How to keep a butterfly (in 6 easy steps)

The butterfly is easily regarded as one of the most beautiful creatures by both children and adults. Happy, insects can be kept after they are dead, and the butterfly is no exception. Whether you want to display it in a pot, in resin, in a shadow box, or mount it on a plate or frame, you need to know how to keep a dead butterfly from disintegrating. Here are six easy steps to save the butterfly for collecting, assembling, and otherwise storing it so it will last for years to come. Read on to learn how to keep a butterfly.

Step 1: Choose a Butterfly

We do not recommend collecting butterflies by killing them for art purposes. Collecting a butterfly ideally involves finding a dead butterfly outside. But if you can’t, and you have a certain species in mind, it’s best to get a caterpillar of a butterfly farm. You will be able to see how it turns into a pupa into a butterfly. Once it dies of natural causes, you’ll have your butterfly copy and can put it in a mothballed envelope until you’re ready to assemble it.

Step 2: Buy Supplies

You will need specific tools for handling the butterfly for collecting, assembling and displaying:

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• Dress, straight or insect pins. Insect pins should be size two
• A piece of Styrofoam or a spreading board larger than the butterfly
• Wax or tracing paper
• pliers
• A glue gun
• Airtight glass jar or plastic container with lid and a window screen, mesh or aluminum foil for the bottom
• Paper towels and antiseptic (such as Lysol or Pine-sol)

Step 3: Relax the Butterfly

The next step is to relax the butterfly for positioning. If your butterfly is dead for a few days, it will become stiff. But if it died recently and you’re not working on it for a few days, put it in the freezer. Taking it out can help keep it fresh and keep dust away with hairspray. Otherwise, skip this step.

To relax the butterfly, first place a few paper towels in a jar and add a few drops of disinfectant, which will prevent mold growth. Place the window screen, wire mesh or piece of aluminum foil on top, followed by the butterfly and lid. It normally shouldn’t take more than one or two days to relax, but if you can’t move its wings, you may need three to four days. Check every day when it’s relaxed enough and make sure it’s dried out. When it’s done, you can keep the colorful scales on and dust with hairspray.

Step 4: Assemble the Butterfly with Pins

The next step is to assemble the butterfly with pins to position it just right for your display. Cover the Styrofoam piece or spreading board with wax or tracing paper, a single piece or piece for each wing so as not to rub off the scales, and hold the paper in place with pins on the corners. Use the forceps to gently place the butterfly on it, then use pins to keep the butterfly still by placing them on either side of the abdomen between each wing and the abdomen, then between each wing and the thorax. You can also push a pin into the center of the thorax if it is still moving.

Now you are ready to work on each wing by first placing a piece of wax or tracing paper over the opposite wing to protect the scales from your hand. Using a pin on the front wing, gently press the large vein that runs along the top margin until the front wing is evenly perpendicular to the body, then place the paper over it. Start pinning the paper as close to the wing as possible. When you’re ready to work on the back wing, use a pin to push the bottom of the paper out of the way. Do the same manipulation and pin for the back wing and then the other side of the butterfly.

The last step is to pin down the antennas, which is standard practice for pinning in a v shape. Use the pins to straighten them and place them as close to the v-shape as possible. Once done, wait a minimum of 48 hours but a maximum of six days for the butterfly to dry completely and remain frozen in place. Remove the pins and paper and you are ready to display your butterfly.

Step 5: Show the Butterfly

There are several ways to display your butterfly. Whichever you choose, you’ll want to keep your butterfly away from direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place:

In a jar, glass dome, bottle or double glass frame

This display method is simple and requires no pins. Make sure it is big enough to hold the butterfly. You will also want to use a preservative such as alcohol for the vial. For the glass dome, glue the butterfly on a stem or piece of wood and arrange it with other dried materials, then glue the glass dome on the base with transparent silicone glue or epoxy glue. For the double glass frame, you can either use clear silicone glue to glue the butterfly to the glass, or glue or pin it to a piece of cork which you then glue to the glass.

In a specimen tray

A specimen tray is a large wooden display case with Styrofoam inside and a glass lid. It is an investment, but if you want to exhibit several butterfly specimens, this is a great option.

In Wrecker Mount

Available at craft stores, a crane arm mount allows you to display your butterfly in a frame with a cotton wool backing, glass lid, and pins on the side. It is affordable and holds the butterfly in place without the need for pins.

In a shadow box

A shadow box is another method for displaying your butterfly in a frame. It is available at various craft and retail stores. You also don’t need pins for this and you have to glue the butterfly on a glue stick, which is obvious and not obvious. Alternatively, you can get another type of storage box, such as a Schmidtt box, Cornell drawer, cabinet, or even a cigar box with a Styrofoam or cork back.

in resin

This method requires clear casting resin, rubber molds, and a silicone mat, which you can buy at a craft store. The resin comes with a catalyst (hardener) to make it harden, which is toxic, so you’ll need disposable gloves as well. This method requires experimentation to center the butterfly, remove air bubbles, and properly cure the resin. The rubber molds should be one to two inches larger than the butterfly’s wingspan.

First you need the resin and the catalyst. Then, slowly pour a thin base coat into the mold. Use tweezers with a spade tip to partially submerge the butterfly and allow the resin to dry for at least 15-20 minutes, longer if necessary –
long enough to gel but not harden while also keeping the butterfly from moving. You’ll then add another coat of resin or two if your butterfly can still move after each additional coat. Allow the resin to cure for three days before removing it from the mold, ideally at a temperature of 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit or near a stove. When it’s done curing and out of the mold, you can sand it down and optionally add a coating of clear plastic spray.

Step 6: Do Pest Control

Your butterfly is now on display and you need to maintain its beauty to make all that work worth it. Pest control will prevent other insects from destroying it if you store it in the dark. You can do this with mothballs, paradichlorobenzene crystals (or another pesticide), disinfectant strips, or cedar planks. Note that mothballs will melt the Styrofoam. If you store the butterfly in a container that can hold dust, you can keep the dust off with hairspray.

Now that you know how to store a butterfly in six easy steps, you know how to turn it into a beautiful piece of art in a jar, frame, shadow box, resin, or any other option. Decide which display option is best for you, or experiment with different techniques to keep it. If you follow these steps correctly, your butterfly will definitely stay intact, clean and bright for a long time.

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