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Insect Rearing and Plant Handling

Samples of live insects, arachnids, plants, or other specimens can be shipped to our facilities where they will be maintained, reared, and prepared for photographs. Please review the guidelines for shipping and collecting below, and contact Dion Manastyrski for scheduling, and if you have any questions.

Shipping of live samples

Please contact Dion before making any shipments, to ensure that all arrangements and details will be considered. Please obtain any required permissions before making collections or shipping. All insects and plants will be stored under quarantine conditions at our facilities. When shipping any plants or insects, please take all necessary precautions to ensure that insects, plants or seeds will not escape from the package in transit. Please do not ship invasive species until detailed arrangements are made with the shipper and receiver to diminish the risk of loss or delivery errors.

All live samples should be properly packaged and shipped by high-speed courier. Special concerns should be boldly printed on all sides of the outer package with a felt marker (LIVE INSECTS--KEEP OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT, DO NOT CRUSH, etc.).

Basic guidelines for live sample collections and packaging

Insects and spider collections

Most insects are ideally collected with a portion of their host material or habitat, and it is preferable to store and ship them packaged with this sample of their natural habitat. Depending on what the host or habitat material is, care must be taken so the insect is not crushed or punctured by the material (bark or wood samples can be heavy, and some conifer needles are very sharp).

Plastic bags or pill bottles are commonly used for small samples, and they must be kept cool and out of direct sunlight at all times. Even thirty seconds of direct sunlight can kill an insect if it is contained in a clear plastic bag. If there is no living plant material or other source of moisture packaged with the insect, a slightly moist bit of paper towel should be included with the insect (slightly moist, but not wet or fungus will grow). The paper towel should be lightly wrinkled up, and should be loosely packed in the container so the insect has enough space to move around the container.

When collecting in very warm weather, it is usually helpful to store the containers of live insects in a cooler, with a buffer to protect them from direct contact with the ice. Most insects and arachnids can be stored under refrigeration if there will be a delay between collection and shipping times, or if it is necessary to prolong their life cycle. Some insects do not survive well if stored for prolonged periods during certain stages of their life cycle (e.g., pupae of some Lepidoptera).

Spiders and ground beetles are usually best collected in a small container and packaged with one or two wrinkled bits of slightly moist paper towel, loosely placed in the container. This provides a surface for the insect or arachnid to walk on or hide in, and it prevents the insect from rattling around in the container or getting damaged.

Bark beetles and wood-boring insects are ideally collected and shipped as they occur living in their host. The tree may need to be cut down by a qualified chain saw operator, and one or more samples taken of the bole of the tree with all bark intact (each section should be about 30 to 60 cm in length). If samples of the bole are to be stored for rearing at any time, both ends should be completely sealed with melted paraffin wax. The sections of the bole should be individually wrapped in heavy black plastic and sealed with duct tape.

Defoliators or other herbivores should be collected with a substantial and healthy clipping of the foliage from the species they feed on. This should be sealed in a plastic bag. In this case, a paper towel is not necessary because the foliage will usually provide adequate moisture. If rearing will be required, please contact us in advance so that we can prepare the required living plant food material in advance of shipping.

Plant collections

Photography of plants may be best accomplished in the field or in a studio environment, depending on the circumstances. When it is desired to have photos of plants that are isolated from their surroundings (e.g., plants against a white background), if is usually best to collect the plants and bring them to the studio for photography under controlled lighting.

Plant samples should be collected including the soil and as much of the root as possible. Plants must be thoroughly watered a few minutes before they are collected, and then once again after they are potted. The roots must be kept moist at all times. Care should be taken to not disturb the root within its soil bed when transferring the plant to a pot. These points are especially important with plants collected in very dry environments.

A plastic bag can be used to loosely enclose the plant to maintain a high humidity, which can help prevent wilting. Direct sunlight should be avoided. Be very careful to avoid distributing seeds when moving or shipping the plant.

Any specimens collected for photographs should be selected for suitability for the desired images. Examine the plants for injury or insect damage, and handle the plants carefully to ensure they will arrive intact and ready to smile for the camera.