The Department of Entomology at the University of Kentucky is always glad to help with identification of insects and their relatives. In this day and age, we most often receive our samples as images attached to emails, texts, Tweets, or Facebook messages, and we are almost always able to provide an ID from these types of samples.
In some cases, though, the mystery pest may be too small for a phone to get a good image or there could be other extenuating circumstances that require an insect to be sent through the mail. This guide will hopefully help you to package your specimen in a way that is secure for shipment, safe for postal carriers, and helpful to us upon receipt of the critter. You can also refer to Preparation of Insect Specimens for Identification (ENTFact-001) for more information.
The Basics
For shipping insects, arachnids, etc. there are some important basics.
- While it may seem like a joke, please don't ship live insects. They either expire in transit and then we receive their rotting corpse upon arrival, or we open a container, and a live bug tries to escape or take out its frustrations on us. Simply freezing the insect before shipment is an expedient way to facilitate the process.
- Once insects and their relatives are dead, they tend to be relatively fragile. Placing the insect into a paper envelope with no protection usually leads to them being crushed by mail sorting machines. We then receive a powdered beetle or moth when we open the envelope.
- While most insects have hardened exoskeletons that can help to retain their shape and color, some are "soft-bodied" which means they tend to shrivel and rot if not stored in liquids. Some examples of specimens in this category would include caterpillars, aphids, and even spiders.
Supplies
To combat these issues, you can use this list of materials:
- One hard plastic container (for example pill bottles with identifying info removed, small plastic travel jars, etc.)
- A padded envelope
- Two Ziploc bags
- Occasionally, white vinegar
The hard plastic container will protect the specimen during shipment. For most specimens, after you have killed the insect, you can place it inside of the container and then place the container inside of the padded envelope. This will further protect the specimen and the container it is in. That increases the chances of us being able to quickly and easily tell you what you have caught.
Freshly dead specimens will rot and or putrefy quickly, so shipping it through the mail will need to involve a preserving liquid. In the past, many people have used alcohol to preserve specimens for shipment. Shipping alcohol through the mail Is not allowed as alcohol is flammable and putting it through the mail puts the postal system at risk. Use white vinegar as a safe and effective (though slightly stinky) alternative.
Packaging Instructions
First, kill your specimen, and then put it into the hard plastic container. Next, pour enough vinegar in to submerge the specimen. You don't need to fill the container to the top. Next, seal the container and then place it inside of a sealable Ziploc bag. Now take the bag with the container and specimen and place it in a second sealable Ziploc bag. Make sure both bags are zipped tight. The double bagging helps to manage possible leaks of vinegar in shipment. We don't want a soggy envelope. Once double bagged, you can place the specimen in a padded envelope, and it is ready for the mail!
Note that the shipping requirements for the Kentucky Tick Surveillance Program and associated pathogen surveillance program are different. This is because the samples are subjected to DNA analysis. For these samples, the ticks are soaked in alcohol and then the alcohol is poured off before shipment. If ticks are being submitted for this program, it is import to carefully follow the guidelines for tick submission, otherwise the tick will not be accepted and processed.
Where to Send Samples
Keep in mind that county Extension agents can assist with insect identifications, and samples can be delivered or mailed to your local Extension office.
Categories: Kentucky, General