/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>1466782

Carding is a way of securing the specimen, in a way that pointing exposes all the fragile parts. It is the most common way of preserving small coleoptera in Europe and Asia (and I think South America). It is only used in really small beetles, and the larger are pinned through their right elitra. The glue is extremely water soluble, so putting the card in water for 5 seconds free the specimen. Usualy this is not necessary, because most times, the specimen can be identified by dorsal characteristics or genitalia, that is usually dissecated and attached under the card, on the pin too.
Also, pinning sometimes can obscure certain identification marks, as in this Coccinellidae. A permanent glue on the right side of its body would (maybe?) hide one of the underside dots, and even if using a water soluble glue to release it for identification, the crooked position (in oposite to the total flat position of carding) could (and definitely would) damage at the very least an antenae.

To be honest, I think pointing is only used for coleoptera in the USA. I never heard anyone from other countries doing it.

Here is a "how to" video on carding coleoptera:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfO0_gCYxX4&t=22s

>>1466788

These are great, but I would prefer to have a way to make them myself whenever I wanted, and keep it padronized. Maybe in 5 years I will need more, and a supplier may not carry that shape anymore.