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ARS Home Northeast Area Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Systematic Entomology Laboratory Docs







Specimen Preparation Guidelines by Taxaheadline bar The table below provides a quick reference to SEL's preferred methods for preparaing adult insect specimens from specific taxonomic groups. Links to more specific information and instructions are provided for selected orders.  Taxon
Preferred Preparation MethodAcari (mites & ticks)
Ethanol or SlideAuchenorrhyncha (planthoppers, treehoppers, froghoppers, etc.)
Pin or PointBlattaria (roaches)
PinColeoptera(beetles)
Pin, Point, or Ethanol (depending on size)Collembola (springtails)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Dermaptera (earwigs)
PinDiplura
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Diptera(true flies)
Pin, Point, or Ethanol (depending on size)Ephemeroptera (mayflies)
EthanolHeteroptera (true bugs)
Pin or PointHymenoptera(bees, wasps, ants, etc.)
Ethanol, Pin, or Point (depending on size)Isoptera (termites)
EthanolLepidoptera (butterflies & moths)
Pin or PointMantodea (mantids)
PinMecoptera (scorpionflies, earwigflies, etc.)
Pin or PointMegaloptera (dobsonflies, fishflies, etc.)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Microcoryphia (bristletails)
EthanolNeuroptera (lacewings, antlions, owlflies, etc.)
Pin or PointOdonata (dragonflies & damselflies)
PinOrthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, & katydids)
PinPhasmida (walking-sticks)
PinPhthiraptera (lice)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Plecoptera (stoneflies)
EthanolProtura
SlidePsocoptera (plant lice)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Siphonaptera (fleas)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Sternorrhyncha(aphids, scales, whiteflies, psyllids)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Strepsiptera (twisted-winged parasites)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Thysanoptera(thrips)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Trichoptera (caddisflies)
EthanolZoraptera (webspinners)
Ethanol or Slide (depending on size)Zygentoma (silverfish)
Ethanol


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