Preserving with Hand Sanitizer

This video demonstrates how to take insect and other invertebrate specimens and have them float (like magic) in a vial or cuvette filled with ordinary hand sanitizer. This allows you and the public (kids!) to manhandle the specimens without worry. The cuvettes are especially nice since they are plastic, square, optically clear, and can be looked at under the microscope.

Note that depending on the container sometimes the plastic/acrylic will crack becuase of reactions with the alcohol and superglue. Glass vials don't have that problem, but don't look as good.

NEW...we are now taking hi res pictures of specimens in cuvettes...check out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml...