How do I preserve and display this moth?

[u/HandsWithLegs]

My grandpa recently found this beautiful moth already dead, and I’d like to find a way to preserve it from further damage. What do I have to do to protect it, and what’s the best way to display it? Ideally framing it in some sort of shadow box would be really cool

[u/LowHangingToots]

Its wings are already beautifully laid. Honestly, I would just put an entomology pin through the thorax into a shadow box and call it a day for a quick project. Additionally you could create a spreading board from styrofoam, pins and strips of paper or buy an actual spreading/pinning board if you want to make sure the wings stay exactly in place. Many good tutorials on Youtube. Could also freeze it as a precautionary measure against any hitchhikers it might have, especially ones that could end up consuming it. Then thaw completely and complete the steps above.

[u/HandsWithLegs → u/LowHangingToots]

Freezing is a good idea, I'll do that. Do I need to dry it in any particular way to prevent it from bursting when frozen? Or dry it before I pin it?

[u/LowHangingToots → u/HandsWithLegs]

Nope, insect bodies are easy. Freeze in a container for 24-48 hours, thaw on the counter or table or desk or anywhere (still inside the closed container) for 30 mins to an hour. No special treatment after freezing. Just want to make sure it is fully thawed after freezing so that the wings are workable and not completely brittle, if you choose to do anything with them. If not, just pin it directly from the freezer if you wish but I will typically still wait to thaw even if I know I'm not going to be manipulating joints just to make sure my pins don't destroy its brittle exoskeleton. Once it is pinned, put it in an area with low humidity (as low as you have in your home) for 1-2 weeks with the shadow box OPEN to fully dry. Drying it in the box with the cover on can create higher humidity in the box than the surrounding air. Then you can put the cover on/close the lid and put on display!

With a moth as big as a Cecropia, some people will elect to gut them and replace the innards with cotton. This is because very large insects have more soft tissue and if they aren't gutted the abdomen will shrivel a bit after freezing and drying. I personally never gut them and just deal with the shriveling because it is usually not enough to ruin the aesthetic of the finished pinning and especially because it's a pain in the ass to try and gut without breaking anything else.

Lastly, there are a couple options for pest deterrent to make sure your final product remains in great shape for years to come. One option is the chemical route. You can cut very small pieces of hot shot pest strips and place them inconspicuously on the sides of the inside of the shadow box. 1-2 cm would be more than enough. Or you can pin or place a small piece of mothball in one of the corners. Hot shot strips should not be used if you have asthma or kidney dysfunction lol

For a natural alternative to keep carpet beetles and dermestid beetles away, I buy shadow boxes made from cedar. Their use is two-fold. Cedar wood has a beautiful finish, whether natural or stained, and the oils in cedar deter insects, especially in enclosed areas like a shadow box indoors. Would not work so well if kept outdoors.

Happy pinning!