Post by trehopr1 on Mar 4, 2015 6:46:48 GMT
I'm really quite amazed at the great strides that have been made in "specimen packaging " techniques these last 10 years or so. I may sound old when I say this --- but, back in the day (circa early through late 70's) I used to buy my exotic beetles, cicadas, and insects (other than leps) from a place called the "Butterfly Company" in Long Island New York. I also bought leps but, that's another story!
Anyway, once I received my specimens I would have NO choice but to relax them as the beetles legs would always be close-up and tight against their body, cicadas would arrive wings folded over their backs, and most any other "bug" was in an envelope of some sort looking pretty much the way it died in the killing bottle. Hymenoptera were awful --- mostly curled up in a ball. Other insects had some legs splayed out while some were tucked in. You get the picture.
Well, fast forward to the late 90's and beyond and now you have the advent of what I term "ready-pack"specimens. You've all seen em' --- even lepi guys ! I mean the stuff is literally already DONE FOR YOU. It looks as though it's already been nicely spread out on some pinning board and then some guy "magically" packaged it while dry --- without hardly disturbing a leg !
I mean come on --- where did these guys come from? Where were they back in the 1970's? And the best part yet is that the methodology seems to be catching on because some of these items are offered on near INDUSTRIAL SCALE proportions.
If you happen to know a dealer who dabbles in this type of material you can literally cherry-pick through his packaged inventory and wind up with who knows --- 6, 8, or 10 pieces of something? Just release each item from it's cellophane prison, stick a pin in the middle, and Waa-La there you go.
Furthermore, it's a win-win situation because more often than not the insects are RELATIVELY CHEAP ! Now, don't mis-understand me; lepi people still have to largely slog through the dark ages with their papered leps. I am seeing however, more leps being offered SET and for sale. So who knows --- maybe those papered leps will one day be replaced by a new idea or method. Hope I'm around another 20 yrs.to find out !
Anyway, once I received my specimens I would have NO choice but to relax them as the beetles legs would always be close-up and tight against their body, cicadas would arrive wings folded over their backs, and most any other "bug" was in an envelope of some sort looking pretty much the way it died in the killing bottle. Hymenoptera were awful --- mostly curled up in a ball. Other insects had some legs splayed out while some were tucked in. You get the picture.
Well, fast forward to the late 90's and beyond and now you have the advent of what I term "ready-pack"specimens. You've all seen em' --- even lepi guys ! I mean the stuff is literally already DONE FOR YOU. It looks as though it's already been nicely spread out on some pinning board and then some guy "magically" packaged it while dry --- without hardly disturbing a leg !
I mean come on --- where did these guys come from? Where were they back in the 1970's? And the best part yet is that the methodology seems to be catching on because some of these items are offered on near INDUSTRIAL SCALE proportions.
If you happen to know a dealer who dabbles in this type of material you can literally cherry-pick through his packaged inventory and wind up with who knows --- 6, 8, or 10 pieces of something? Just release each item from it's cellophane prison, stick a pin in the middle, and Waa-La there you go.
Furthermore, it's a win-win situation because more often than not the insects are RELATIVELY CHEAP ! Now, don't mis-understand me; lepi people still have to largely slog through the dark ages with their papered leps. I am seeing however, more leps being offered SET and for sale. So who knows --- maybe those papered leps will one day be replaced by a new idea or method. Hope I'm around another 20 yrs.to find out !
