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Last week I pinned about twenty flies, mostly calyptrata, from 70% alcohol. Not really having any idea, I laid them on absorbant paper, then pinned them and unstuck the wings. Ten minutes later they looked great and dusting was fine to observe. Three days later they looked awful, the eyes, abdomens and other parts contricted or caved in.

Can this be avoided? It doesn't happen to the Hymenoptera, presumably their integument is thicker??

I looked in Jorges very long thread on pinning, and then did a forum search on 'pinning from alcohol' this netted me 5883 hits, so i thought this might be easier.

Thanks for whatever comments you make,

Gordon