Drug da Bug

No, no, I haven't gone off the deep end. And my brain cells are still functioning quite properly, thank you. I actually do drug bugs - legally, too. Wanna know how?

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Supplies needed: Ethyl Acetate (caution: poisonous chemical), medicine dropper, straight pins, small jar w/ lid, plaster of Paris, Styrofoam square (cardboard works, too)

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Getting Ready First, take a small amount of the plaster of Paris, and add water, stirring until you get a thick, gloopy consistancy. Next, pour a very small amount of the mixture into the bottom of the jar, leaving it to harden completely. When that's done, take some of the Ethyl Acetate in the dropper and put three to four drops into the jar, closing the lid quickly. The chemical will seep into the plaster of Paris and form a gas inside the sealed jar which will kill your bugs, but leave you with completely intact specimens for your collection.

Step 1 Catch your victim (alive). Don't go out and knock its block off with a stick. Catch it carefully, doing it as little bodily harm as you possibly can. It doesn't matter what kind of bug you use. In this case, we used a "Pumpkin" spider for the experiment.

Step 2 Carefully deposit the bug inside the jar, quickly sealing the lid once it's inside to prevent the gas from escaping.

Step 3 Watch and wait. The time it takes for your bug to die may depend on what type of bug you're using. Sometimes the killing can be a very quick procedure, but usually it takes a couple hours. However long it takes, keep an eye on the jar. You'll know when the gas begins taking effect (Ethyl Acetate targets the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys). In our experiment, the "Pumpkin" spider started staggering around the jar and found trouble getting back on it's feet again when it fell over (if you're a Lord of the Rings fan, it would remind you of Shelob blundering around after drinking one orc-blood cocktail too many). When the bug becomes more and more lethargic, and finally stops moving completely, don't take it out just yet. You want to make sure it's totally dead. The bug may just be in a stupor preliminary to death, and fresh air will eventually arouse it, even if looks lifeless.

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Step 4 Remove the bug from the jar carefully (seal the jar again up once your done). Arrange it in some life-like poses, and take some pictures.

Final Step Put the bug in a pose you like, and then pin him to the Styrofoam square. Viola! You have the beginnings of a bug collection!

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Special thanks to Mr. R for his part in getting me started on my bug-collecting. His help is greatly appreciated.

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Persevero,

Scribe