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Preserving butterflies for framing is a delicate art that combines scientific technique with aesthetic presentation. Whether you're creating a Victorian-inspired cabinet of curiosities or a modern natural history display, proper preservation ensures your butterfly specimens remain beautiful for generations.
If your butterfly is dried, place it in a relaxing chamber with damp paper towels for 24-48 hours. This softens the wings and body, making them pliable for spreading without damage.
Position the butterfly on a spreading board with the body in the central groove. Gently spread the wings to their natural position using insect pins and strips of paper to hold them in place. The forewings should be positioned at a 90-degree angle to the body.
Allow the specimen to dry completely in a warm, dry location for 7-14 days. Proper drying prevents mold and ensures the wings maintain their position.
Once fully dried, carefully pin the butterfly to a backing board or mount it using archival adhesive. Position it in your frame with UV-protective glass to prevent fading.
While DIY preservation is rewarding, professionally prepared specimens offer museum-quality results with expert spreading, mounting, and species identification. Pre-mounted butterflies are ideal for collectors seeking ready-to-frame displays.
Always source butterfly specimens ethically from conservation farms, specialist breeders, or reputable natural history suppliers. Avoid collecting wild specimens from protected species or sensitive habitats.
Browse our collection of ethically sourced, professionally preserved butterflies perfect for framing. Each specimen is expertly spread and mounted, ready to create stunning natural history displays.
Pinning very small insects requires specialized techniques that differ from standard pinning methods. Insects smaller than 10mm are too delicate for direct pinning with standard insect pins—attempting to do so will damage or destroy the specimen. Instead, entomologists use point mounting, minuten pins, or slide mounting to preserve and display these tiny specimens.
Size guidelines: 10mm and larger use standard direct pinning, 5-10mm need point mounting, 2-5mm require minuten pins or point mounting, and under 2mm need slide mounting. Common insects requiring special techniques include small beetles, tiny flies, small bees and wasps, ants, parasitic wasps, micro-moths, aphids, thrips, and springtails.
Point mounting is the standard technique for insects 5-10mm in size. The insect is glued to a small triangular card point, which is then pinned.
Stiff white card stock, point punch or scissors, standard insect pins (size 2-3), water-soluble archival glue, fine forceps, pinning block, magnifying glass, and fine brush for applying glue.
1. Create triangular point 8-10mm long, 3-4mm wide at base. 2. Insert standard pin through wide end of triangle. 3. Apply tiny drop of glue on point tip. 4. Using forceps, press insect's right side onto glue drop. 5. Position horizontally facing forward, glue touching thorax not abdomen. 6. Adjust while wet, allow to dry 1-24 hours.
Insect glued on right side (standard convention), allows examination of underside and legs, use minimal glue, ensure consistency in point size, labels go on pin below point.
Minuten pins are ultra-fine pins (0.1-0.2mm diameter) used for insects 2-5mm in size. Process: Insert minuten pin through insect at standard location, mount minuten pin in small cork block, insert standard pin through cork block for handling. Requires microscope and excellent manual dexterity.
For insects under 2mm (aphids, scale insects, thrips, fleas, lice). Specimen preserved in alcohol, cleared in potassium hydroxide, mounted in Canada balsam on glass slide, covered with coverslip, examined under compound microscope.
By size: 10mm+ standard pinning, 7-10mm direct or point mounting, 5-7mm point mounting, 3-5mm point or minuten pins, 2-3mm minuten or slide, under 2mm slide mounting required. By purpose: display collections use point mounting, scientific study uses minuten pins or slides.
Magnifying glass (5-10x), dissecting microscope (10-40x), LED ring light, fine forceps, micro-forceps, point punch, pinning block, fine brushes, card stock, archival glue, minuten pins, cork or pith blocks.
Too much glue obscures features—use minimal amount. Specimen crooked—adjust while wet. Bent minuten pins—work slowly with support. Damaged specimens—use finer forceps and magnification. Inconsistent points—invest in point punch.
Practice with common species first, ensure good lighting and stable work surface, always use forceps never fingers, work slowly and deliberately, take breaks to avoid eye strain, keep specimens moist during preparation.
Preparing very small insects requires specialized equipment, considerable skill, and significant time investment. Many collectors prefer professionally prepared specimens that offer expert technique, proper mounting methods, consistent appearance, and immediate usability.
Rehydrating (or "relaxing") and spreading butterflies transforms dried, folded specimens into stunning display pieces with symmetrically positioned wings. This essential technique allows you to work with papered butterflies, field-collected specimens, or old dried butterflies that need repositioning. With patience and proper technique, you can create museum-quality displays that showcase the full beauty of butterfly wing patterns and colors.
Container Setup
Moisture Source
Add Mold Prevention
Create Platform
If Butterflies Are Papered
If Butterflies Are Loose
Placement
Seal and Wait
Relaxing Time by Size
How to Check
If Still Stiff
If Too Soft
Groove Width
Common Sizes
Remove from Envelope
Insert the Pin
Position on Board
This is the most critical and delicate step.
Starting Position
Technique for Moving Wings
Proper Wing Position (Standard Museum Style)
Repeat on Other Side
Paper Strip Method
Coverage
Antennae
Abdomen
Legs
Drying Environment
Drying Time
Testing for Dryness
Careful Removal
Remove Support Pins
Cause: Specimen not relaxed enough
Solution: Return to relaxing chamber for 12-24 more hours
Cause: Insufficient mold inhibitor, over-relaxing, or too humid
Solution: Add more vinegar to chamber, check specimens daily, gently brush off mold and re-dry
Cause: Uneven spreading or positioning
Solution: Adjust before paper is pinned down, compare both sides frequently
Cause: Insufficient drying time
Solution: Return to spreading board and dry longer; prevention is key
Cause: Rough handling or specimen too dry
Solution: Can be reattached with tiny amount of archival glue
Cause: Waited too long after removing from chamber
Solution: Return to relaxing chamber and start over
Rehydrating and spreading butterflies is a time-intensive process requiring patience, proper equipment, and considerable skill. The learning curve involves inevitable mistakes, and the process takes weeks from start to finish. Many collectors prefer professionally spread specimens that offer:
Our collection features professionally spread butterflies prepared by expert entomologists using the techniques described above. Each specimen is perfectly symmetrical, expertly positioned, and ready for immediate display—eliminating the weeks of work and technical challenges of the spreading process.
Explore Our Range of Entomology Equipment, Pins, Setting Boards, Display Cases
Explore Our Butterfly Collection
Explore Our Framed Butterfly Collection
Technically, butterflies are not taxidermy in the traditional sense—they're preserved using specialized entomological techniques. While taxidermy involves preserving vertebrate animals by removing and replacing internal tissues, butterfly preservation is a distinct process that maintains the insect's natural structure through careful drying and mounting.
Taxidermy is used for vertebrate animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish) and involves:
Butterfly and insect preservation is simpler because of their exoskeleton structure:
Professional butterfly preservation involves carefully positioning the wings and body while the specimen is fresh or relaxed:
Unlike taxidermy, butterfly preservation doesn't require:
The butterfly's chitinous exoskeleton naturally preserves the body structure, making the process more akin to botanical pressing than traditional taxidermy.
Professional entomologists and preparators create specimens with:
DIY preservation often results in:
The same preservation techniques apply to other insects:
Properly preserved butterflies can last indefinitely with correct care:
While not technically taxidermy, butterfly preservation is both an art and a science. It requires knowledge of anatomy, patience, and skill to create museum-quality displays that showcase these magnificent insects in their full natural beauty.
Whether you call it taxidermy or entomological preservation, the most important consideration is ethical sourcing. Our collection features only specimens from sustainable farms, licensed breeders, and conservation programs—never wild-caught endangered species.
Butterfly preservation is properly called entomological preparation, insect mounting, or lepidoptera preparation. While many people use the term "butterfly taxidermy," this is technically incorrect—the scientific practice of preserving butterflies and other insects falls under the field of entomology, not taxidermy.
The broad scientific term for preserving any insect specimen, including butterflies, moths, beetles, and other arthropods. This encompasses all techniques used to prepare insects for study, display, or collection.
The specific term for preparing butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera). This refers to the process of spreading wings and positioning specimens for optimal display.
The physical techniques used to position and preserve specimens. "Spreading" specifically refers to the wing-positioning process, while "pinning" describes securing the specimen.
Taxidermy specifically refers to preserving vertebrate animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish) by:
Butterflies and insects have exoskeletons that naturally preserve their shape when dried, requiring completely different techniques. No skin removal, artificial forms, or chemical preservation is needed—making it a distinct practice from taxidermy.
The overall process of preparing insects for scientific collections, including killing, relaxing, spreading, drying, and labeling.
The specialized tool used to position butterfly wings at the correct angle during the drying process.
The technique of softening dried specimens in a humidity chamber to make them pliable for repositioning without damage.
Butterflies stored flat in glassine or paper envelopes, a space-efficient method used by museums and collectors before final mounting.
A shallow display case with cotton backing, commonly used for educational insect collections.
A specialized storage and display box designed for pinned insect specimens, featuring a tight seal and cork or foam bottom.
Museum-quality lepidoptera mounting requires:
Butterfly collecting and preparation has been practiced for centuries, with Victorian-era naturalists elevating it to an art form. The techniques developed in the 18th and 19th centuries remain largely unchanged today, testament to their effectiveness.
Today's lepidoptera preparation serves multiple purposes:
Professional entomological preparation requires training in:
While the term "butterfly taxidermy" is commonly used in searches, what you're actually looking for is professionally prepared lepidoptera specimens. Our collection features museum-quality entomological preparation by expert preparators, ensuring:
Almost all insects can be pinned for preservation and display, though the specific techniques vary by size, body structure, and fragility. From delicate butterflies to robust beetles, insect pinning is the standard method used by museums, researchers, and collectors worldwide to create lasting natural history specimens.
The most popular insects for pinning and display:
Beetles are among the easiest insects to pin:
Stunning but delicate specimens:
Important for scientific collections:
Large-bodied insects suitable for pinning:
Shield bugs, cicadas, and assassin bugs:
Challenging due to small size:
Used for medium to large insects (10mm+):
For small insects (under 10mm):
Specifically for butterflies, moths, and some dragonflies:
Some insects present challenges:
When building an insect collection, always:
Professional insect preparation requires skill, patience, and proper materials. Our collection features museum-quality pinned specimens prepared by expert entomologists, including butterflies, beetles, moths, and other spectacular insects—all ethically sourced and ready for display.
While many insects can be pinned using standard techniques, certain groups require specialized methods due to their size, body structure, or fragility. Understanding these special pinning techniques is essential for creating museum-quality specimens and preserving delicate insects without damage.
Why special methods are needed: Wings must be displayed symmetrically to showcase patterns and colors.
Technique:
Special considerations: Delicate wing scales are easily damaged by handling; use forceps on body only, never touch wings directly.
Why special methods are needed: Long, fragile abdomens and delicate wing membranes require extra support.
Technique:
Special considerations: Colors often fade rapidly after death; specimens should be dried quickly in darkness.
Why special methods are needed: Too small for standard pins without damaging the specimen.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Delicate bodies and scientific importance of underside features.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Extremely small size (2-5mm) makes standard pinning impossible.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Microscopic size (1-3mm) and scientific value.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Heavy abdomens can sag or detach during drying.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Long bodies and raptorial forelegs require careful positioning.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Soft bodies and microscopic size make pinning impossible.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Flattened bodies and tiny size.
Technique:
Why special methods are needed: Space-efficient storage before final spreading.
Technique:
Specialized pinning techniques require years of practice, proper equipment, and detailed knowledge of insect anatomy. Professional entomological preparators ensure:
Our collection features professionally prepared insects using appropriate specialized techniques for each species. From perfectly spread butterflies to expertly mounted beetles, every specimen is prepared by skilled entomologists using museum-standard methods—all ethically sourced and ready for display.
Preserving insects for pinning is a precise process that requires proper technique to create museum-quality specimens. Whether you're building a scientific collection or creating natural history displays, understanding the complete preservation workflow—from collection to final mounting—ensures your specimens remain beautiful and intact for generations.
Killing Jar Method (Most Common)
Freezing Method
Important: Never collect protected or endangered species. Always verify local regulations and collect ethically.
For Immediate Pinning (Fresh Specimens)
For Temporary Storage
If your insect has dried and become brittle, it must be relaxed before pinning:
Relaxing Chamber Setup
Testing for Readiness
Choosing the Right Pin
Pin Placement by Insect Type
Proper Pin Height
Spreading Board Setup
Wing Positioning
Antenna and Leg Positioning
Drying Environment
Drying Time
Testing for Dryness
Proper data labels are essential for scientific and educational value:
Collection Data Label (Required)
Identification Label
Label Placement
Pest Prevention
Environmental Control
Insect preservation requires significant skill, time, and equipment investment. Many collectors prefer professionally prepared specimens that offer:
Our collection features professionally preserved insects prepared by expert entomologists using the techniques described above. Every specimen is ethically sourced, expertly mounted, and ready for display—allowing you to enjoy the beauty of natural history without the complexity of preservation.
While butterflies and exotic beetles dominate the spotlight, countless spectacular insects remain criminally underappreciated by collectors and enthusiasts. From iridescent jewel beetles to architectural stick insects, these underrated species offer extraordinary beauty, fascinating biology, and stunning display potential—yet they're often overlooked in favor of more famous cousins.
Why they're underrated: Overshadowed by butterflies despite having equally stunning colors.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Exceptional. Their permanent metallic sheen makes them ideal for framing and cabinet displays.
Why they're underrated: Perceived as plain brown insects rather than architectural marvels.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Excellent for dramatic, sculptural presentations in shadow boxes.
Why they're underrated: Overlooked in favor of scarabs and stag beetles.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Outstanding—the long antennae create dramatic visual impact.
Why they're underrated: Known for noise rather than beauty.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Very good—wings create ethereal, delicate displays.
Why they're underrated: Reputation as predators overshadows their appearance.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Good—unique forms create interesting focal points.
Why they're underrated: Rare in collections and little-known to the public.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Excellent for educational and curiosity-focused collections.
Why they're underrated: Overshadowed by scarabs and stag beetles.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Exceptional—colors and size create stunning displays.
Why they're underrated: Confused with true flies; little-known outside entomology.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Very good—unusual forms create memorable displays.
Why they're underrated: Small size leads to being overlooked.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Good—vibrant colors stand out in collections.
Why they're underrated: Seen as common grasshopper relatives.
What makes them special:
Display potential: Good to excellent depending on species and preparation.
Many underrated insects like jewel beetles have structural coloration that never fades, unlike some butterfly pigments. This makes them superior for long-term display.
Stick insects, mantisflies, and lanternflies offer sculptural qualities and bizarre adaptations that create conversation-starting displays.
Beetles and true bugs generally have harder exoskeletons than butterflies, making them easier to preserve and more resistant to damage.
These insects demonstrate fascinating evolutionary adaptations, ecological roles, and biological diversity beyond the familiar butterfly narrative.
Many underrated species are more abundant and ethically sourceable than rare butterflies, making them sustainable collection choices.
While butterflies are undeniably beautiful, limiting collections to Lepidoptera means missing out on:
Many underrated insects are:
This makes them excellent choices for ethical, sustainable collections.
Our collection celebrates the full diversity of the insect world, featuring not only spectacular butterflies but also stunning jewel beetles, dramatic stick insects, and other underrated species that deserve a place in your natural history display. Each specimen is ethically sourced and professionally prepared to museum standards.
Properly preserved and stored pinned insects will not decay in the traditional sense—they can last for decades, centuries, or even indefinitely. Museum collections contain specimens over 200 years old that remain in excellent condition. However, pinned insects do face specific threats that can cause deterioration if not properly managed, including pest damage, mold, color fading, and physical breakdown.
Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton that is naturally resistant to decomposition:
Natural history museums worldwide maintain insect collections dating back to the 1700s and 1800s. These centuries-old specimens remain scientifically valuable and visually intact, proving that proper preservation creates essentially permanent specimens.
While pinned insects don't decay, they face other threats:
Dermestid beetles (carpet beetles) and clothes moths are the greatest danger to insect collections:
Prevention:
High humidity can cause mold to grow on specimens:
Prevention:
Light exposure causes pigment-based colors to fade:
Prevention:
Mechanical damage from handling or environmental stress:
Prevention:
Oil migration in some large-bodied insects:
Prevention:
Regular inspection helps catch problems early:
Professional collections follow strict protocols:
Pinned insects do not decay in the traditional biological sense. With proper care, they can last:
The primary threats are pests, mold, and light damage—all preventable with proper storage and care. The specimens themselves are inherently stable and non-perishable.
Our collection features museum-quality specimens prepared using archival methods and materials designed for maximum longevity. Each insect is properly dried, mounted with stainless steel pins, and ready for long-term display. With basic care, these specimens will remain beautiful for generations.
Softening dried insects—a process called "relaxing"—is essential for pinning and spreading specimens that have become stiff and brittle. Using a relaxing chamber to rehydrate dried insects allows you to position wings, legs, and antennae without damage, making it possible to create museum-quality displays from specimens collected days, months, or even years earlier.
When insects die and dry out naturally, they become rigid and brittle:
1. Prepare the Moisture Source
2. Add Mold Prevention
3. Create a Platform
4. Add Your Specimens
5. Seal and Wait
Small, Delicate Insects (12-24 hours)
Medium Insects (24-48 hours)
Large, Robust Insects (48-72 hours)
Very Old or Extremely Dry Specimens (3-7 days)
Check specimens periodically to avoid over-relaxing:
For urgent situations or very small insects:
For grasshoppers, mantids, and large beetles:
For very old or stubborn specimens:
Causes:
Solutions:
Causes:
Solutions:
Causes:
Solutions:
Causes:
Solutions:
Work quickly once specimens are relaxed:
Relaxing and pinning insects requires patience, proper equipment, and considerable skill. Many collectors prefer professionally prepared specimens that eliminate the need for relaxing chambers and technical preparation, offering:
Our collection features professionally prepared insects that have been expertly relaxed, spread, and mounted by skilled entomologists. Every specimen is ready for immediate display, eliminating the complexity of the relaxing process while ensuring museum-quality results.
Insect pinning follows standardized rules developed over centuries to ensure specimens are scientifically useful, aesthetically pleasing, and consistently prepared across collections worldwide. These rules cover pin placement, specimen height, pin angle, labeling, and handling techniques—creating a universal language for entomological preparation that allows specimens to be studied, compared, and displayed effectively.
The most fundamental rule: where you insert the pin depends on the insect's taxonomic group.
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Coleoptera (Beetles)
Hemiptera (True Bugs)
Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps, Ants)
Diptera (Flies)
Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Mantids)
Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
Specimens must be positioned at a consistent height on the pin for uniform appearance and proper labeling.
Standard Height:
Why This Matters:
General Rule:
Why Vertical Matters:
Insect pins come in standardized sizes (000 to 7), with specific sizes for different insects.
Pin Size Chart:
Selection Guidelines:
Handling Rules:
Butterflies and moths must be spread according to specific standards.
Wing Position Rules:
Why Symmetry Matters:
For All Insects:
Specific Guidelines:
Unlabeled specimens have minimal scientific or educational value.
Required Label Information:
Label Placement Rules:
Timing Rules:
Drying Standards:
When to Use:
Point Mounting Rules:
Minuten Pin Method:
Large-Bodied Insects:
Dragonflies:
Resources for Beginners:
Essential Skills to Develop:
Mastering insect pinning rules requires practice, specialized equipment, and considerable time investment. Many collectors prefer professionally prepared specimens that guarantee:
Our collection features insects prepared by expert entomologists who follow strict museum standards for pinning, spreading, and labeling. Every specimen demonstrates proper technique, ensuring both scientific accuracy and aesthetic excellence—ready for display or study.
