If you want to preserve a butterfly who's wings are closed, should you open them and if so, how?

Answer 1

yes, you cant see their beauty with wings closed. be sure not to loose those powder on their wings. try to open it gently using little twigs.. XD

Answer 2

If the butterfly was recently found, put in a Ziploc-type bag but don't zip.
Place bag w/butterfly inside, in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator, where there is usually 50-75% humidity, or in later models, can be adjusted.
Remove about 5 hours later. Wings should release easily.
At this time, place a piece of waxpaper on top of the butterfly, then a flat piece of glass on top of the waxpaper. Only enough to flatten, not enough to smash it. After the specimen is completely dry, which won't be long, pin immediately, and place in your collection.

Answer 3

Put it in a "relaxing jar". You can buy special relaxing fluid and jars, but you can easily make a suitable jar at home.

Put a slightly damp piece of sponge in a tupperware container and put a small amounf of Lysol on the sponge (small amount is key here. you do NOT want to soak the sponge. 2-4 tsp should be sufficient). Put the insect in the container on top of the sponge and close the container. Leave it overnight (only one night), at which point the insect will be relaxed and can be re-positioned as you see fit. Once the insect is left out of the container away from the lysol it will become brittle again.

Answer 4

You can try rehydrating it. Put it on a plate floating in a bucket of warm water and seal off the top of the bucket, and leave it in there for a few hours. The humidity in there might help you get the wings down slowly.