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Collecting Insects - Pinning and Labeling

Pin the insects soon after they are killed, or they will become brittle and hard after a few days. Use only No. 2 or No. 3 insect mounting pins. Do not use straight pins. Pin medium- and large-sized insects through the body. Place the insects on the pins at about the same height with the use of your pinning block. Leave 1/4 inch clearance between the top of the body and the head of the pin. Bee, wasp, and horsefly -- pin through the thorax a little behind the base of the forewings and to the right of the middle line. Pinning and Labeling
Squash bug, stink bug, harlequin bug, and similar insects -- pin through the V-shaped shield to the right of the middle line. Pinning and Labeling Moth, butterfly, and dragonfly -- pin through the middle of the thorax at the thickest point and a little behind the base of the forewings. Pinning and Labeling
Grasshopper, cricket, and roach -- pin through the thorax to the right of the middle line. Pinning and Labeling Insect larvae or worms -- place in small vials or bottles and preserve in alcohol. You may place these vials in your box and label them. Pinning and Labeling
Beetles such as blister beetles and striped cucumber bettles -- pin through the right wing cover near the base. Pinning and Labeling Lice, fleas, ants, mosquitoes, red bugs, and other small insects -- mount with glue on a card point. Make card points not more than 1/2 inch. Glue the insect to the tip. Pinning and Labeling


How To Label and Arrange Insects in a Collection Box

If you plan to exhibit your insect collections at the Mississippi State Fair, the Mid-South Fair in Memphis, Tennessee, and/or other area and county fairs, put them in standard glass-covered exhibit boxes. Arrange the insects in this order:
  1. Ask your 4-H agent to obtain Extension publication F337 for you; it contains the printed order names. Or, you may print or type the names of the orders on labels (each label 1 inch by 1and 1/2 inches) and place them in alphabetical order across the top of the box. You may line minor orders in rows, starting at the top and working down.

  2. Place labels giving the date, locality, and collector and the name of the insect on pins with the insects. Pin labels in the center and attach to the bottom of the box. Labels should be 1/2 inch by 1 inch. Date and locality labels should be placed on the pin first, with the common name label below.

  3. Arrange all insects in rows underneath the correct orders. Make the rows crosswise in the box, not lengthwise (see diagram).

  4. Place larvae in small bottles filled with alcohol. Place insect pins around the bottle or use adhesive tape to secure the bottles to the bottom of the box. Place name on label, and pin just above the top of the bottle.
You may use the card point method to mount insects too small to be pinned. Mount all other insects directly upon the pins. Note the position of the labels on the pins in the bottom of the box.		 Pinning and Labeling
Revised and distributed by Dr. Michael R. Williams Extension Entomologist. 

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Information Sheet 657

Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. Ronald A. Brown, Director

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