Dear Nathalia, in my work on Scythris wings I had to cope with the same problem. You can try if my solution could be applied to the wings of you. I put them in a water solution of KOH 2% (hot but not boiling) for a couple of minutes, them washed the wings in water. When you put them in alcool, the scales would be easily removed. I use a curved micropin. Besides, I mounted the wings on slides but didn't have to dye them. Hope my hints could suit you, Angela Roggero
morphmet wrote: > Thank you all for your messages. Great help! > So far I've been taking the scales off with alcohol > (or just in "dry") and a small soft painting brush. > After that I dye the wings. But they are very delicate > and small (about 1cm long), and sometimes I miss the > borders. I also tried decolorating the scales, but it > fragilizes too much the wings. > It will be really helpfull to know any alternative to > this process! > best regards > Nathalia > > > > > __________________________________ > Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 > http://mail.yahoo.com > -- Dott. Angela Roggero Dpt. Biologia Animale Via Accademia Albertina 13 I-10123 Torino - ITALY Phone +39 011 670 4536 Fax +39 011 236 4536 http://www.dba.unito.it/pers/roggero.html -- Replies will be sent to the list. For more information visit http://www.morphometrics.org
