When collecting Bombus, I have a problem in keeping them dry.
In summer I find that killing jars sweat inside very quickly.
If the bee gets wet, its fur never looks nice again.
I was using cyanide jars, which usually killed them very fast,
before they had time to get messed up, but I have become too
nervous of cyanide and am trying other chemicals, none of
which work... Lots of people tell me they use ethyl acetate or
n-butyl acetate.  But in my experience, these take FOREVER to
actually kill the poor bees.  You think they're dead, you mount
them, and then later you discover them moving.  UGH.  So next
time you leave them in the jar for the hour or more it seems to
take to make sure they're dead, and they get all wet.
 
What methods have other people used to solve this problem?
Cyanide is out.
Thank you...!
 
Liz Day
 
University of Illinois at Chicago
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