ethanol, methylated spirits or formal-
dehyde.
3.
Skin the head, take out the eyes and
cut off any bulky chunks of meat. Ar-
range the skull or skeleton into the de-
sired pose or position (e.g. open jaws,
etc.) using pins if necessary. Skeletons
are best placed onto a polyethylene or
cork platform and
secured with pins. Polystyrene will do
the job too, but the beetles tend to bury
into it!
4.
4.
Allow the specimen to dry; do this
outside, and keep the flies away. It does-
n’t have to be completely dry, but be
aware that the beetles and their larvae
will not eat fresh meat. Then watch the
insects go to work and remove the speci-
men when the bones are clean and
white.
5.
Use Aquadhere glue to solidify any
joints and then coat the entire specimen
with Aquadhere slightly
diluted with water.
6.
Skeletons should
definitely be mounted on
a solid platform and
covered with a perspex or
glass cover.
5.