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Hw do you control the atmosphere using the acetone? Not the most pleasant thing to be inhaling for longer times at an end.

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1. I use small containers with only enough acetone to cover the flies
2. As I don't pin the flies before putting in acetone I can get 10 flies in a very small amount
3. Keep lids on except when transferring flies
4. Hold my breath as far as possible whilst transferring flies

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Some photos.

EDIT Paul Beuk: screenshot from ealier attached pdf added.

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Can someone tell me why my photo attachments appear only as the file name, and don't open on the thread?

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pdf files are not really images and they are treated differently depending on the browser. The forum don't even try to format them as images, which is only sensible. Can't really tell why the first one failed since I cannot see the input you send.

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Thanks Paul and Kahis

I'll try another reduced to 50% size. If this does not work I will try other formats

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I have converted them to JPEG and reduced the size. If you don't succeed at first, try again!!

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Success at last!

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I would recommend not to use acetone, and in its place use hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) http://www.phorid.net/phoridae/dry.htm
Specimens after HMDS not as fragile as acetone after applying

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... and where can I buy HMDS for 5?/l?

Also, I understand rhat HMDS is significantly more dangerous than acetone. For me, 'acetonised' flies are good enough, unless there are large differences in the long-term preservation between the methods.

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Now that I found a company that sells micro tubes in Sweden I need some 70% alcohol, but where do one find that? I know there are different laws and rules for selling this so maybe it's no good asking ... I have asked at the pharmacy (drugstore) and they have it, but you need a prescription from a doctor to buy it

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Come to Poland please
you can buy absolut without prescription
Andrzej

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From Estonia

Or you could contact a natural history museum and ask if they could donate a small amount for insect storage.

Using the various methylated spirits sold for alcohol stoves (T-sprit/T-r?d in swedish) is not recommended, but if you can not find anything else, go for it. Just dilute it with water to 70% before using. Try to find a brand with little/to colouring in it.

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When diluting the alcohol with water, it is best to use distilled water. It doesn't have to be pefectly distilled: water out of a dehumidifier or the ice that builds up in a freezer will do. But tapwater often gives a precipitate when mixed with alcohol, calcareous I guess.

John

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Thanks for the suggestions. Destilled water (for car batteries) I guess one can buy at the regular petrol filling station.

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Hi together,

sorry for necroing this thread.

jorgemotalmeida wrote: ..."NEVER use formaldehyde because it alters the structures of the specimens"...

Some Dipterists working with e.g. sciarids recommend the use of 1% formaldehyd-solution, because it saves structures by immediatly hardening the objects. This seems to be a contradiction.

At present I use this fluid in Malaise trap and everything looks quite good. The only disadvantage seems to be that everything gets very stiff.

What do you think about this?

Regards
Ralph

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crex, here in Portugal for 5 euros we can buy easily in supermarket, a bunch of them!!! I have 20 bottles of ethanol 70% in my house. lol

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Kahis, is it necessary really to mix distilled water with ehtanol 70%? I used to use only ethanol 70% for my specimens.

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Maybe in infinitesimal quantities it doesn't harm the specimens. But if you only use Formaldehyde it is sure that it will damage the structures of the specimens.

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Hi Jorge,

sorry, I must dig deeper. What exactly happens with what structures? I?m sure, that there is no problem with sciarids, but I also want to avoid serious damages at other diptera-groups.

My procedure is as follows:

>1% formaldehyd-solution in Malaise-trap for one week, additional some drops of "Mirasol", a surfactant from my darkroom.

>sieving through a tea strainer, careful rinsing with aqua demin.

>transfer in 70% Ethanol for long time storage

How would you do this with Malaise trap? Alcohol problematically evaporates (and accumulates water) during one week. What should I use better? ethyleneglycol?