Affixing bee wings to microscope slides – (Contributed by Tulay Yilmaz and Gökce Ayan)

Affixing bee wings to microscope slides – (Contributed by Tulay Yilmaz and Gökce Ayan)

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  Entellan® fixative or mounting media
  
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  Slide
  
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  Tweezers
  
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  Brush, or glass rod (the glass rod is easier to clean afterwards)
  
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  Petri dishes with warm water
  
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  Microscope
  
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  Pin
  
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  Desk lamp with an incandescent bulb (not a fluorescent one)
  
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  Something to put the wings on while the wings dry under the light’s heat
  

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  Place the slide on a white piece of paper for easy visibility.
  
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  Put some warm water into the Petri dish.
  
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  Turn on the lamp and leave until it’s hot.
  
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  Take the bee’s wing with the tweezers.
  
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  Place the wing into the warm water; wait for a while to get it as smooth as possible.
  
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  Remove the wing from the water and put it onto the drying surface (be sure the wing stays flat).
  
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  Leave it under the light to dry.
  
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  Remove when dried.
  
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  With that glass rod, drip some Entellan onto the slide and spread it.
  
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  Hold the wing with the tweezers and gently put it onto the surface of the Entellan (be careful about putting it on the right way).
  
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  Don’t use a coverslip!
  
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  Then look at the preparation under the microscope.
  
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  If you see any air bubbles under the wing, press them out with the help of the head of a pin (not with the pointed part of it), and pop them (with the pointed part) once you manage to bring them out from under the wing.
  
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  Now, leave it in a closed box so it's not affected by dirt and dust floating in the air. Entellan is really sticky and readily picks up dust when you leave the preparation in the open air.
  
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  Clean your glass rod immediately (because when Entellan hardens, it gets difficult to clean).
  
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  Preparations can be used when Entellan is dry (usually within an hour).
  

Such preparations are faster and more practical than other slide preparations we have used and the slides keep for a long time. We have found the slides to be usable one or two years later and they may last much longer.

Do your preparation in a well-ventilated area as the solvents in Entellan can give you a headache.

While preparing the wing don’t breathe on the slide and be careful when you talk or laugh, because it can causes the wing to sink into the Entellan or disappear.