Getting Mold Off of Preserved Beetle

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pannaking22

Fresh Imago
I gave a friend of mine a handful of beetles I had collected because he wanted to pin it up naturally and get some pictures of it. Normally I'm somewhat hesitant doing that, especially with uncommon/rare species, but in this case I let him do it.

Well, this time it came back and bit me in the butt because out of the 5 specimens I let him use, I was only able to get 2 back that were somewhat recognizable under all the mold that had grown on them. He said he kept them in a sealed jar for storage or something and left that in a warm place in his apartment.

I've already pitched the other 3 specimens (one of which was a cicindelid species I didn't have and am really bummed to have lost), but I'm hoping to save the other two beetles (both small lucanids). Do you guys have any recommendations to get the mold off, or am I pretty much stuck with these two moldy specimens? I have left them out and everything is dry, so hopefully that makes removing mold easier.

 
I've had mold grow on specimens I was keeping in a cooled container due to excess moisture. If your case is anything like mine, most of the growth was over the head/antennae. A gentle scrubbing motion with a wet toothbrush, followed by a gentle and light rinse under running water got most of it off for me. But you have to be very careful, as the drier the specimen at this point, the more susceptible it is to mechanical damage. Antennae are very fragile and snap off easily, as you probably know, so the only way I could fix the mold off of them is by breaking them off in a controlled fashion, cleaning the specimen, and super glueing them back on. There are probably easier ways, but this method worked for me.

 
I apply ammonia using a small artist's paint brush, the results are excellent. Plus it prevents mold from growing back, and if applied properly can also restore the color in the specimens eyes.

 
Very good info, wizentrop. Thanks for sharing! That site also seems to have some great info on macrophotography so I'm going to have to get some tips from there as well!

 
I am glad people are finding this info useful. Be careful not to soak the whole insect in ammonia, it can cause some discoloration.

The link I shared started as a guide for people interested in focus-stacking macrophotography, but because this technique requires dead specimens the author decided to include information about preserving insects. It turned out to be a nice source of information about collecting insects.

 
Took out my collection of dried beetles today and noticed that one of them has mold growing all over it. How long do I soak it in rubbing alcohol? After I soak it in rubbing alcohol, how long do I let it dry before putting it back in the container?

 
A good preemptive measure for any dry collection is to keep insecticidal/fungicidal strips in it, and make sure to replace them often (every few months). A good way to combat mold would be to wipe it off carefully with a gentle paintbrush, dip it into a strong alcohol (preferably ethanol), ammonia, or acetone for a few seconds to a minute, allow it to dry, and wipe clear any remaining mold with a paintbrush. I prefer acetone because it makes the colors really come back in a specimen due to breaking down the oils but it can give any hairy species a "wet" appearance. Also do not dip any very hairy or scaled insects as this will destroy them.

After you get it off, try and find the source of the mold and fix it! Mold loves high humidity and insects will mold if the humidity is too high. get some anti-mold strips for your collection so you dont have to deal with it again. A properly stored collection should never mold.

 
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Thank you! I was going to use moth balls to prevent mold at first. I never had this problem until now and I'll make sure none of my dried beetles grow mold again.

 
Yeah it can be a doozy, there are these nice red strips I use that inhibit everything. You just use a couple pins to hold them up in the display and prevent them from falling over

 
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