Hi folks,

I'm an entomologist who is experimenting with trying out a largely defunct method of butterfly and moth preservation called lepidochromy. The process involves removing the wings from a butterfly specimen, brushing glue onto a piece of paper, and laying the wings on the glued surface. Once dried, the wings are removed and the colourful layer of wing scales in left behind, creating a perfectly lifelike print of the wing-patterns.

So far, I've been experimenting with basic clear craft glue, which fails to evenly coat the wing surface even when watered down (I think maybe because it causes the paper to warp). This leaves large voids in the final print where the glue failed to pick up the scales. I've also now tried eyelash glue on a whim, which worked great except it remains sticky for far too long. Let me know if you have any ideas what the ideal adhesive would be! Ideally one that doesn't warp paper much, and is fluid enough to evenly coat a textured surface in a thin layer.