I found this dead cockroach in the middle of the street in Amsterdam a while back. Cockroaches aren't really common here (I've seen a few in New York but apart from that only kept in captivity) so I was very surprised! I poked it around a bit to make sure it was really dead, and put it in one of the tins I had in my bag. I managed to do some research on the bus on my way back, and read that in order to preserve insects, you need to put them in a plastic bag with a cotton drenched in acetone, for a week or two.
Well. They lied.
The cockroach looked okay for about a week, but then it got moldy white. I was so dissapointed! In order to try and save it, and figuring it couldn't get any worse, I filled a weck jar with ethanol and put it in there. Two seconds and WHOOP! There it was, as good as new. I'm keeping it in the ethanol jar now, but I'm not sure it will stand the test of time. Any of you have any ideas?
Isn't he gorgeous? I love his hairy legs!
Also, I'm doing another taxidermy experiment this weekend! I'm going to try to skin a mouse. I've read a lot about it and learned a lot by watching this guy skin a squirrel so I'm just going to try and see what happens! I'm a bit nervous though.
♥ Anne
