Conservation and restoration of insect specimens
Conservation concerns begin at collection and continue through preparation, storage, examination, documentation, research and treatment when restoration is needed.
It must be done delicately to ensure that neither the collector nor the live insect itself will cause harm to the distinctive features such as wings, legs and antennae that give purpose to the collection.
Special collection nets, traps and techniques must be utilized in consideration of how easily breakage can happen.
They have to be carefully prepared with the appropriate methods depending on their size, anatomy, and potentially delicate features to ensure they will not break before they begin their role as a specimen available for study, research and display.
The choice made will preserve key features necessary for identification and represent the insect's living form as closely as possible.
The process of pinning insect specimens is a dry method to preserve and display collections and requires special entomological equipment to accomplish effectively.
[1] It is used primarily for hard-bodied, medium to large specimens and is beneficial for easier study and color preservation.
[4] A triangular point is cut from acid free card to ensure best conservation practice because it comes in direct contact with the specimen.
Insect collections may suffer multiple types of degradation including fading colors from light exposure, mold growth from improper humidity and temperature levels, and infestations from pests that feed on dried insect,[5] but much of this is avoidable when proper preventive conservation practices are followed.
[6] A common way to prevent damage from pests intent to feed on insect specimens and dust accumulation in a collection is to keep them in sealed boxes or cabinets.
[3] Proper handling for insect specimens prevents the excessive breaking of legs, antennae and other body parts that could then easily be lost.
Curved forceps may be used to allow more precision and less chance of the brittle specimen coming in contact with the handler.
Conclusions are drawn from inspection and potential treatments are also documented to inform researchers and future conservators.
Researching the collections of insects provides important information that develops knowledge about ecology, human health and crops.
[4] Well-kept records aid the researcher in identifying whether there are differences in an observed specimen because of damages, treatments or deterioration.
Research of the insect collections in museums can lead to new discoveries of species,[16] and provide an important historical resource.
[17] Once a close observation reveals what issues are present in insect collections, the conservator makes a decision on actions to be taken.
Some use a relaxing jar that the specimen is left in for days with the substrate of choice, others may choose to use a warm water bath with a drop of detergent.
