means rigor mortis has set in and it will need to be rehydrated. I would imagine that you will more than likely have to rehydrate anything you find. They stiffen up within an hour of death.

Great video! Everything worked out perfectly, but I couldn't bring myself to pierce my beetle, I felt like the exoskeleton was going to shatter

Do you still need to put the wet towel on the top if you only plan on positioning the legs but leave the wings as-is?

Thanks for this really helpful video! My son found a dead Hercules beetle and wants to pin it. How can we make sure that it doesn't decay over time?

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

Hi Crafty Doll- What a great find for your son! It is important to keep insects specimens in a dry place. Humidity can cause damage. Depending how you are mounting it......in a frame, kept in a box etc will determine how well preserved it will stay. One thing that happens with dried specimens is they can actually get destroyed by other small microscopic insects eating them. To discourage this you can occasionally put them int he freezer for a few days. This will keep them in good shape. Try not to handle them. Body parts can fall off and break with excessive handling. Enjoy! ~ Mindy

can you use normal pins? im going to be pinning a silkmoth i had (i take care of them) but i cant get those pins

I got a beatles but it went in water what should I do ?

love the video:) question, where do you get the frames to put them in?

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Jenn. Glad you liked the video!!!! The frames I use are called Riker Mounts. I get my insects and the Riker Mounts from BicBugs.com They are great!

hi mindy! i have a question- i have a pretty large beetle in my freezer (probably 2.5 inches) and was wondering if it would start to stink after defrosting/rehydrating. the abdomen is pretty big- at least large enough for it to possibly start rotting. will it rot? and if so how would i go about preserving it?

@freyaguppy

2 жыл бұрын

I’m not sure if the size effects this, but I saw her reply to another comment talking about how she will sometimes freeze specimens when they are still moveable. When she’s ready to pin it, she can skip the rehydration step and just defrost it and go straight to pinning. If your bug was flexible before freezing, maybe this would apply. She also mentioned that as long as you keep it in a dry environment, it shoul preserve just fine.

Hey, i did this and something laid eggs in the container, whats the best way to deal with this withought damaging the insects? and how do you prevent this?

I have an Atlas beetle that was freshly dead when I put it in the freezer and it's been frozen for 4 months now, and i'm interested on pinning it 😊. Should I dehydrate it the way you do or should I just left it in the open air to adapt with the room temperature before pinning?. I'm looking forward for your answer, nice video by the way!! :)

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

You can take it out of the freezer and let it defrost. Keep checking it and keep it in a moist container. The legs should easily open at the joints with a little tug. If they do not move you may have to hydrate it the way I did. If you froze it before rigormortis set in it should move. Be gentle with it..... and hope it works out!

I heard using vinegar instead of water for hydration can help prevent mold. is this true?

Great video, what happens if beetles are relaxed too long? How many days is too long? My beetle's legs and antennae are flexible but wings are rock solid shut.

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

HI David- If you hydrate them for too long they will start to grow mold and fall apart. The larger the beetle the more time it takes too hydrate. The beetle I pinned in the video was hydrated for 2 days. The paper towels were moist, not wet and the container was sealed tight. You have to check on them to see if they are ready. Once you get the hang of it... you will be able to predict when they are ready. Have fun!

@davidchiu9997

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mlighthipe Great, thank you!

there's little bugs eating my wasp. How can i get rid of them before preparing my wasp for taxidermy ?

Hiya love your video!! I have a question: I just found a gorgeous beetle dead in my back yard, seems to have already hardened up, I’m interested in learning to pin and display bugs but it might be a while until I get the materials, how should I preserve it? I don’t know if bugs even decompose, but I want to make sure I can preserve it until I can pin it, what should I do?

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Hunny bee. The best thing to do with your beetle is to place it in a safe dry place. You don't want humidity to get into it...at least not until you are ready to spread and pin it. When an insect dies it will stiffen up as rigormortus sets in. In order to spread and pin the beetle you will need to rehydrate it like I show in this video. Beetles are pretty sturdy and can last a long time without doing anything to them. When I find a beetle or other insect which still has the body parts moveable I put it in the freezer. This stops the insect from stiffening up and I can eliminate the rehydrating process and pin it by sampling defrosting the insect. I hope this information helps. Good luck and enjoy! ~Mindy

@littlerenbug

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mlighthipe Thanks so much for the info! 😁

I have a few California Root Borer beetles that I left outside after forgetting about them for a few months. They’ve been in a plastic insect/critter carrier, and while they haven’t been in direct rain or snow, they’ve still been exposed to the weather. None of them have begun decomposing (that I know of) and look mostly fine. Can I still rehydrate and pin them or should I just wait until I find some more next fall?

@danieltiron612

Жыл бұрын

Hey! Any bug can be rehidrated because the water had evaporised but i suggest you to keep them a little long in the conatiner because they stayed in wind and sun and should be more rocky rn. I dunno if its true cause i do it as a hobby and rarely + i never forgot em somewhere

moth balls are good for preventing mold

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

This is true but you ned to be very careful not to expose yourself to moth balls. I did a stupid thing and put some insects that had been in with moth balls into the freezer and the whole freezer smelled of moth balls and I had to throw everything out. The moth balls were not in the freezer, just the insects that had been in moth balls before hand.

I know with bigger bugs you have to take out their organs, do you have to do that with the little Beatles?

Landed here after discovering a marvelous beetle dead dry in my garden. Want to preserve it in epoxy but there is mud on it. What to use for washing it without loosing the shine and damaging the setae etc. Thank you

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Khawar- The best way to clean off the mud is put the beetle in a water. They have sturdy bodies that will not loose the shine. The legs and antennae are what you need to be the most careful with. They can break easily. I would soak the beetle for maybe 10-15 and see if the mud begins to rinse off. You can gently move the beetle in the water to see if you can get the mud off. Depending on how big the beetle is you could gently use a tooth brush to eliminate the mud on the wing casing. Be patient and gentle. If a leg breaks you can also reattach it with Duco cement. I hope this helps. Good luck!

I found a big bug on the ground and always wanted to try this I wrapped it in bubble wrap and put it in a cracker box to save it for the drive home but I can’t tell my mom cuz she is grossed out by bugs

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

Don't forget to hydrate it before you go to position it...... and hide it from mom...LOL!

after they’ve sat for 24th in the hydration chamber, when you take them out to test if they’re ready and everything’s moving and looks good but the wings won’t stay out on their own does that mean they need to go back in? i’m trying for the first time and the legs are bending and i got the wing protectors open but when i pull the wings out they just pull back in..

@Mlighthipe

11 ай бұрын

Hi McKenna- You will need to pinch wings in place. The best way is to use strips of tracing paper. If the wings are opening then they will need to be pinned so they dry in this position. If you do not pin them, they will just fold up like you are describing. I would not keep hydrating them as you will probably grow mold. Good luck! I hope this helps!

@mac.joy02

11 ай бұрын

@@Mlighthipe thanks so much!!!

Where can I buy unmounted insects ? Is there a specific website that you would recommend?

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

I am in the USA and I LOVE www.BicBugs.com. They have a great selection beetles as well as other insects. The prices are good and service is great.

The first beetle you showed is slightly off center (to the left).

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Oops!

Do you do this with any small animals who have died naturally?

@Mlighthipe

Жыл бұрын

HI Beth- Most animals can not be preserved this way. They need to have the insides taken out as is done in taxidermy. Insects are different because they have the exoskeleton on the outside of the body and the organs etc will just dehydrate. With mammals and birds the flesh on the outside of the animal will rot and atrophy.

I have a black bee that i found on the beach that i would like to frame it pls help thanks for the video❤😊

Where can you buy the bugs

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Richard: In the USA there is a great company: BicBugs.com I highly recommend them. ~Mindy

can it work the same if the insect is dry? in the sense, I found it while I was sweeping at work and looking at it like this it seems very 'crunchy'

@sapphirequartz

11 ай бұрын

no, if the beetle is dry it means it’s been dead for some time, so the limbs, mandibles, wing cases etc will be stiff and brittle and will probably break or crumble during the pinning process. the only reason that the hydration process shouldn’t be done before pinning is if the bug died very shortly before being pinned, and the appendages are still soft and flexible without breaking (i.e. not ‘very crunchy’)

@_.Little_Demon_

11 ай бұрын

@@sapphirequartz so I should only pin it, hoping that it won't break, right?

@sapphirequartz

11 ай бұрын

@@_.Little_Demon_ wdym? you should follow the steps in this video and create the makeshift hydration chamber to soften the insect before pinning, if you pin it while it’s still crunchy it will break apart

@_.Little_Demon_

11 ай бұрын

@@sapphirequartz oooh ok, sorry I didn't get it at first bcs English isn't my forte, thank you for the explanation

@sapphirequartz

11 ай бұрын

@@_.Little_Demon_ no problem 👍

6:36

how to mount it on a frame

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

You can get a small cork and and use a hot glue gun to put it into a frame but make sure the frame is deep enough.

adakah penjelasan anda itu dgn bahasa ibdonesia...

Should I soak insects in acetone prior to pinning?

Have u done a bird egg

@Mlighthipe

2 жыл бұрын

No I haven't. Have you?

@toneknee6139

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mlighthipe no sadly I cant find one in decent shape