What tools do lepidopterist use?

Answer 1

A lepidopterist is a person who studies butterflies and moths. This person uses tools such as a butterfly net, a jar with chloroform for humanely killing samples, a microscope and a mounting board with pins.

Answer 2

butterfly net

butterfly backpack

insect pins

mounting board

insect killing fluid

insect anesthetizing jar

Answer 3

You don't need many tools to be a lepidopterist. A good quality butterfly net can be bought online from an entomology equipment supplier or made cheaply from muslin or netting using plans widely available on internet sites. You will also need an identification guide to the butterflies and perhaps the moths in your region. These are the only two core pieces of equipment that you need along with the perserverance to learn to identify the vast number of butterfly and moth species that you will encounter (probably in the hundreds). If you are actually planning to capture and display butterflies in cabinets you will need extra kit such as killing jars, mounting boards and pins, antifungal agents, display cases etc. which can be expensive. Some lepidopterists (myself included) do not agree with killing butterflies and moths purely for collecting purposes though. Many will only retain a specimen when it is needed to confirm a record or for scientific research etc. If you are interested in moths you might like to consider some extra kit. This may include a light trap which is used to attract moths at night and perhaps even a generator to run the trap in remote places. These can be quite expensive, but many beginners make their own traps or avoid using light traps altogether. On lepidopterist web sites you will find instruction to make wine ropes and other moth attractant mixtures that can be painted onto trees. These can consist of mixes of syrup, wine, beer and rotting fruit etc. Studying butterflies and moths can be a hobby that costs only a few pounds or thousands. You don't need many tools to be a lepidopterist. A good quality butterfly net can be bought online from an entomology equipment supplier or made cheaply from muslin or netting using plans widely available on internet sites. You will also need an identification guide to the butterflies and perhaps the moths in your region. These are the only two core pieces of equipment that you need along with the perserverance to learn to identify the vast number of butterfly and moth species that you will encounter (probably in the hundreds). If you are actually planning to capture and display butterflies in cabinets you will need extra kit such as killing jars, mounting boards and pins, antifungal agents, display cases etc. which can be expensive. Some lepidopterists (myself included) do not agree with killing butterflies and moths purely for collecting purposes though. Many will only retain a specimen when it is needed to confirm a record or for scientific research etc. If you are interested in moths you might like to consider some extra kit. This may include a light trap which is used to attract moths at night and perhaps even a generator to run the trap in remote places. These can be quite expensive, but many beginners make their own traps or avoid using light traps altogether. On lepidopterist web sites you will find instruction to make wine ropes and other moth attractant mixtures that can be painted onto trees. These can consist of mixes of syrup, wine, beer and rotting fruit etc. Studying butterflies and moths can be a hobby that costs only a few pounds or thousands.