Home >> Science & Nature >> Animals & Science

How to Preserve Dead Caterpillars

Unlike insects with hard exoskeletons, caterpillars cannot be preserved by pinning. They would either rot, or shrivel up into caterpillar raisins. The proper way to preserve caterpillars is with rubbing alcohol. If properly preserved, their colors will stay fixed, and they can be kept indefinitely with very little care required.

Things You'll Need

Pencil
Label
Vial with lid
Rubbing alcohol
Boiling water

Instructions

- 1
  Fill out a label for the specimen using a soft lead pencil. The label should have the county and state where the caterpillar was collected, the date of collection and the name of the collector.
- 2
  Fill a vial with rubbing alcohol. It can be from 70 to 90 percent ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol.
- 3
  Immerse the caterpillar in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. The heat will kill the bacteria in the caterpillar's gut.
- 4
  Drop the caterpillar and the label into the vial of alcohol and screw on the lid.
- 5
  Change the alcohol if it becomes discolored after a few days.

Animals & Science