Mounting a butterfly on a board is a delicate process and you need to make sure that you handle the wings extremely carefully. This is because the wings are extremely delicate. Not only is there a chance of the wings getting torn, touching them slightly also erodes some of the color that it has.

To be able to mount the butterfly you will need to spread the wings of the butterfly on a spreading board. These are generally made of soft material called Styrofoam. It is a good idea to cut a grove in the middle of the board so that the abdomen of the butterfly can rest in the place. Pin the butterfly through the thorax and push the in right through. The grove helps in ensuring that the wings can lay flat on the board; something that you need to do to ensure that they spread well.

You should start with one side of the body and take one wing at a time. Cut strips of paper and ensure that they are about an eighth of an inch in width. The length of the strip should be large enough to cover the wing and appear on the sides of the board. The wings themselves need to be handled only with forceps. Using the tip of the forceps you need to hold the wing at the place where the longest vein appears. Ensure that the wing is at right angles to the body of the butterfly. The hind wings also need to be pulled up in order to align with the forewing. Secure the wings with the strips of paper that has been prepared and put the pins through the paper and the board. Make sure that the wings themselves are never pierced. The specimen needs to remain like this for about a week, after which it will stay in place.