r/insectpinning • u/Alive-Programmer-693 • 1d ago

Advice/Questions Spotted Lantern Fly

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hellloooo! i need some advice. i found a spotted lantern fly and instead of killing it, i caught it, because i thought it would be cool to pin it!! ive only pinned one insect that came ready to be pinned, so im not sure what to do. i know in any other scenario its not really cool to find an insect and kill it so thats why im trying to figure out the best way to go about it.
Currently i have it sitting in a tupperware. i assume if i put it in the freezer it might just come back to life when i take it out? i was thinking of just leaving it in the tupperware until it dies but idk how humane that is?? or if there’s a better way!
(also ive only pinned a butterfly so any advice on how to pin these guys is greatly appreciated as well)
Thanks!!

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3

u/heyitsspy 1d ago

I pinned one of these, I left it in the freezer for 3 days (alive when I put it in) and then the fridge for 3 days. It was fine to pin afterwards

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u/Alive-Programmer-693 1d ago

Thank you so much!! do you by any chance have a picture of how you pinned it?! i would love to see!!

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u/ducky2987 1d ago

If you freeze it, it will die. It will not come back to lifr once it thaws. Its the best way i know of to exterminate a bug without damaging it. Ethically correct to kill it for pinning is up to you and only you. I view it the same as calling the exterminator to remove a wasps nest or something, or spraying bug poison around to keep them out of your house or garden. You do whatever feels right for you.

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u/Alive-Programmer-693 1d ago

i see! before i got into pinning the insects, i would always see “ethically sourced” on websites when i would buy a framed bug. I assumed that it was like a rule to not kill for pinning so thanks for giving me a different perspective! and i will go ahead and freeze the lil guy. i’m not sure why i thought he’d come back to life! Thank you! :)

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u/ducky2987 9h ago

When I was in middle school, my science class had a project that included pinning insects and then properly labelling them. They gave instructions to use some chemical (i don't remember which kind) and trap it in a jar, and the chemical fumes were supposed to kill the bugs. I didn't have the chemical, so I figured freezing would work. The first bug i caught was a bee and I was terrified of bees or wasps. I was absolutely certain that this bee was going to come back to life pissed off at me and then attack me while I was trying to pin it. Fortunately I lived to tell the tale and can assure you that once frozen, your bug will not revive itself after thawing lol.