dragonfly mounting

Adam

Grumbler
Joined
Aug 23, 1999
Posts
35
Loc
Seattle
I have a dragonfly that was brought into the shop to be shadowboxed. I've done "treated" bugs in the past that have been sprayed with some sort of something to hold them together. Does anyone know what "varnish" of sorts is the thing to use on these critters?
 
Roger (dragonfly) was holding together fine for many moons until I smashed him violently (accidentally) from the counter and had to replace him with cousin Roy. I think you'll find that some bug people like to stick the things together with a varnish of some sorts and other prefer not too. Treated carefully they will hold together on their own accord.
 
I have mounted butterflies and moths many times and have never sprayed anything on them to hold them together. They stay together by themselves just fine. A little thymol in the frame package will deter the dermastid bug which is what gets in and eats the dead bug you just framed. A LONG time ago, I bought my Mom a beautiful butterfly in a dome for her birthday ( I was quite young then) and after many years, I noticed that all that was left were the wings. The whole body was gone!
I had found a website awhile back about how to mount these things and in the site was a mention about dragon flies. Seems there is something you can do to bring back the irridescense of the wings. I had saved it but lost it when my computer crashed. Search for mounting butterflies or dragon flies and see what pops up. :D
 
Dragonfly:

Insects frequently become eaten by dermestid beetles within a year of mounting. They may be controlled with an application of moth crystals behind the mount. No, it probably is not conservation approved but it works. Place the crystals in a small plastic bag with some holes poked in it to release the preventataive. Another tried and true method is to place some cyanide crystals in the bag; it will work equally as well but do not inhale the fumes (I suspect that cynanide crystals may be a bit hard to get).

It is not necessary to spray the dragonfly with anything to hold it together; if you keep the beetles away, it should last a long time. Mountings of this type are ephemeral at the best and 100 years may be a bit much to expect.

Jack Cee
 
When I was a kid - along time ago - (no jokes Ron) I had a great bug collection. I took a course at the local science museum and after the kill jar, we were told to use a light dusting of Final Net hairspray to keep the insect from scaling. This may no longer be the case but when I gave them to a school in 1978 (mounted about 10 years) they still looked like the day I snuffed 'em.
 
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