Search found 184 matches

by ctron
Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:04 am
Forum: General Discussion Forum and Community Announcements
Topic: extending life of butterfly bait / fast banana ripening??
Replies: 2
Views: 2479

extending life of butterfly bait / fast banana ripening??

I live in an area of the US where I have only recently started using my standard butterfly traps. However, the weather has been hit and miss for butterflies. I find from the past that they would frequent the traps most often when the temps are in the 80's or 90's and very humid. That has not been th...
by ctron
Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:47 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar
Replies: 20
Views: 5035

BTW, I really liked this idea to display a butterly life cycle: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e7/cc/2a/e7cc2ab38be0e8f83fef061677e09c32.jpg :wink: I've inquired in another forum of perhaps a way of making a mold of the chrysalis as I have two now. So far, no responses. They make molds of other fra...
by ctron
Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:41 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar
Replies: 20
Views: 5035

Hi, A standard way of exhibiting insects that loose their colours (e.g. dragonflies) is to make a good dry preparation and then paint them using model paint http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nWQSO4pToUM/TVPsTrc3RjI/AAAAAAAAAPo/ihdCHlg5TU8/s1600/IMG_1060.JPG (no joke) Believe it or not, I actually tried thi...
by ctron
Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:40 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar
Replies: 20
Views: 5035

Quote: I have no experience on this. But different "silicone caulk" preparations have lots of different chemicals in them, and some of those chemicals can bleach colors. Is it possible to ask the entomologist and follow with his EXACT protocol and brand/ chemicals? Yes, that information is availabl...
by ctron
Fri Sep 22, 2017 9:34 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar
Replies: 20
Views: 5035

Well, I'm pretty much giving up. One of the caterpillars I started freeze drying via the long method (several months) started turning black tonight. I don't know if it's all caterpillars, it must not be because some people have success, or certain ones. I'm noticing with the Monarch that *any* resid...
by ctron
Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:41 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar
Replies: 20
Views: 5035

GrayPlayer wrote:Would a process used to dry flowers work?
No, I already tried this. It ends up wrinkling the specimen pretty badly.
by ctron
Fri Sep 22, 2017 4:36 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar
Replies: 20
Views: 5035

Thanks for noticing and fixing the link guys. I knew it didn't quite work the entire length, but figured someone would notice and fix. I've been trying to research what I would need besides the aspirator. It has 5/16" fittings. I was just going to try coupling this to my outside garden hose spigot, ...
by ctron
Fri Sep 22, 2017 12:01 pm
Forum: Macro and Micro Technique and Technical Discussions
Topic: attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar
Replies: 20
Views: 5035

attempting to preserve/ freeze dry Monarch caterpillar

I'm going to post here because I did a little research and found that similar subjects have been discussed in the archives. I meant to bookmark those, but I must have forgotten to after going to bed last evening, so..... I have a couple of expired Monarch caterpillars that I want to place inside a g...
by ctron
Sun Sep 03, 2017 11:05 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: modification suggestions for butterfly bait trap?
Replies: 13
Views: 2142

Just wanted to note that I had the first test of the dual zippers today and they worked great! I placed the trap up early this morning and within 6 hours, there were many flies, three white faced hornets, and a European hornet trying to get out the top. Since I wanted the Euro hornet, I carefully pa...
by ctron
Sun Sep 03, 2017 8:42 am
Forum: General Discussion Forum and Community Announcements
Topic: how to stop moldy butterfly bait
Replies: 4
Views: 3704

With my hornet traps, I use sugar water, a banana peel, and a little bit of white vinegar. Doesn't dissuade the wasps, so figured I'd go ahead and add a little of the vinegar to my butterfly bait. Thanks for the info.
by ctron
Sun Sep 03, 2017 8:39 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: modification suggestions for butterfly bait trap?
Replies: 13
Views: 2142

You're welcome. It certainly is bringing in lots, especially on the warmer days. I've been using the "standard" butterfly bait mixture, overripe bananas, some sugar, and sometimes a pinch of yeast to get the fermentation going faster. A day in the house first and then it's ready. You can change reci...
by ctron
Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:24 am
Forum: General Discussion Forum and Community Announcements
Topic: how to stop moldy butterfly bait
Replies: 4
Views: 3704

how to stop moldy butterfly bait

To attract butterflies and moths to my new trap, I make a mixture of bananas and sugar and then let it fermet for a day or two before using it as bait. Today, I noticed my latest bait, after being in a metal coffee can covered by a paper towel, is moldy and I had to discard it. I have two questions:...
by ctron
Sun Sep 03, 2017 12:41 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: modification suggestions for butterfly bait trap?
Replies: 13
Views: 2142

...Would making the top of the trap from a suitably large mesh keep the flies and hornets from accumulating while the trap is working? --Rik That was one of the ideas I thought of before deciding on the zippers. The problem is time. It's getting cooler day by day here and soon there won't be any ac...
by ctron
Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:12 pm
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: modification suggestions for butterfly bait trap?
Replies: 13
Views: 2142

Thanks guys, but I decided to go with my original zippers except placed at right angles to one another. I also sealed the original cut out area. With the top opened out, I now get about 70% in the open so much better chance of clearing out the bugs quickly.

Thanks again to all who responded here.
by ctron
Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:29 am
Forum: Equipment Discussions
Topic: modification suggestions for butterfly bait trap?
Replies: 13
Views: 2142

If you attached the velcro to loops of material and then the loops to the trap, when you opened the aperture, you'd be pulling on the velcro, not on the trap. You'd need to be sure to use both loops when opening it so as not to stress the trap material. I don't quite follow, so any way you can clar...