How to prepare a bee specimen for photography: make a relaxing chamber
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- čas přidán 22. 07. 2024
- Insect specimens, once they are dry, are very brittle. This can be a problem when the specimen you are interested in is pinned in a way that makes is either look strange when taking a picture, or sometimes the position of the specimen on the pin makes it hard to see characteristics that are needed for identification. The solution to this problem is to relax the specimen in a relaxing chamber. This will loosen the insect's joints and make it movable so you can reposition it for photography or identification purposes. This video shows how I use a relaxing chamber to prepare my insect specimens for photography.
I used this technique for the specimens highlighted in our upcoming book Common bees of eastern North America published by Princeton University Press.
press.princeton.edu/books/ebo... - Jak na to + styl
I would love for you to do a video on the actual photography process you use for your books. The photos are great. Got the western N. Am. bee book and I love it!
Water with a few drops of pickling vinegar rather than windex for me. Works well.
This is very cool and helpful, Thank you very much.
Thanks, manipulating pinned bees lead to many a frustrating days (and missing pieces).
Ah yes. Just like a cooking show! Haha
so i previously soaked my bee in rubbing alcohol. should i also use the relaxing chamber?
Save the bees…. Really? Who are you kidding. Respect this diminishing asset.
How do you recommend we “respect this diminishing asset?”
by asset are you talking about the honey bee? Or are you limping all 20,000 bee species into one “asset?” What about the parasitic bees? Are they an asset too?
Thx for your video. Can you tell me please how can I clean hairy insects like bees and spiders with a little hairs
Skiddywampus!
When you collect bees in the field, do you put them directly into the alcohol solution? Or store them in tupperware, or… how?
I usually collect them into a small vial with some cyanide in it, this keeps the specimens dry, which usually makes them easier to identify. I try to pin my specimens at the end of each day so they are sill soft, if I wait too long they get brittle and then I have to "relax them"
Hi thanks for the great video
Once you've caught the specimen and put it in a kill jar is it OK to then just pin it out and let it dry in the pinned position or will it rot
Or do you store the insects in alcohol
Pinning directly after killing them is best, they won’t rot, they will dry out and preserve that way for hundreds of years if kept in a dry place.
Hithanks for replying what is the best way to wash/clean a dirty dead bee for photography please I've just bought an dried orchid bee that I'm going to try photographing thanks
Does this method work for shipped, freezer bees?
Yes it should work for all dry bees. Older specimens may take longer to relax.
How many days should be stand after repositioning sir?
Depending on how hot and dry it is where you are, I leave mine for about 24 hours to let them dry out after I reposition them
1st!
Touched a nerve did I? I'm not playing God deciding which species should be favoured.... PS There are 20,002 species ....