Best relaxing method for large Saturniidae

[ursinum]

Hi there
does anybody like to share some tipps about how you're relaxing large saturniidae like for example an Argema mittrei or Actias luna? 
How to prevent the hairy body to catch too much humidity and still to get the muscles very tender relaxed. 
Maybe placing the specimen vertically in the relaxing box or conventional laying on a cotton surface?

Would appreciate a lot if somebody could describe here how you're handling the process.

 

Ben

[Ed]

The best way to relax large bodied specimens is through injecting the thorax with a fluid.
This is what I do, and many other collectors do this as well.

[wollastoni]

Yes, it works well with hot water or vodka.

Then remove the excess of water/vodka by pressing a piece of toilet paper on the thorax.

Then place it for one day in a classic relaxing tupperware with wet paper to relax the antennaes.

[africaone]

- put 24hours in relaxing box (in his paper)
- press the abdomen slowly to move the muscle
- inject 1-2 droplet of ammoniac
- repress the abdomen carefully
- wait 1-2 hours
- prepare the specimen.

If the specimen is very hard, let it more time in the relaxing box and if necessary reinject 1 droplet of ammoniac in the thorax.

This method will prevent the "hairy" problem.

[billg]

For me, after 15 or so hours of softening in a slightly heated chamber, I pull them out to try to mount.  If they are still too stiff, I'll take regular dry Gin (the kind one would drink) and inject into the ventral thorax at an angle from between the legs towards the head.  Then I wait 5 min., try to gently work loose the wing muscles.  If still too stiff, I'll again inject until Gin oozes out the spiracles or needle entry.  I'll again wait a few minutes.  Lastly, after two injections, two wing muscle workings, and still a bit stiff, I'll take a paintbrush and lightly "paint" Gin onto the outside ventral area where the wings are attached to the body.  Honestly, this almost always works for me.  I am careful not to have the Gin wet the wings or even the outside of the abdomen.  If PDB is also in the softening chamber, I may also put them back in for an additional 8 hours.  

[billg]

[wollastoni]

Thanks Bill, very interesting !
I have 3 questions. :-)

. Is PCB really useful as the specimens stay only for 15 hours into the chamber ?
. Do you put boiled water or normal temperature water on your sponges ?
. I cannot well see what those "screen racks" are on the picture

[billg]

Hi wallostoni,

I always use pcb as some specimens may have dormant mold on them I can't see. 

i use room temperature distilled water to wet the sponges. The heat from the bulbs rises and nicely warms up the container w 100% humidity.  They are 25 watt tubular bulbs used for aquariums.

The screen racks (hopefully easier to see now) keep the bug from direct contact with the sponges. It also helps keeping the wings from getting too wet.

[billg]

Here it is even closer....sorry abt pic quality.  The screen is folded making a zig zag and the specimen rests nicely in the groove w the wings resting on the upper edge of each bent groove.