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How to Make Insect Labels

Starting an insect collection offers a good overview on the diversity of insects in your area. To create a proper insect collection, label your insects neatly and uniformly, and include all relevant information. This will remind you of important information related to its collection and will help others with the same information in the future.

Things You'll Need

Small pieces of white paper, 1/4 X 3/4 inch or smaller
Waterproof ink pen or pencil
Pinned insects, insects on slides and/or insects in vials
Insect collection box

Instructions

- 1
  Fill out the label in small font with the location where the insect was caught. Fill out the date it was caught on the second line. Fill out the name of the collector on the third line.
- 2
  Place the label on the pinning box and press the pin through the label at a uniform location, without pushing it up to touch the pinned insect.
- 3
  Pin a second label beneath the first with more information about the insect's habitat, diet or other relevant information. The insect and both labels should be equidistant from one another on the pin.
- 4
  Move the labels up or down the pin to be at the same height as all other pinned labels. Turn the labels parallel with the pinned insect.
- 5
  Write the relevant information on a label in waterproof ink or in pencil to place on a slide or in a vial with smaller insects. Write these labels in the same format as the pinned labels.

Insects & Science