My first experience with an insect killing jar was a very long
time ago.  We used an ordinary glass preserving jar.  The kind with a
rubber ring and snap down clasp.  Inside went a lump of KCn (Potassium
Cyanide), about the size of a robin's egg.  Over this, a piece of
blotting paper, cut to the exact diameter of the jar.  (Put the paper as
close to the bottom as possible, to leave lots of room for specimens.
Activate by adding a few drops of cold water, and COVER AT ONCE.  Only,
ever, open just long enough to insert the specimen, or to remove same.
This results in a very quick kill, with a specimen flexible enough for
mounting, for quite a few hours.  DO NOT BREATHE GAS FROM JAR.
        This is what was supplied to my brother at age five, I being a
year and a half older was sent along to "Be sure he does not get his nose
over the jar!!"  Needless to say this was a very long time ago.  Today's
parents would have a different attitude to this story.  It is ,
however, true.  An adult scientist could use the material, with modern
safeguards as to poisoning, if it is even legal to have the stuff these
days.  I want to emphasize this is anecdotal, not instructional.  PLEASE
DO NOT PASS THIS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN.
        From the Cradle of Confederation
 
On Tue, 12 Jul 1994, Liz Day wrote:
 
> What is wrong with just plain ethanol?
> I tried to on a bee today and it seemed to work reasonably well,
> even though it was just 70% from the drugstore.
> (For those not current on this discussion, the original questions
> was a request for fast-acting chemicals that would kill quickly
> to prevent Bombus from getting wet and matted inside the jar.)
> Liz Day
>
>
> [log in to unmask]
>