any ideas as to how to make a mold of lep chrysalis?

[joniverson]

Exactly as in the subject, I'm fishing for ideas as to how to make a mold of a butterfly chrysalis?  They seem quite fragile, so not sure how to go about it.  Thanks!

[ninjaninku]

Maybe a lacquer or clear coat for strength. May have to fill with hot wax also to make solid. I have made many insect molds if you need more information.

[karan]

Hello

I think you could make the mold with alginate, it is a powder that mixed with water makes a paste used to make dental molds.
Mix the alginate with water t covers the crisalida, in 3 min it hardens, but with a cutter in minute you could already cut the mold to extract the original, I do not think that it is damaged since the alginate is very soft and flexible, the only thing that could happen is that the original is moistened, but it should only be dried again.

When you take it out the chrysalis, have plaster ready to fill the mold, and be careful do not separate the mold in two pieces, since later it will cost you to make them coincide, cut it enough to take out the crisalida with security, and careful too since the alginate dries very quickly and the mold can be deformed.

The best thing is that you try before with things of a similar size, you can see the process if you are looking for an alginate mold on youtube.