Recommended Supplies for Collecting & Rearing

This page is organized to first provide a general list of supplies needed for collecting or rearing, and then provides links to recommended websites where these supplies may be found, along with some of my comments and reviews. I will continue to update this list as I receive any feedback or suggestions, or to update my own experiences. Feel free to email me (contact info on the sidebar) if you have positive or negative experiences with any of the sources listed here or if you have other suggestions not included here.

[2022] With the closure of BioQuip on March 11, 2022, many people, including myself, have been wondering where we will source all of our collecting and rearing supplies. BioQuip has been a staple of American Lepidopterists since 1947 and produced many supplies themselves, such as display cases, cabinets and drawers. The sources listed below are what I've found through internet searches and the suggestions of others. 

[2024-03] Ecology Supplies started up after BioQuip closed and has been slowly building up their stock of supplies. I still haven't ordered from them yet, but it's been nearly two years and they're still adding more items to their site, so they seem to be doing well. Be sure to get on their monthly email newsletter to keep up to date on their offerings and what will be coming soon.

If you want to try making your own drawers, this tutorial by Jeff Smith in California looks extremely helpful: https://www.resourcefulentomology.com/insect-drawers

Collecting and rearing supply list (primary purchase sites listed in italics)

Nets - diameters typically come in 12, 15 (my preference), 18, or 22 inches. Handles are aluminum or wood. Net bags can be white, green or black. Sweep nets (for sweeping through grass and bushes to collect non-lep insects) are made from muslin. Aerial nets (for lepidoptera and other air-borne insects) are made from varying types of fine mesh. - Raising Butterflies, Ecology Supplies

Envelopes and forceps can be purchased from nearly any stamp collecting company. A search for glassine paper will bring up a number of food supply and craft companies where you can find a variety of sizes, usually fairly large, so would need to be cut down to size for paper triangles (an alternative to envelopes preferred by some collectors). - Amos Advantage, Ecology Supplies, etc.

• The universal sizes of glassine envelopes are equivalent to the catalog numbers of BioQuip and Ecology Supplies as follows:
• Glassine Size 1 (1 3/4" x 2 7/8") = BioQuip 1131A = Ecology Supplies Size A
• Glassine Size 2 (2 5/16" x 3 5/8") = BioQuip 1131B = Ecology Supplies Size B
• Glassine Size [n/a] (3 1/2" x 3 1/2") = BioQuip 1131C = Ecology Supplies Size C
• Glassine Size 4-1/2 (3 1/8" x 5 1/16") = BioQuip 1131D = Ecology Supplies Size D

Repair glue - there is a variety of opinions on the use, and what kind, of glue to use for repairing torn wings, broken wings, heads, antennae. Some use clear nail polish (make sure to buy one that is completely clear and not tinted). Some use Elmer's glue, adding a little water to thin it out, however that glue does not dry as quickly and may dry opaque if very much is used. EntoSphinx (linked below) sells a PVA-based repair glue and a fish skin-based "isinglass" glue for attaching tiny specimens to paper points for mounting. A paper reviewing the different types of glue is found here; they didn't approve of nearly all options, and even the "might be okay" options were considered fairly negative (making me wonder what we're supposed to use?). I've been using the BioQuip Repair Adhesive for nearly 20 years without any noticeable problems. I use it very sparingly, applying miniscule amounts with a pin to stabilize tears in butterfly wings or to reattached an antenna. Use a pin to apply tiny dots of glue to repair torn wings or reattach antennae and wings. I use a glass-headed pin, but a size 3 or 5 insect pin would work too. - EntoSphinx, craft stores

Pins - there are four primary types used for preparing and mounting insects:

• Insect pins - these are longer than most sewing pins and have a rounded nylon head. The shank comes in either stainless steel or black enamel-coated steel. There are 10 sizes: 000 (smallest) to 7 (largest). The best quality pins are manufactured in the Czech Republic. Avoid any pins made elsewhere or those sold on Amazon and eBay with no origin listed; they tend to be more rust-prone and the heads often pop off. - EntoSphinx, Ecology Supplies, Pin-It, others
• Minutens - these are the super-thin, half-inch long pins used in double mounting: a micromoth or other small, delicate insect is pinned with the minuten, which is then placed into a small rectangle of foam that is attached to a normal insect pin. - EntoSphinx, Ecology Supplies 
• Glass-headed pins - these are sometimes used for holding down strips of glassine paper on spreading boards during the mounting and drying process. These can be found at any fabric/sewing shop or Amazon. I purchased a few packages of them from Joann's Fabric & Crafts. If ordering online, make sure you pay attention to the size: BioQuip sold 1-3/8" pins, such as Dritz 61 glass head pins, extra fine. "Quilting pins" are typically a bit longer and can get in the way during spreading, and generic sewing pins are only around 1 inch. I prefer the 1-3/8" size.
• Label pins - are short (10mm or 3/8 inch) steel pins used to secure general labels (eg. species name labels) to the foam bottom of unit trays or drawers. They are produced under the Entochrysis and EntoSphinx brands (links below). Alternatively, the same style of pins are also known as "sequin pins" or "lills pins" and can be purchased from craft supply stores, although those are usually only sold as 1/2" (13mm) length, which would stick up a bit more from the 3/8" foam used in unit trays and drawers. - EntoSphinx, Ecology Supplies

Spreading boards - wood or foam boards with variably-sized groove in the center for spreading specimens. - Atelier Jean Paquet, Ecology Supplies

Storage - cabinets and drawers are necessary for long term storage of specimens in a way that makes them easily accessible. Specimens can be stored in wooden boxes ("Schmitt box") as well, but without glass lids, they have to be opened to see what's inside. - Ecology Supplies, Pin-It

Rearing cages - usually made of fine mesh with a zippered opening. These allow good air flow compared to plastic or glass containers, which helps prevent some diseases. - Raising Butterflies, Sagebrush Butterflies

UV lights - used for attracting moths and beetles at night, especially when hung to reflect against a white sheet. - Amazon, Entoquip

Other collecting supplies - plastic or glass vials for tiny insects, chemicals for killing jars (eg. ethyl acetate, used for quickly dispatching moths, sometimes used for butterflies). - Ecology Supplies, Pin-It, others

Supply Companies (listed alphabetically; companies with ** indicate primary sites with the highest or most recommendations)

Amazon and eBay have a number of supply options such as envelopes, forceps, and pins, including Austerlitz (on Amazon) and Entochrysis (eBay) brand pins. However, most options seem to be sold from China-based dropshipping companies, which are often not very reliable. I did purchase one 100 pack of envelopes from eBay as a sample and it was identical to the iHobb envelopes. I also purchased Most insect pins on both sites are off-brands of uncertain quality, but if you specifically search for "Entochrysis insect pins" on eBay you should find several offerings of this brand that BioQuip sold as an alternate to their own name brand pins. They are also available directly from the company here.

• There are many LED UV light options on Amazon. In particular these were recommended to me by Andy Warren, they can be strung together or plugged in separately, very adaptable, they don't get super hot like some lights, and they are good at attracting a number of moths.

*Amos Advantage* - this company is my top choice for envelopes! [March 2024]

• Their envelopes are just a bit smoother/clearer than the envelopes I purchased from iHobb and eBay and appear to be identical to BioQuip envelopes. They offer a discount for orders of 10+ packs per size (unlike Ecology Supplies so far).
• Envelopes are found here. Size 1 (1.75" x 2.875") is priced $5.52 per pack of 100, or $5.06 per pack for 10 or more (1000+ envelopes).
• Note: when I ordered 2000 envelopes (previously only ordered a sample of 100), they came in two boxes labeled JBM Glassine. JBM Packaging is a company that produces a variety of packaging products, including a line of glassine envelopes. They appear to be a wholesaler, and would be worth looking into if you are interested in stocking envelopes to sell.
• They also carry forceps, aka "stamp tongs" ranging from $5.75-$11.95, including spade tip (standard BioQuip style), spoon tip (smooth and flat but rounded instead of spade-shaped), and pointed. Some styles are on backorder currently so I haven't tried them out yet.

Atelier Jean Paquet, Inc. - manufacturer of entomology supplies in Quebec, Canada, since 1998.

Caution: I've heard from a few people who have had bad experiences with the drawers and cabinets arriving with broken glass and sometimes even the joints coming apart. Customer service is not great (possibly a French/English language issue), at least one person was able to get a refund to pay for the broken glass, others wound up repairing things themselves. I have only ordered the foam spreading boards and two Schmitt boxes and had no problems with those, but did have trouble communicating via email when trying to arrange a custom order of plastazoate foam. For example, I was told a sheet of Cornell size foam is $8, but there's no option for that on the website, and the quotes for that or my other custom sizes would have meant I needed to put fractional quantities (eg. 3.5 instead of 3 or 4) for ordering by the square foot, but I was told I had to order through the website and it wasn't clear if the invoice would be modified to the correct price later. It was all rather confusing so I eventually gave up. My assessment: ordering simple supplies like the boards or pins straight from the website seems totally fine, but if you want to order the drawers/cases/cabinets, do so at your own risk.

• Austerlitz brand insect pins, black enamel, all sizes. I've purchased this brand elsewhere in the past, it's one of the best, practically the same as EntoSphinx (linked below), which I prefer simply because they have other pin options so it's more of a one-stop shop.
• Forceps - several types, including spade-tipped for $6.75 CAD. Also has a dissecting kit.
• Spreading boards - wood and foam.
• Wood boards look like standard style/construction.
• The foam boards are the only ones I've ever seen that have an angled surface like wooden boards. They are made of the same density foam as the BioQuip "blue boards". The photos look like the "blue boards" but what I received is a darker gray color.
• I purchased multiples of each size [Jan 2024]. They were packaged well. I haven't used them yet, but am looking forward to finally having angled boards (I've tried several times to get used to wooden spreading boards to no avail, so have been stuck with flat-topped foam boards). They are a bit thicker than the BioQuip blue boards, so I don't think I'll need to glue a sheet of foam under them to allow for the length of the pin like I did with the blue boards.
• Plastazoate - this is sold by the square foot ($3.75 CAD per 12"x12" square) (see caution note above).
• Drawers - available in Cornell, Cal Academy and USNM sizes (see caution note above).
• Cabinets - mostly sells open-faced cabinets in white (like BioQuip's), maple, and dark brown (see caution note above).
• Schmitt boxes - I purchased two of these, they are well made, tight-fitting boxes with plastazoate foam. The description says "varnished pine wood, oak wood cover" but the ones I received appear to be unvarnished pine, no oak. Hard to beat the price of $30 CAD though, if you need a simple storage box with a tight lid.
• Assorted glass-top display cases and double-sided glass frames (see caution note above).
• Nets - simple style with wood handle, and a collapsible version.
• Ethyl acetate
• Plant press

BugsDirect is a UK company that ships insect specimens to the US and also sells EntoSphinx brand black insect pins in size #2 only.

BugDorm - this is the producer of some of BioQuip's cages. BioQuip was their only distributor in the US. You can purchase BugDorm products directly from their website or from other distributers such as Solida in Canada, NHBS in the UK, and Roppon-Ashi in Japan.

BugHouse in Belgium has the hard-to-find narrow strips of glassine paper I like to use for holding down butterfly wings during the spreading process. They used to have multiple sizes but were all out of stock [2022], now only the 10mm-width size is available [2024].

The Butterfly Co. primarily sells dried specimens of butterflies, moths, beetles, and some other insects. They also have a small selection of spreading/mounting supplies.

Coin Supply Express - WARNING: I sampled different sizes of envelopes from this company but the envelopes were NOT what's shown in the images on their website (i.e. similar appearance to the envelopes offered on iHobb and eBay). They were of lower quality, thinner, and very opaque glassine paper, the flap is not pre-folded, the glued seams of the small size are on both sides (instead of the bottom and one side like the image), and many are slightly wrinkled because they're so flimsy. I was not impressed. I thought they might work for backup and attempted to use a few, but they were so flimsy and frustrating that I wound up chucking them in the trash.

*Ecology Supplies* - started as a BioQuip replacement. I have not purchased anything from here yet and have not heard of any reviews from others, but they're growing quickly and it looks promising.

• Envelopes here, or paper triangles here. I have not purchased either option yet. The envelopes look identical to what BioQuip offered, possibly also sourced from JBM Packaging mentioned under Amos Advantage below (my preferred envelope source). However, Ecology Supplies doesn't offer a discount when purchasing 10+ packs, and they are more expensive ($7.55 per 100 of Size A) than Amos Advantage. Perhaps the prices will adjust as they continue to build up the company.
• Featherweight forceps are available for $6.50. These are handy for handling larvae or other delicate insects. I haven't found any other replacements for this style of forceps so it is good to see they've been added to the catalog!
• Swiss forceps in four sizes are also available now.
• Still no spade-tipped style forceps for handling lepidoptera, but hopefully that is coming soon.
• Unit Trays - now available in Cornell, Cal Academy and USNM sizes. If you need custom sizes, email them for a quote and samples.
• Drawers - now available in Cornell, Cal Academy and USNM sizes.
• Note the warning on their pages about different quality types (some styles have looser-fitting lids).
• March 2024 newsletter says the first batch of Cornell museum-grade (airtight lid) drawers is estimated to ship in April, contact them if you want to be added to the list. Sold in 6-packs.
• Cabinets - March 2024 newsletter says coming soon! Cornell and Cal Academy in the open-faced wood style (probably like what BioQuip sold) is in the works, and they plan to add a version with locking door as well. "Email us if you are interested."
• Vials - snap cap (plastic), screw cap (glass), genitalia vials (plastic and glass).
• Archival label paper
• Pinning blocks
• Point punch and pre-cut paper points (EntoSphinx brand)
• Spreading boards - wood and foam.
• Foam boards are same style as BioQuip "blue boards" but different color; they are flat-topped like BioQuip's. If you want slanted boards and don't like wooden spreading boards, try the foam boards by Atelier Jean Paquet (linked below).
• March 2024 newsletter says wood boards are available for pre-order beginning in April.
• Nets - a couple options are currently available, and a variety of options show "coming soon" on the website. Their March 2024 newsletter says Soft Mesh, Fine Mesh, Sweep nets in 12" and 15" are open for orders.
• Pop-up rearing cages.
• Malaise traps - March 2024 newsletter says a limited number are available for pre-order beginning in April.
• Several other items and constantly adding more!

Educational Science sells a variety of nets and some rearing cages.

Entomoravia, another company in the Czech Republic, sells Austerlitz brand insect pins in black and stainless steel, all sizes from 000 to 7.

*EntoSphinx* - one of the top entomological supply companies in the world, based in Czech Republic.

• Produces a variety of insect pins, minuten pins, label pins (10mm), paper strips for spreading and drying Lepidoptera ("pergamine setting strip"), spreading boards and many other items.
• Preparation supplies (pins, spreading boards, insect glue, etc.)
• Storing equipment (cabinets, drawers, display cases)
• Field equipment (nets, traps, killing jars, paper triangles and evelopes ["butterfly bags"])
• Other equipment (cages, forceps, etc.)
• This brand of pins is sold by Ecology Supplies (linked above), or you can order directly from the EntoSphinx website.
• They have a PayPal purchase option. I ordered from them, the process was relatively simple, most of the site is in English until you get to the shipping options, make sure you translate it so you pick the actual "shipping" option and not "local pick up"! I put in my order and selected the PayPal payment option. After the initial confirmation email, I didn't hear anything for over 2 weeks, then I got an email that my order was ready to ship, and a separate email with the PayPal invoice marked due within 1 month. The order shipped within two days and I paid the invoice through PayPal (super easy). Interestingly, the order shipped from the Netherlands. I can't tell the difference between these pins and the BioQuip brand pins, the nylon heads are in good shape (some cheap brands have heads that easily break or slip off), I'm very happy with this brand, and will very likely order from this company again.

Entoquip - a company based in Arizona that started up after BioQuip closed, and comes recommended by another lepidopterist. They have developed their own UV light setup and also sell EntoSphinx brand pins.

Home Science Tools also carries a few student-style nets.

iHobb - a stamp hobby store, cheapest "good" envelopes (compared to eBay/Amazon).

• Envelopes here. Size 1 priced $5.55 per 100, or $4.99/100 if ordering 1000 ($49.95). I purchased a pack of 100, they are comparable to BioQuip and Amos Advantage, but the quality seemed very slightly less than Amos Advantage.
• They sell a limited variety of stamp tongs for $12.99, all currently on backorder as well.

Indigo Instruments - a general science supply company. They sell EntoSphinx brand pins and may be a good source for magnifiers, forceps, and other lab supplies. I have not ordered from them but they were recommended by another lepidopterist. They are based in Ontario, Canada, but US orders ship from New York.

*Pin-It Entomological Supplies* - started by former BioQuip employees Brent Karner and Abel Soto.

• I haven't ordered from them yet but they come highly recommended by a few people. Must email or call to place an order.
• Drawers, display frames
• Insect pins, all sizes in black enamel and steel.
• Cornell size unit trays
• Plastazoate foam sheets cut in standard drawer-size dimensions.

*Raising Butterflies* - Todd Stout's company based in Utah.

• Rearing cages and sleeves (has the best selection I've seen so far).
• Aerial nets - only has 18" diameter size currently, either sold alone (bag only) or as a kit with the handle and ring. The aluminum handles are interchangeable with the BioQuip sectioned handles (12" sections that pop together to allow customizable lengths) and he also sells a 24" section separately. His prices are hard to beat! My nets are 15" so I haven't purchased any of Todd's yet, but I've heard good reviews.

Roppon-Ashi in Japan sells a number of high-quality nets (look under "frames" for net rings and "rods" for handles on the English translation of their website). They also have a variety of other supplies and a large catalog of books. I haven't purchased anything from them, but have heard they're the top supply company in Japan and have a good reputation. Disclaimer: they did buy some of my books to sell a few years ago :)

*Sagebrush Butterflies* - family-run business by Matthew Campbell in Oregon.

• Primarily sells jewelry and livestock (of the butterfly and moth variety!)
• Also sells rearing sleeves and small cages. Use search term "rearing" on the website to find these items.

Worldwide Butterflies - based in the UK

• Sells glassine paper strips for spreading butterflies

Chemicals

I do not use chemicals due to allergies/sensitivities. Some suggestions I've seen for ethyl acetate (commonly used in killing jars) include:

• Alliance Chemical
• Amazon
• Brackin Paint & Supply in Dothan, Alabama - recommended by a helpful reader, see their comment below.
• Fisher Scientific - may also be able to get cyanide from here (another killing jar option).