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» Specimen Preparation Guidelines by Taxa
| Specimen Preparation Guidelines by Taxa |
|
The table below provides a quick reference to SEL's preferred methods for preparaing adult insect specimens from specific taxonomic groups. Links to more specific information and instructions are provided for selected orders.
|
Taxon
|
Preferred Preparation Method
|
| Acari (mites & ticks) | Ethanol or Slide |
| Auchenorrhyncha (planthoppers, treehoppers, froghoppers, etc.) |
Pin or Point
|
| Blattaria (roaches) |
Pin
|
| Coleoptera(beetles) |
Pin, Point, or Ethanol (depending on size)
|
| Collembola (springtails) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Dermaptera (earwigs) |
Pin
|
| Diplura |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Diptera(true flies) |
Pin, Point, or Ethanol (depending on size)
|
| Ephemeroptera (mayflies) |
Ethanol
|
| Heteroptera (true bugs) |
Pin or Point
|
| Hymenoptera(bees, wasps, ants, etc.) |
Ethanol, Pin, or Point (depending on size)
|
| Isoptera (termites) |
Ethanol
|
| Lepidoptera (butterflies & moths) |
Pin or Point
|
| Mantodea (mantids) |
Pin
|
| Mecoptera (scorpionflies, earwigflies, etc.) |
Pin or Point
|
| Megaloptera (dobsonflies, fishflies, etc.) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Microcoryphia (bristletails) |
Ethanol
|
| Neuroptera (lacewings, antlions, owlflies, etc.) |
Pin or Point
|
| Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies) |
Pin
|
| Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, & katydids) |
Pin
|
| Phasmida (walking-sticks) |
Pin
|
| Phthiraptera (lice) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Plecoptera (stoneflies) |
Ethanol
|
| Protura |
Slide
|
| Psocoptera (plant lice) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Siphonaptera (fleas) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Sternorrhyncha(aphids, scales, whiteflies, psyllids) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Strepsiptera (twisted-winged parasites) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Thysanoptera(thrips) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Trichoptera (caddisflies) |
Ethanol
|
| Zoraptera (webspinners) |
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)
|
| Zygentoma (silverfish) |
Ethanol
|