How To Hydrate and Spread Butterflies

Step by step instructions for hydrating and spreading dried butterflies
00:00 - Hydration chamber
03:18 - Butterfly spreading
06:30 - Tips
09:10 - Butterfly spreading time-lapse
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Butterflies shown in video:
Cethosia cyane, Urania leilus, Urania ripheus, Anteos menippe

[@starrylynn._.]

instead of using the glass plates, you can use just parchment paper for the whole wing. the paper the butterflies came in are perfect.
just put the parchment paper over each wing, and pin down the side you aren’t doing first. hold down the paper on the side you’re doing lightly to hold the wings down but not too hard that you’ll break it. while holding, use your tweezers to gently adjust the wings into place, and use the pins to SURROUND the wings, not go through them. the tension from the pins holding the paper will be enough to keep the wings in place. then you just do the same to the other side. it’s similar to what she did but more accessible to beginners.
this is what i do when pinning them: take the butterflies/moths out of their paper and keep the paper in a container for later. i take warm water and inject it into the abdomen, holding the butterfly ABOVE the needle so the water doesn’t drip onto the wings and damage them. i get paper towels and soak them in warm water, squeeze the water out, then put them on the edges of a tupperware container. i put the specimen in the middle of the container, making sure to not get it wet. i close the lid and wait 10-20 minutes(works perfectly for me) and then i put a needle through the abdomen and follow the steps above this paragraph. i then put the butterfly board up and away from where my cats can get to. after about a week, i can remove the pins and paper and use silicone to glue the body down in my butterfly box.
hope this helps anyone interested in pinning!
i bought a kit from amazon with the needles and butterflies. i also bought 2 soft tweezers and a butterfly board(you can also make one with styrofoam).

[@sebastian6300]

Great vid! As someone who has pinned tons of butterflies even I learned some things! I will be buying your spreading kit and some butterflies soon :)

[@craftyzahira]

Nice video thank you for sharing!!

[@ymniez]

thank you so much for this video!

[@ruicastro7930]

I ve been colecting european butterflies for a few years now, but i bought 2 species for the first time ( antiopa and meliatea diamina) and after some research i decided 2 rehidrate them with paper towels and vodka(37'5). Diamina (very small ) it was doable after 12 hours but i waited around 16 hours. It turned out ok.
Antiopa was a nighrmare , i rehidrated it for 44 hours with vodka too and i injected a bit of water too, i dont know the final result yet cause i spread them upsidedown.

[@jim92atyahoo]

wouldn't the way you touched the wings cause the scales to fall a lot? I know mine did, any advice on how to avoid scale loss?

[@thelittlecaterpillar4048]

Hi! I am always battling scale loss! I may have touched them more to demonstrate for this video! The best way to avoid scale loss is to touch the wings as little as possible. Another tip is after removing from the hydration chamber, to let them dry about 10 mins.

[@xenonentity]

If you collected them yourself or don't have them sent in an envelope, should they be wrapped in tissue paper or just placed directly onto the sponge?

[@thelittlecaterpillar4048]

Once collected, you can put the butterflies into a glassine envelope and then a resealable sandwich bag and store them in the freezer. They should keep for a long time this way. When you are ready to spread them, you can take them out of the freezer and thaw them for 10-15 minutes. They should be hydrated enough to be ready to spread this way. You can also skip the freezer step if your specimens are already dead/you are ready to spread them. If you find that they have become a bit dried out or brittle, you can put the glassine envelope with the butterfly in between and then place them on the sponge in the hydration chamber. The butterflies should not directly contact the sponge. Parchment paper should also be able to be used.
Hope this helps, and we’ll be happy to answer any additional questions. 🪲☺️

[@xenonentity]

@@thelittlecaterpillar4048 Thank you so much!

[@iluvmilo25]

Where do you buy the needle? And what size ?

[@toxic.forest]

You can get all the supplies from their website

[@Kimburger31]

I found a dead butterfly on the ground. The antennas were knocked off, otherwise it looks good. How can I hydrate it in prep for pinning if it didn't come in an envelope?

[@aleksosexo]

some people just place the specimen on the damp paper towels but u can also place them on a small surface on top of the paper towel (ie, mesh or a dish)

[@starrylynn._.]

you can get warm, wet paper towels, place them on the edges of a container, place the butterfly in the middle(so it’s not touching the paper towels) and then close the lid and wait until it’s hydrated again.

[@personalDM]

These butterflies are beautiful,,,,,, what species are these?

[@thelittlecaterpillar4048]

Thank you! Cethosia cyane, Urania leilus, Urania ripheus, Anteos menippe

[@personalDM]

@@thelittlecaterpillar4048 oh, thanks a lot!

[@user-ww8jr9ln3l]

有没有卖原蝶

[@toxic.forest]

They do. Go to their website