Resource Library
Our resource library offers practical and imaginative guides for the curious naturalist. Here you’ll find step-by-step instructions on insect pinning, methods of animal preservation, and explorations into the art of reanimation. Each guide blends scientific technique with a touch of the uncanny, designed to help you preserve, study, and even revive the peculiar wonders of the natural world.
These guides are the fruits of long years of curious study, playful mistakes, and eccentric experimentation, and remain the property of Peculiar Botany. Some pages are for members or patrons only. Proceed with caution—Peculiar Botany is not liable for wandering specimens, wayward experiments, or misadventures.
Pinning the delicate stories of nature, one muse at a time.
Insect Pinning: Standard
Step gently into the world of tiny wings and delicate patterns with our beginner-friendly insect pinning guide. Learn how to select, relax, and position your specimens with care, while discovering tips to preserve their beauty for years to come. Perfect for curious minds and artistic souls alike, this guide blends science and creativity, turning each insect into a miniature masterpiece
Pinned with care, admired with wonder.
Insect Pinning: Comprehensive
A little patience, careful hands, and a love for the tiny and strange—here, insects are pinned, preserved, and celebrated.
This collection is passcode required and accompanies the insect pinning kit or classes.
Methods to preserve and honor animal forms beyond their span.
Bone Preservation
Techniques that resist decay, granting animal forms a kind of stillness beyond time, so they may endure as lasting specimens and curiosities.
Nature paused in delicate form.
Dry Preservation: Mummification
Dry preservation is the art of letting time itself do the work—turning fur, feather, and bone into quiet relics of life. Without liquids or harsh alchemy, the creature’s form lingers, stilled yet storytelling, a natural keepsake suspended between memory and wonder.
Preserving the poetry of the natural world, one careful pose at a time.
Dry Preservation: Taxidermy
Discover the art of small animal taxidermy in our detailed guide, where science meets whimsy. Learn how to ethically source, prepare, and preserve tiny creatures, capturing their delicate features and lifelike charm while exploring the fascinating craft behind each miniature specimen.
Suspended worlds of wonder.
Wet Preservation
Life captured in fluid form, where every delicate curve and vibrant detail whispers stories of nature’s design, preserving the wonder of creatures both familiar and strange for study, reflection, and artistic inspiration.
Unethical Practices
A look at harmful specimen practices, emphasizing ethics, conservation, and respect for nature’s delicate balance.
Ethical Sourcing & Legal Considerations in the State of Texas
Ethical Sourcing: Respecting Life and Law
Preserving animal specimens is a delicate art that requires not only skill but also a deep sense of responsibility. In Texas, where the wild landscapes teem with life, it's crucial to approach specimen collection with both respect and adherence to the law. Here's how you can ethically source specimens while staying within the bounds of Texas state law.
Ethical Sourcing: Respecting Life and Law
Naturally Deceased Animals:
- Collecting from Private Property: If you find a naturally deceased animal on private land, you may collect it without a permit, provided it's not a protected species. Always obtain permission from the landowner before collecting.
- Avoiding Harm: Never harm or kill animals for the sole purpose of preservation. Ethical sourcing means respecting the life that once was.
Donations and Transfers:
- From Institutions: Museums, universities, and wildlife rehabilitators may offer specimens for educational purposes. Ensure that any transfer complies with their policies and that the specimen was ethically obtained.
- Documentation: Keep records of how and where each specimen was acquired, including any permits or permissions, to maintain transparency and legality.
Avoiding the Wild Trade:
- No Wild Collection: Do not collect animals from the wild, especially from protected areas or species, without the appropriate permits.
- Legal and Ethical Implications: Engaging in the illegal wildlife trade not only harms ecosystems but can also lead to severe legal consequences.
Navigating Texas Wildlife Laws
Texas has specific regulations governing the collection and possession of wildlife specimens. Here's what you need to know:
Scientific Research Permits
- Required for Indigenous Species: To collect, hold, possess, display, transport, release, or propagate indigenous mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, or fish, you must obtain a Scientific Research Permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Texas Parks and Wildlife. Application Process: Applications are available on the TPWD website and require detailed information about your research objectives and methods.
Endangered and Threatened Species
- Strict Protections: It is illegal to capture, trap, take, or kill endangered or threatened species without explicit authorization Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.
- Possession and Sale: Possessing or selling goods made from endangered species is prohibited unless they were lawfully obtained and are properly documented.
Transportation of Specimens
- Lawfully Taken Specimens: You may transport or ship specimens of wild birds or animals that were lawfully taken, provided they are not for sale and are being transported to a taxidermist, tannery, or your home Justia.
- Documentation: Always carry proof of lawful acquisition when transporting specimens.
Cold Storage and Processing
- Regulations for Game Animals: If you're processing game animals, ensure that the facility complies with TPWD regulations regarding cold storage and processing
Practical Tips for Ethical Specimen Collection
Research Before Collecting: Always familiarize yourself with local and state regulations before collecting any specimens.
Obtain Necessary Permits: If required, apply for the appropriate permits well in advance.
Keep Detailed Records: Maintain logs of where, when, and how each specimen was acquired, along with any relevant permits.
Educate and Advocate: Share your knowledge about ethical specimen collection with others to promote responsible practices.