HOW TO REHYDRATE A DRIED BUTTERFLY SPECIMEN - DO'S AND DON'TS

If you have ever tried to mount a butterfly or moth specimen you will quickly learn just how fragile they are and how easy it is to ruin your valuable specimen. In this video we will show you some tips on how to rehydrate a butterfly or moth specimen and show you how to keep it from getting moldy. It is a sensitive and delicate process but with the right tools, you will be successful in curating a butterfly collection of your own. We will rehydrate a beautiful female specimen of Speyeria idalia, the regal fritillary that was sent to me from Minnesota. One mistake I made was not to put chlorocresol in the rehydration chamber and I left the specimen in a little too long and the abdomen began to grow mold. This is easily fixed by placing an anti-fungal chemical agent into the chamber such as chlorocresol. We must be careful when mounting a butterfly specimen because if not properly hydrated, the wings, antennae and legs easily snap off. We hope you learn something from the video! #butterfly #keysmoths #fritillary #butterflycollecting #entomology #howto