Bee "Taxidermy"

[ElectricBlueBee]

I know its the wrong term, and i just googled it to find this horrific page, 2nd reference in google to facebook under "bee taxidermy"

Being new, and full of crazy ideas, i'd like to make a collection of bees, and castes to show at association training. Also part of me would like to preserve my first ever queen Janice (named after my dear mother) when her time is up (if i can find her then!)

Is there a special way, or do i just pin her to a block of wood? Is there some nice clear substance which i could encase her in like a Fox's glacier mint?

 

[huntsman666]

<Is there some nice clear substance which i could encase her in like a Fox's glacier mint?>

A good hobby shop should be able to provide you a kit for casting clear resin blocks.

 

[Luna]

maybe I should do that with the queen I am about to bump off...

 

[ElectricBlueBee]

Well people are always asking me about what they look like, sizes etc. My godson is becoming interested, and was very pleased to take home some stray comb which the queen had laid eggs in, which i removed in a moment of trying to tidy up my hive (why i dont know!)

On an odd side note, thinking about how people buy such "health food" rubbish, i could always sell off unwanted queen cells with jelly and a larvae in, gross but i'm sure some silly person would buy it!

 

[viridens]

The first job when preserving insects is to make sure that they are absolutely dry. Otherwise, they are likely to decompose after all your trouble. It is best to 'pose' them before drying.

One way of drying is to put them into an open container in a deep freeze for a few weeks. Frost-free freezers work best. Freezers are said to be a humane way of killing insects too - apparently they just sleep and never wake again.

The other way to dry them is just leave them somewhere sunny, but colours will fade more.

You can buy extra-clear embedding resin in craft shops if you want a 'paper weight', or spray them with car type clear lacquer.

Another way is to preserve them in alcohol. A little Vodka will do, and what you do with the rest of the bottle is up to you...

Expect some colour change whichever method you use, and practise on a few before your precious one.

Good luck.

 

[Robin_Bee]

I am a semi retired professional Taxidermist. The best way to deal with mounting a bee, assuming you don't want to cast it into what used to be called "plasticraft" Which was a clear plastic resin epoxy. Is to first freeze it in the deep freeze of any fridge. After 48 hours this will send it into a deep un-waking sleep. The next stage is a little tricky to do correctly. You need to relax it.
To do this, you will need a sandwich box, and a handful of crushed laurel leaves. These smell like almonds. Lay them into a small tupperwear container, and cover them with a piece of kitchen roll paper. Lay the bee on top and leave for 24 hours. After this, it will be as pliable, and malleable, as it was when alive. You now need to stick a fine pin right through its back and abdomen, and into a piece of polystyrene to mount it.

At this stage you will need either a syringe of formalin solution, or neat alcohol. This is available from a willing chemist when you tell them what your plans are. The next step is to obtain a syringe a 0.25 mil tiny syringe is enough. Draw up either of the chemicals, and inject slowly into the thorax, and the chest cavity. Mop up any leakage with kitchen roll and proceed to working the bees legs into position as if it were stood naturally. More pins can be used to simply wedge the legs in place. Leave to cure and dry for at least a week and bingo! You just saved yourself a fortune.

A better and faster way is to have a killing jar with morphine, or carbon tetrachloride on a piece of cotton wool. This is what I would have used when I was doing lepidoptery for museums, etc. There are suppliers on the net if you really are keen to do the job properly.
To cast into plastic is not as easy as this. Unless the mould is made in two halves the bee ends up being squashed. It is first mounted on a half cast of the finished article, then the skill is all in the pouring of the second half, carefully submerging the bee from the legs up trying to avoid flattening it.


Robin.

 

[Tim1606]

Well people are always asking me about what they look like, sizes etc.!

I collect varroa in a small plastic jar as i have people ask me what they look like. Great to show newbees.

 

[ElectricBlueBee]

Great ideas! Thanks guys. This will help show people the differences in bees, and the idea about displaying varroa is good too!

 

[RoseCottage]

A few years ago I bought a pair of bee cufflinks from a lady in Canada. Two beautiful girls encased in a blue resin. Very lovely indeed.

I always wear them if I am giving a serious presentation to new clients. They are my backup.

Sam