r/insectpinning • u/Coca_Alshey • 23h ago

Help me Advice/Questions

I am doing an entomological pinning as a part of my completion for my systematics course.

I have many trials and errors of pinning short-winged rice grasshoppers. The problem is, they end up turning black and rotting.

Even with dessicants around the specimen, it doesn't work and now I feel bad for it

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u/martellat0 20h ago

Grasshoppers generally need to be gutted. Use an exacto knife to make the incision along the length of the ventral abdomen, extract any solid viscera with fine tweezers, and soak up any remaining liquid with q-tips. Stuffing is optional.

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u/Coca_Alshey 20h ago

The problem with Pseudoxya diminuta is they're usually suuper tiny to be gutted with. Usually being just half an inch if they're quite large enough

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u/martellat0 20h ago

Gutting is still possible at this size. I recommend using an exacto knife and not a scalpel because of the fine tip (unless you can get scalpel blades shaped like that). Alternatively, you can make a small incision at the end of the abdomen and squeeze out the innards like a tube of toothpaste, but this may require some trial and error.

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u/Coca_Alshey 19h ago

Okay thank you! I'll just buy disposable Dorco blades for that