HOW TO KNOW THE INSEQS 



Figure 20. A pinning block. 



About one fourth the length of the pin should be exposed 

 above the Insect for handllnp^. It will greatly Improve the 

 appearance of a collection If all Insects are mounted at the same 

 height and all labels placed at uniform height. This may be 

 easily done If a pinning block Is used. A good type pinning 



block may be made from 

 strips of some fairly 

 soft fine grained wood, 

 5/16 of an Inch thick 

 and an Inch or more 

 wide. These pieces are 

 nailed together with 

 brads as shovm and a 

 very small vertical 

 hole drilled or made 

 with a fine finishing 

 nail in each step. The 

 holes go entirely 

 tnrough the block. The 

 lower step is used for 

 placing name labels. 

 It is also used to get 

 the insects at unlfonn 

 height on the pins. To 

 do this the specimens 

 are first pushed well 

 up to the head of the 

 pin. The head of the 

 pin Is then inserted in the hole of step one and pushed dovm as 

 far as it will go, thus leaving the top of the specimen at the 

 proper height. The third step is used for rightly spacing points 

 aad cards and the second step for locality labels. 



When insects are to be pinned they m.ay be spread out on a 

 cloth folded to several thicknesses or on a thin soft pad. They 

 are thus much more easily held in place for accurate pinning than 

 on a smooth 

 table. A pinning 

 stand made of 

 thin balsa vjood 

 nailed on strips 

 to give a total 

 height of one 

 inch has been 

 found very con- 

 venient. Two or 

 three holes that 

 will just admit 

 an Insect pin 

 are made in the 

 balsa wood at a 



convenient place near the front and encircled with ink or pencil 

 so as to be easily located. The balsa wood is soft and rough 

 enough to hold the specimens without slipping as they are being 

 pinned-. After the pin is started through a specimen and found 

 to be straight (£5ee Figures 22 and 23) the point is inserted in 

 one of the holes just mentioned and the insect pushed well up 

 on the pin. 



The beginner should then use the first step on the pinning 

 block to put the specimen back to the proper height on the pin. 



25 



Figure 21, Planing stand. 



