Moths and butterflies should have their wings spread before being put
into the collection. To do this well, it is necessary to have spreading
boards that are accurately made but that are not necessarily complicated
or expensive.
Construction.--A convenient board for medium-sized insects can be made
at home of the following materials:
1.--A hardwood base, 4 x 12 x ¼ inch.
2.--Two hardwood end pieces, 4 x ¾ x ½ inch.
3.--Two softwood top pieces, 1-7/8 x 12 x ½ inch, with the top surface
planed at an angle, so that the thickness at one edge is ½
inch and at the other 3/8 inch.
4.--Two flat cork pieces 1 x 11 x ^3/_1_6 inch.
Nail the top pieces to the ends so that the slanting surfaces of the
tops are uppermost and the narrower edges parallel and one-quarter inch
apart, fig. 16. Glue one strip of cork beneath the top pieces, covering
the opening between and fitting snugly at each end. Glue the other cork
piece flat to the upper side of the base, lengthwise along the middle,
and extending to within one-half inch of each end. Finally, nail the
base across the bottoms of the end pieces, so that the two corks face
each other.
Use.--Before spreading the specimen, relax it as described under
"Relaxing Boxes and Jars." Then pin it, keeping in mind fig. 12 and the
directions given under "Preservation by Pinning." Thrust the pin, with
the insect on it, through the upper cork of the board and into the cork
on the base. Insert the insect body in the groove so that the wing bases
are level with the near edge of each top piece. Hold the wings at the
top level by two narrow strips of paper and pull them forward until the
hind margin of the front wing is at right angles to the body axis, and
the front margin of the hind wing is just under the front wing, fig. 16.
Pin the wings temporarily in this position by inserting a pin, size 0 or
00, near the front margin at the base of each wing. When the wings on
both sides of the insect are thus adjusted, lay strong pieces of paper
over them and pin them down securely with large pins inserted close to
the wings but not through them. Here you may use large common pins, but
still better are the large-headed dressmaker's pins about 1¼ inches
long. Finally, remove the original adjusting pins and put the specimen
in a dry, pest-proof container for 2 or 3 weeks. It will then have set
sufficiently to be removed from the board.
[Illustration: Fig. 16.--Spreading board for moths and butterflies.
The insect is pinned with its body in the groove and, temporarily,
with all its wings drawn forward and pinned as shown for the right
wings. Then all wings are pinned as shown for the left wings, and
the insect is allowed to dry. The inset shows a view of spreading
board construction. The top pieces of the board must be smooth and
of soft wood. First grade pine is satisfactory.]
For good results, spreading boards with grooves of various widths are
necessary; a specimen should be spread on a board with a groove that
fits the body. The width of the top pieces should vary to accommodate
different wingspreads. The slope of the top pieces should be about as
described.