Re-using specimen containers

[Dannica]

I was wondering how best to prep (plastic) specimen pots for re-use.
I want to make sure pathogens are killed off, as some of my spider specimens have got this icky white stuff in with them, which is worrying. Someone I spoke to suggested using sterilising tablets.
Thoughts as to yay or nay?
Ta,
Dx

[Jason Green]

Well, I've never washed the same-old plastic pots that I've been using to take insects off easily-accessible leaves for the past couple of years! They even have the odd dot of dried residue in them, and all has proven well so far.

Have you been using the pots for anything specific, or just potting stuff up by hand as well? All I'd use is warm water and washing-up liquid, personally.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Dannica

I was wondering how best to prep (plastic) specimen pots for re-use.
I want to make sure pathogens are killed off, as some of my spider specimens have got this icky white stuff in with them, which is worrying. Someone I spoke to suggested using sterilising tablets.
Thoughts as to yay or nay?
Ta,
Dx

I'm not at all clear how these pot might get pathogens in them (pathogenic to humans, pathogenic to insects?). If there have been pathogens in there, I wouldn't even try to recycle them. If not then, as Jason says, washing up liquid!

[Dannica]

Worried about this white stuff spreading to insect specimens that I want to preserve in the pots. I don't mind if I get it on me; it may be an improvement. These pots aren't the ones I pick up insects in to look at, they're the ones I'm using to preserve specimens.
After what you've said I might just stay with washing up liquid.
Cheers,
D

[Suffolk-Chris]

The plastic should be cleanable in hot water with a detergent followed by a rinse with alcohol and allowed to air dry with the opening facing downwards to minimise 'things' getting in as it dries. However, this is not a guarantee of 100% cleanliness.

If you are wanting to go for long term preservation and contamination is an issue which worries you, would it not be possible to use glass containers which can be sterilized in a pressure cooker along with their respective sealing devices?

As you will know though, no matter how clean the pot is, the majority of spoilage organisms are going to be carried in on the specimen itself unless you have a way of surface sterilizing.

Hope you find a method that works.

[Dannica]

Thanks for the advice, Chris.
I am but a poor struggling student, and by far not rich enough to go for glass containers. I do, however get a few from college now and then when I've been good. I'm hoping to get access to the labs, or better yet a 2nd hand microscope so I can take a good look at things. I'll need to get this by the time I start my dissertation, so if you know anyone...
D

[Jason Green]

I only have an interest in stuff that is generally dry-preserved, IE direct-pinned and micro-staged. Therefor I apologise for my ignorant and over-simplified solution to which I allude in my previous post! It seems there are more considerations to your approach.

As to glass, I picked-up 12x c40mm glass tubes for about £2.50 or thereabouts from Watkins & Doncaster that I use for taking stuff from the 'net. The plastic lids are seemingly air-tight and so I'm sure could be used for holding whatever you wish.

That all said, I'm probably on the wrong page again and this is more unhelpfulness!

[MattPrince]

Originally Posted by Dannica

I was wondering how best to prep (plastic) specimen pots for re-use.
I want to make sure pathogens are killed off, as some of my spider specimens have got this icky white stuff in with them, which is worrying. Someone I spoke to suggested using sterilising tablets.
Thoughts as to yay or nay?
Ta,
Dx

Dannica - are you dry storing spiders? The preferred method for spider storage is in alcohol (as it is for some of the other non insect orders, such as woodlouse, millipedes).

You could also use wet storage for insects - alcohol does tend to make things brittle however - so most entomologists, like Jason above, use dry pinning techniques onto card.

KR,
Matt

[Dannica]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

I only have an interest in stuff that is generally dry-preserved, IE direct-pinned and micro-staged. Therefor I apologise for my ignorant and over-simplified solution to which I allude in my previous post! It seems there are more considerations to your approach.

As to glass, I picked-up 12x c40mm glass tubes for about £2.50 or thereabouts from Watkins & Doncaster that I use for taking stuff from the 'net. The plastic lids are seemingly air-tight and so I'm sure could be used for holding whatever you wish.

That all said, I'm probably on the wrong page again and this is more unhelpfulness!

Jason,
I do try not to collect things, but now and again if I find something that isn't on a 'List' anywhere I'll grab for further study; just for my own personal interest really. These I usually keep as a spirit collection, although I do have some beetles in liquid that I suspect really ought to be pinned. Could they still be dried and pinned do you think?

I'm currently doing a college assignment on Biological Collections, so I'm trying to take in everything anyone has to offer. Plus there's my own interest etc. so all ideas are welcome - we're all learning all the time, so where better to glean info than this great big pool that is WAB

I've heard a lot about W&D and think I'll have to have a good rummage through their website. I had a look through Alana Ecology a while back and found some of their prices daunting to say the least.
D

[Dannica]

Originally Posted by MattPrince

Dannica - are you dry storing spiders? The preferred method for spider storage is in alcohol (as it is for some of the other non insect orders, such as woodlouse, millipedes).

You could also use wet storage for insects - alcohol does tend to make things brittle however - so most entomologists, like Jason above, use dry pinning techniques onto card.

KR,
Matt

Matt,

All the spider and woodlouse specimens I have are in 10% formalin solution - most of these are from past assignments or just my studying and practicing id. I do have some beetles, and really think I should take some time to sort and pin them, although I'm not sure where to keep them as I tend to horde everything everywhere. Specialist ID books (as in specialising in one species and more specific taxonomy) are so expensive! Well, I suppose some aren't too bad, but when you want to get books for everything you've ever seen, there's soon a great big hole where your money used to be.

A problem with the beetle specimens is that I don't have full metadata for them; obviously I have the 'who', but not the when and where, which is a shame.
D