Insect Pinning: Comprehensive Photo Guide
Our insect pinning photo guide is a richly detailed visual companion to the full step-by-step comprehensive guide, offering high-quality, close-up images that walk you through each stage of the process. From rehydrating and positioning to pinning and final presentation, every step is illustrated with clear, intentional photographs designed to build confidence and precision.
Created with care by Peculiar Botany, this photo-forward resource is perfect for beginners and seasoned enthusiasts alike, providing a visual roadmap to support and elevate your pinning practice as you follow the complete written guide.
Insect pinning is the art of carefully preserving insects by mounting them on pins for study, display, or collection. It allows collectors and enthusiasts to observe and appreciate the intricate details of each specimen while keeping them safe for long-term care.
For those wishing to begin their own journey, our Insect Mouning Kit provides all the essential tools and includes access to the full, comprehensive pinning guide.
Proceed with patience, gentleness, and a touch of wonder.
Disclaimer: The information on this page has been thoughtfully researched and gathered by Peculiar Botany, yet the worlds we explore are ever-shifting and sometimes cloaked in mystery. Accordingly, this content is offered for curiosity and inspiration, not as established fact or professional guidance. We encourage all readers to consult reliable sources and trusted experts when seeking definitive information.
May your exploration be discerning, responsible, and softly enchanted.
Gathering Your Tools
Before you begin mounting your insect, gather all necessary tools—pins, forceps, soft brushes, and any rehydration materials. If you’re working with glass slides to position wings or secure delicate areas, have those ready as well. A well-prepared workspace ensures a smooth, focused, and gentle mounting process from start to finish.
Preparing Your Specimen for Rest
Before pinning, ensure your specimen is properly prepared by placing it in a hydration chamber until the body and wings regain flexibility. This gentle rehydration process helps prevent cracking, tearing, or breakage, allowing you to handle and position the insect with greater ease and precision during mounting.
Preparing Your Specimen for Rest
For added protection against mold, lightly moisten your paper or sponge with water mixed with a few drops of vodka. The alcohol helps deter fungal growth while still allowing the specimen to soften. Just remember—too much moisture can warp delicate wings, and too little won’t loosen them enough to work with.
Pin With Purpose; Anchor the Body
Place the insect so its thorax and abdomen rest in the central groove, allowing the wings to lie flat without distortion. Insert an appropriately sized insect pin through the thickest part of the thorax—slightly right of center to avoid internal structures—keeping the pin perpendicular to the board. This anchors the specimen securely while preventing crushing and sets the foundation for all further adjustments.
Pin With Purpose; Spread The Wings
Using fine forceps, gently lift and spread each wing to its natural angle—often around 90° for the forewings, though this varies by species. Support the wing edges with glass slides or paper strips to maintain symmetry and hold your chosen pose. Adjust slowly to avoid damaging scales, and feel free to refine the angles for artistic effect, whether highlighting patterns or suggesting subtle motion. Keep the supports in place while the specimen dries.
Pin with Purpose; Glass Slides
Instead of paper strips, gently place narrow glass slides over each wing so they rest lightly without crushing. The weight of the glass, combined with the pinned body, keeps the wings flat and secure as they dry. Slides offer clearer visibility and greater precision, especially for delicate species prone to wrinkling under paper.
Pin with Purpose; Paper Strips
For traditional support, use small strips of acid-free paper gently placed across the wings and pinned at either end. This cradles the delicate structure while allowing airflow to dry, ideal for smaller or less fragile specimens.
Pin with Purpose; Arrange Extremities
Position legs and antennae naturally or for artistic effect, supporting fragile parts with small slides or pins as needed. Legs should bend slightly at the femur-tibia joint, and antennae should lie symmetrically or curve to frame the head. This step, although optional, combines lifelike accuracy with creative expression while structures dry.
Pin with Purpose; Let It Rest
Allow the specimen to dry undisturbed in a dry, airy chamber, keeping glass slides in place to maintain symmetry. Ensure low humidity (50–60%), good airflow, and protection from pests. Most butterflies and moths take 7–14 days to fully dry before storage or display.
Curating Tiny Wonders
Once fully pinned and dried, insects can be displayed in cases, frames, or shadow boxes, creating striking artistic arrangements or curated collections that highlight their intricate beauty.
And so begins your journey. From the humblest beetle to the most dazzling butterfly, every insect you pin is a collaboration with nature herself—an act of preservation, reverence, and art.
Insect pinning is a bridge between science and artistry. Each carefully preserved specimen holds the beauty of its original life, capturing patterns, colors, and structures that delight the eye and inform the mind.