A New Parting Agent for Preparation of Inflated Larvae

Extract

In an article on inflating insect larvae, the writer (1957) prescribed the use of glycerine to prevent the larval skin from sticking to the glass inflating tube. Vaseline and glycerine were formerly used for this purpose but they have not been satisfactory. The Technical Information Service of the National Research Council of Canada was consulted about better parting agents and through their aid an entirely satisfactory substance was obtained. The compound is of the silicone type; it has the consistency of petroleum jelly, is heat stable, and has greatly improved the efficiency of larval inflation at the Vernon laboratory. The commercial name of this compound is “Slipicone” made by Dow Corning Silicones Ltd., Tippet Rd., Downsview, Toronto, Ontario.