Wet Specimen Aftercare Instructions
Wet Specimen Aftercare
Thank you so much for trusting The Insect Asylum with your specimen! Below is an aftercare guide on how to keep your specimen well preserved for years to come. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 312-961-7219 or email at theinsectasylum@gmail.com
Our specimen are preserved in 10% buffed formalin (10% formaldehyde and 90% distilled water) and then are stored in 70% isopropyl alcohol. We use 70% because 90% is too corrosive on the specimen. 50% isopropyl is okay for preservation but 70% is best. We also keep our specimen in glass jars because formalin can break down certain plastics.
If you made your wet specimen in one of our classes, leave your specimen in the formalin for two weeks. Lightly shake the specimen every couple of days to release any air bubbles. Once the two weeks are over, in a well ventilated area, wearing gloves, working over a puppy pee pad, and wearing a kn95 mask or a respirator that is approved for formalin, take your specimen out of the jar, then transfer your formalin into a new, clean glass jar. You can keep the formalin to use again or you can drop it off at our storefront. Rinse your specimen and jar out with distilled water. Add your specimen back into the jar and then fill to the top with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Once again shake lightly every couple days for the next two weeks. If you would rather do this with us, please feel free to come by.
Always keep your specimen away from sources of heat including out of direct sunlight, as isopropyl alcohol and formalin are highly flammable. This means keeping your specimen out of windows, and away from the stove, fireplace, and anywhere you may smoke or burn candles.
Keep out of reach of children and away from pets. Everything in the jar is not edible, if you or someone else consumes any of the liquid or the specimen itself please seek medical attention immediately and contact poison control at 800-222-1222.
If your jar breaks, use gloves to carefully pick up the large glass and specimen and dispose of glass immediately. Absorb any liquid with cat litter or sawdust, sweep everything up, and put it all in the trash. Make sure to wash the floor afterwards. Your specimen can then go into a new glass jar with 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Over time alcohol can change color and evaporate. You may also notice leeching (formalin slowly leaving the body from where the needle was injected). If you notice any of these it is natural. When evaporation happens, top off the jar with more alcohol. If a color change or leeching happens, you can leave your specimen as is or you can remove it from the jar, dispose of isopropyl alcohol by pouring it into a separate glass or plastic jar and returning it to the museum, rinse both the jar and your specimen with distilled water, and then you can put your specimen back in the jar with fresh 70% isopropyl alcohol. Again, please wear gloves, work over a puppy pee pad in a well ventilated area, and wear a kn95 mask or a respirator approved for formalin. If you prefer not to change alcohol yourself you can bring it back to us to change it for you.