Tips for Pinning Bugs Beyond the Basics and Helpful Tips even vacation

As you know our Family Hobby is Bug Collecting. This year the kids are each getting there own box to fill, with pinned bugs that they will pin and stage completely on their own. I Can. Not. Wait!  I recently blogged about pinning a House Centipede through a series of photos, see it here. 

Tips for Pinning Bugs Beyond the Basics and Helpful Tips even vacation

AS I wrote my draft I realized there's a series of tips to consider when pinning. I hope this is helpful to anyone who has been pinning for years, and for beginners.

Here are a few tips I have collected on pinning bugs. Happy Pinning!


These bugs were collected at Loyola Beach in Chicago. I picked up what I thought were 7 bugs, they turned out to be 28 of them! Attached together in sandy bits.

Where to Collect Bugs in Early Spring - Our Family Hobby Insect Collection

We are very excited about a new season of bug collecting. The kids are even bringing up ideas and where we should go and look for bugs this year. While the Polar Vortex has been been haunting Chicagoland, with 40 degree weather on May 1st, we are already finding some of our tiny world friends.

Where to Collect Bugs in Early Spring - Our Family Hobby Insect Collection

We had a patch of warm weather with 60-70 degree temperature in April. I was looking at our front garden flowers and heard this bumble bee buzzing around. Insects are around us year round, just hibernating the through the cold months.

These photos were taken with my Iphone 5. It gets the job done. This bumble bee was captured in three shots, happily finding nectar, hovering on the flowers edge and then I caught him just before he flew away. and he inspired me to write about where bugs can be found this early in the season. ESPECAILLY considering the insanely colder then normal tempaeratures around here.

We have started collecting this year already, and here's where we found our specimens.

Where to Collect Bugs in Early Spring: Our Insect Collection, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

I'm still very pleased with my self and this photo of our little friend in our front garden. 

Photo Steps How to Pin a Bug - Freezer Method - Our Insect Collection and Family Hobby

We have been pinning bugs for 2 years now. IN the time I have developed a process for pinning. some shortcuts, and ways to improve the process for myself. I found a nice sized house centipede. I have done alot of reading this winter on insect collecting and entomology taxonomy, so since I have already decided to start live collecting, he was going to be our first specimen.

Photo Steps How to Pin a Bug - Freezer Method - Our Insect Collection and Family Hobby

I also wanted to capture the Steps to Pin an Insect in Photos. Here's a short series in pinning a House Centipede, he was found when we returned home from overnighting at my mom's house. He made a fast trip up my daughter bedroom curtains.I sill get a little creeped out when I first spot an insect, but my reaction quickly passes and I went into collecting mode.

What You Will Need to Pin Bugs:

• A plastic or glass collection jar - to put the bug in.
• something flat and firm to slide under the bug and trap in the jar.
• a kill jar (learn how to make one here or here) or access to a freezer (method which I used).
• styrofoam
• pins (depending on our level of collecting, you can use straight pins from home or purchase pins designed or pinning bugs that are museum grade)
• tweezers, optional
• clear nail polish or Elmer's all white school glue PVA. Learn more about glues here, and Elmer's glue for bugs here.
• box with secure air tight lid for storage and curing (we use Tupperware)
• bug storage box (we used Ferraro Roche chocolate boxes for our straight pins, but now we have shadow boxes for our bug pins).
• lead pencil and paper for labeling (we use all cotton rag paper, but standard white paper will due). Pencil or a printed label. However I find labeling as we go is easier for us.

Our Insects Pinned Wasp as a Gift and How To Pin Insects Guide

On a nature center visit in summer of 2013 all the cousins have a Nature Scavenger Hunt to complete. On our list was find an insect, of course! Each child found one, alive or dead. Our young cousin A (age 5 at the time) found this dead wasp and another insect, unidentified. 

Our Insects Pinned Wasp as a Gift and How To Pin Insects Guide 

So I pinned them for her. I have many many baby food jars still in storage from the days when I home made baby food for my little ones. I never threw out the jars because they have so many uses: seasonings jar, lost and found trinkets in the laundry room, leftover storage for sauces and condiments to refrigerate, and now, EXCELLENT bug storage.


I want her to have her bug from our outing (which the kids all still talk about today). It's a unique treasure. She can see the bug from all angles and access it by unscrewing the lid. 

I'll be sure to instruct her (and mom) to keep it well away from her two younger siblings and find a special home for this keepsake. And really the gift will be able to survive for generations if they want.

Our Insects: Pinned Wasp as a Gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.