Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

How to Pin a Cricket on Styrofoam

Add a cricket to your insect collection by pinning it to Styrofoam to create a 360 degree viewable display. Small insects move quickly when they are alive and it is difficult to observe all the details of their exoskeleton. By pinning a cricket onto Styrofoam you are able to look closely at even the tiniest parts of the insect body. Scientists use this display technique to study crickets and teach others about the complexities of the insect world.

Things You'll Need

Index card (blank)
Scissors
Pen
Styrofoam sheet (1 inch thick)
Insect pin (40mm)

Instructions

- 1
  Cut an index card into a rectangle that is approximately 1/2 inch wide and 3/4 inch long.
- 2
  Write a description of the cricket on the card that includes the date and location where it was found, as well as any specific species information.
- 3
  Place the information card on the thick Styrofoam sheet in the position you want to pin the cricket.
- 4
  Press the sharp tip of the insect pin through the prothorax just to the right of the center line. The prothorax is also called the saddle and is the section just below the cricket's head and just above the fore wings.
- 5
  Slide the insect pin through the cricket until approximately a quarter-inch of its length still protrudes from the top of the insect.
- 6
  Push the tip of the insect pin straight down into the center of the information card and about three-quarters of an inch into the Styrofoam.

Insects & Science