7. Terrestrial Arthropods

7.1 Voucher Requirements

Ideally all specimens should be submitted as vouchers. All prepared specimens should definitely be deposited. Insect taxonomy is still very 'cloudy' and a species today may be 20 species tomorrow. As well, if the specimens have been prepared, it is better to use them and keep them in good condition. The Royal BC Museum can always make the decision to high-grade them or donate them to another collection. Specimens not identified to species should be submitted as well. These can sometimes turn out to be the most important specimens found in a project. Minimum requirements are listed below.

Diversity Inventory

• 6 specimens of each species, one of which is fully sorted and identified, mounted and labelled.
• Broad-brush survey: sorted by family. Subsequent work and distribution of specimens at discretion of project proponent and Royal BC Museum curator.

Directed Taxa Inventory

• Fully sorted and represented specimens identified to species, mounted, and labelled. Collect 3 of each sex (if relevant and possible) or a total of 6. If it is not possible to identify to species, then only list to genus in the final report so that taxonomic refinements can be made.
  • Incidentals should be sorted by family or order and stored in alcohol or their future be discussed with the Royal BC Museum curator.

7.2 Data Needs

The Royal BC Museum has standards for the type of label paper and sizes of labels for use on specimens either pinned or stored in vials, etc. This helps to avoid having to re-do the labels for each specimen submitted to the museum.

• Pinned specimens: Labels should not exceed 15 x 7 mm and 3 to 4 pt. text should be used.
• Specimens in alcohol: Labels should not exceed 50 x 50 mm and should have sample code written with India ink.
• Specimens in envelopes: Labels inside envelopes should be card-sized (3 x 5 cm).
• Note: All labels must be printed on acid free cotton rag 70-80 lb.

Minimum data requirements for all specimens is the location, date and collector's name.

7.3 Preparation and Care of Specimens

Specimen preparation is crucial. Incorrect or careless mounting or preserving of a specimen can greatly reduce its scientific value. Techniques used for proper preparation vary greatly depending on taxon, medium used to collect and preserve specimens and taxonomic expertise enlisted to do identifications. The Insects and Arachnids of Canada (Martin 1977) is accepted as the standard for collecting, preparing and preserving specimens. See the reference section for instructions to obtain this document. However, as most specimens will be sent to taxonomists/systematists across North America and Europe, specimen preparation will be governed by the identifier. Resources Inventory Committee (1998) recommends that a list of taxonomic help with specifications for sample preparation be established before the inventory is initiated.

Unless otherwise specified, Martin (1977) should be used as the standard for the Royal BC Museum collections. Page numbers for specific sections refer to Martin (1977).

7.3.1 Identification

• A widely used key for basic insect identifications to family is Borror, Delong and Triplehorn (6^th ed.) 1989. Introduction to the study of insects. Spider identification - Kaston 1972; Myriapod identification - Kevan and Scudder 1989.
• Keys in Manual of Nearctic Diptera, volume 1 (McAlpine et al. 1981), and volume 2 (McAlpine et al. 1987) may also be used for Diptera.
• Standards for species names:
• Orthopteroid insects - Vickery and Kevan 1985
• Lepidoptera (except butterflies) - Hodges, R.W. et al., ed. 1983
• Butterflies - Layberry et al. 1998
• Hymenoptera - Krombein et al. 1979
• Coleoptera - Bousquet 1991
• Odonata - Walker 1953; 1958; Walker and Corbet 1975
• Diptera - Stone et al. 1965

7.3.2 Equipment and Methods for Collecting

Topic	Page reference
1. Nets	11
2. Traps	15
3. Other	33
4. Aspirator	43
5. Soil sampling	47
6. Aquatic traps	57
7. Vertebrate ectoparasites	67
8. Killing bottles	73

Note: Cyanide compounds should not be used; they are extremely poisonous, and adequate killing agents, which are more easily obtained and more simply prepared, are available. Use ethyl acetate, soapy water, or freezing.

7.3.3 Equipment and Methods for Preserving and Mounting

Topic	Page reference
1. Relaxing	79
2. Cleaning	79
3. Temporary storage	82
4. Pinning and mounting	85
5. Liquid preservation	98
6. Microscopical preparations	102

7.3.4 Preparation Methods - General

See the section Applying the Methods, starting on page 124 (Martin 1977) for protocols for a particular taxa. Information specific to Odonata (dragonflies) is provided below.

7.3.5 Preparation Methods - Odonata

Collecting

• Use a long-handled aerial net. A net opening of at least 18" is recommended. Some collectors feel that a dark net bag (black or green) is less conspicuous and thus is more effective than a white one.
• Observing patrolling dragonflies before swinging away often pays; positioning yourself in the most advantageous location, especially if it is somewhat concealed, is usually fruitful. Move deliberately. Refrain from waving the net around; keep it as inconspicuous as possible.
• Swing at fast-flying, agile species from behind as they fly by; many will easily dodge a net swung head-on.
• When a specimen is captured, place it alive in a glassine envelope (available in several sizes - the most useful is 3.5" x 2.25" - at stamp-collector stores). The wings should be together above the back. Place pairs caught in tandem or in copula in the same envelope if possible. If they are too large to go together in a single envelope, make certain that the fact they were mating is indicated on both envelopes. The collecting data must be written on the envelope in pencil or India ink or other ink that is insoluble in acetone (if the acetone treatment described below is used).

Preparation

• While in the field keep the envelopes containing live dragonflies in as cool a place as possible. Store them in a non-crushable box. Tupperware boxes of the proper size are excellent for this purpose.
• The colour pattern of some species (e.g. Aeshna eremita, A. constricta, A. canadensis) fades somewhat soon after capture. If possible, such species should be treated in acetone immediately.
• Acetone treatment: this chemical dehydrates the specimen and dissolves fat, reducing the decomposition of colour pigments. All handling of acetone should be done outdoors or in a fume hood, the fumes are toxic.
• The acetone is kept in a wide-mouth glass jar or other container inert to the solvent. The wider the mouth, the better. Ensure the lid is leak-proof. Acetone can be purchased at any hardware store.
• Kill the dragonfly before inserting the envelope into the jar. This can be done by placing a few drops of ethyl acetate in the envelope. As soon as the insect is dead, the abdomen should be straightened and the envelope containing the dragonfly should be immersed in the acetone. If no poison is available, the envelope and dragonfly can be placed in the acetone, killing the dragonfly. However, if this is done, the envelope will have to be removed from the jar after a minute or so, and the abdomen straightened if necessary, before replacing the envelope in the acetone. Otherwise, acetone-killed dragonflies will have curled abdomens, which are difficult to measure.
• Leave the dragonflies in the acetone for at least 24 hours. The usual procedure is to take the envelope out for drying when the next day's catch is ready to go into the jar(s). The acetone should be replaced after four or five uses; yellowish acetone indicates a change is necessary.
• Drain acetone out of the envelopes and dry them in a well-ventilated place.
• When the envelopes are dry they are stored in tupperware or cardboard boxes that will withstand crushing. Store the envelopes vertically, like a card file.
• Specimens can be shipped by mail in this manner. Simply make certain the box is nested in a larger box, protected on all sides by 7.5-10 cm of packing material.
• Federal Transport of Dangerous Goods regulates the shipping of acetone and so it is best to get it after you arrive at your destination. Take the necessary jars or containers with you though, as it is may be hard to find a good jar with the right dimensions.
• If you cannot use acetone, simply dry the specimens as rapidly as possible after they have been killed. Placing the boxes containing specimen envelopes at close range over or under electric lights is helpful. The faster the drying occurs, the better the colour preservation.
• Another alternative is storage in 95% ethanol either in or without envelopes. If envelopes are not used, specimens can later be removed from the alcohol and dried in envelopes in the correct position. Both air drying (above) and ethanol treatment are less desirable than the acetone treatment.

Preservation and Documentation

Once specimens are brought to Royal BC Museum, they are removed from the glassine envelopes and store permanently in mylar envelopes (see below). Each mylar envelope contains only one specimen. Collection data are entered on computer and are printed out using a laser printer in a standard format (see below). The sheet is then cut into the proper labels (usually 3 from each page) and the labels are inserted in the envelopes behind the specimen. Any original determination labels are retained in the envelope behind the label. The envelopes are then stored vertically in cabinet drawers, much like a card file.

Mylar envelopes: The envelopes are made of Mylar with a mono-molecular coat of cellophane, which allows heat sealing of the edges. The envelopes were originally designed by the Royal BC Museum and custom made by University Products, MA. University Products now carries them as a stock item in their catalogue.

Labels: Printed on 8 ½" x 11" acid free heavy paper stock. This can be obtained from Crown Paper, Saanich, BC. Product #SRC 11433036, Curtis Britewater Text, 80 WT, 23" x 35" cut to 11" x 8 ½".