repair help for butterfly?

[joniverson]

One of the insect domes I am creating is going to contain butterflies.  This is going to be given as a gift to a relative.  Since I started this project late, some of the key butterflies I was looking for in my area are either past their time for the season, or nearly so.  One of the butterflies I am going to place in the dome is the tiger swallowtail.  Problem is, besides being hard to find this time of the year, the ones I did collect were all damaged in some way.  However, I am thinking of cutting out the good section from one of them and gluing that section into the missing section of another.  If done correctly, I could possibly end up with the equivalent of a non-damaged one for the dome.  I have several questions:

1)  If I try and repair these, is it better to do it now, while they are fresh, or wait until thoroughly dried after being on the mounting board for a couple of weeks?

2)  What glue should I use?

Thanks!     

[Adam Cotton]

I recommend you buy a perfect specimen from a local insect dealer in the US. Since you can see both sides of your specimen the repairs will be visible. Normally repairs are designed to make the upperside look good, to the detriment of the underside.

Adam.

[joniverson]

Thanks, Adam. I've actually been looking online for a couple of weeks for one at a decent price, but can't find any. As for the repair, I'd still appreciate any info because the way the butterfly will be situated will make the underside not visible.

[billg]

When I have to repair, I use a white wood glue like Elmer's mixed with Isopropyl alcohol.  My ratio is usually 1/3 glue to 2/3 alcohol.  When done carefully, the alcohol evaporates leaving a very thin film of glue.  This also dries on the slow side compared to super glue and one can adjust if needed.  It will dry quickly, but not instantly (super glue) which is more risky.

[joniverson]

billg, that's exactly what I did when making the dome in early Oct. Worked like a charm and you can't tell there was a repair done. I also found a fast dry version of Elmer's that has worked great with broken off antennae.