Mounting small bugs

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NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Mounting small bugs

Post by NikonUser »

I use standard entomological (insect) pins to hold insects for photography. These pins are a standard length of about 37 mm and come in several diameters, labeled as 000 , 00, 0,.........7.
for larger insects, length >15 mm, simply sticking the pin in the insect will hold the insect firmly.
For small insects one needs a small diam pin. However, such fine pins will not hold the insect firmly, a tendency for the insect to rotate on the pin. Large pins will hold but will often damage the bug.
Solution: glue 2 minuten pins onto a fine regular insect pin and use the resulting prong to securely hold tiny insects (on the side opposite to the one to be photographed) without damage:
Image

Here is the image with this set-up:
Image
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

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dissent
Posts: 146
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:48 pm
Location: Illinois

Post by dissent »

Neat idea. Thanks.

Bug macro - I'm finding out it's not just about camera, lens and how to point it.
- Ian
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