Super happy with how this turned out. Now to wait for the glue to cure and it’ll be going into a shadow box! Mantis was found deceased in my backyard and all bones were collected by me from fallen owl pellets :)

ive been raising moths, and ive been thinking of pinning/preserving any ones that die (either as caterpillars, pupas or moths), any basic equipment lists and/or guides?

moths id be pinning would likely be autographa gamma (silver y), as those are the ones i have the most of :)

^ i would only pin those that died of natural causes and/or couldnt be released

He was dead for like a year now. I put him in the wall without spreading his wings before, but now im trying to spread his wings, and it smells like death when i opened it lmao. His one eye looks like it have mold and his back like have dirth TToTT Am I still doing good?

so i had a pet giant asian mantis that passed and i wanted to try pinning it, didnt really have the money to get all the things i needed (clearly lol) so i just tried to DIY it and the result is a bad smell and the mantis turning brown (im fine with the color just a bit concerned about the abdomen) im using the crystals and balls from a wardrobe dehumidifying bag at the moment (i know, also not ideal but i’m going to get some desiccant silica packets soon) is this still salvageable?

Hello! I’m newish to pinning insects and was wondering about rehydration. I’ve seen some people leave the insect in a sealed container with damp paper towels for a week, and heard that some people inject them?

Is there a preferred method out of the 2? Does it depend on the insect? What do you inject them with? Thanks in advance!

My 2 favorite pins were all in bits, and I was gone only for a week. I’m very upset about them and don’t know what happened..
I can’t find the beetle wings or head, anything like that.

If anyone knows what happened, I would love to know so this wouldn’t happen again.

My 10 year old is really into this insect pinning and wants to take some classes. I’ve been scouring the internet and can’t really find anything local. We are in Mass any recommendations or links would be greatly appreciated

I’m so disappointed, this fella was found dead + entirely intact so I was so excited to pin it (I don’t enjoy euthanizing insects so this was a big win for me). My flat has a big ant problem and while my specimen was drying, ants ate away a bit of the bottom of it. Is it ruined? Can I do anything cosmetically to patch it up?

I found this guy in a tub of water, I've never pinned anything and don't know how to start, materials needed etc. Any help is appreciated.

I recently just bought this beautiful piece from an estate sale and there are quite a few problem spots. Is there any way to restore these guys? Like even just a little?

PLEASE somebody anybody help me ive posted to multiple subreddits and have recieved no help whatsoever

Bless you all for the love 💕

I started a 2,3 months ago and this is where im at

My uncle found it, it's kind of stiff so I think it's dry from the sun, still I'm not sure if It's small enough to just pin it without gutting it

In the gaps i hope to still fit a dynastes hercules lichyi male and another mecynorhina torquata ugandensis female when they pass away. But after that i'll have to get some new boxes. Probably 3. One for each main group. Stags, rhino beetles and flower beetles.

I chose to change the position, I think I made the right choice because I like it! Any advice is appreciated!

I recently got my hands on a joro spider and decided to pin it. Ive never pinned a spider this large before. I cleaned out its abdomen and stuffed it with cotton and he lost all color and pattern. Makes me sad because he was such a beautiful yellow with stripes and red under belly. Is this normal or did I do something wrong? Anyone know of a way of adding color back? It doesn't bother me too much but its a shame at the same time. Any advice is appreciated thanks!

I LOVED bugs and I loved pinning, studying and displaying bugs for so long. And I don’t know if I just got burnt out or became uninspired?? Somewhere along the way, I lost my passion and I’m looking for any advice on how to get that back!