Camera
A good camera with a macro lens will be your best bet for taking good photographs. But as long as the photos are clear (and close) enough for proper ID I don’t mind what you use. Some cell phones can be equipped with a macro lens and are able to take very good photos.
An example of an inexpensive macro lens for use with a cell- or smartphone is the Easy Macro Lens (http://www.easy-macro.com/). Even if you have a ‘good’ camera, one of these lenses is handy to have with you for those moments when you spot a great insect – but don’t have your camera with you. I was given one to check out, and it worked quite well, but the elastic doesn’t last very long. Mine has disintegrated.
Another type of cell phone macro lens is a clip on type. I recently purchased an inexpensive one at Princess Auto. It did not clip to my phone properly, but if it ‘fits’ it should work as well. Example of one similar to the one I purchased:
https://www.amazon.ca/Universal-Camera-Motorola-Microfiber-Carrying/dp/B00CSJ50HY
Container
Any clean container can be used to collect insects. The emphasis is on ‘clean’. Pill containers are ideal, but make sure there is no powder or dust in them before using them. The powder or dust can coat an insect and then when you go to photograph it, it’s too dirty. Also make sure the containers are dry. If you wash collection jars, have moisture inside, put an insect in it…you could have mould issues and your specimen is useless. Baby food containers are also ideal. Especially for collecting insects in a liquid. They seal up well.
Preservatives
If you are collecting soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars or aphids use isopropyl alcohol (purchased at the drugstore). Isopropyl alcohol isn’t ideal for long-term storage since the specimens will eventually dry out and become too brittle for examination, but will do for the purposes of this collection. For longer-term storage (indefinitely, as long as specimens are not permitted to dry out) glycerine (also purchased at the drugstore) can be added. The glycerine helps prevent the specimens from becoming overly brittle but it’s use is not mandatory. In a pinch, vodka can be used. I suppose tequila would work too, but I’ve never tried it.
Best bet for our purposes 70-80% isopropyl alcohol
Note: The colours of some insects will fade quickly when insects are stored in alcohol. This is normal. Try as photograph them as soon as possible.
Note: Spiders, mites, millipedes, centipedes, etc. are also best stored in alcohol.
Freezer
Insects are readily frozen. If you go out and collect, put your specimens in clean dry jars and then bring them home and put them in the freezer. When you are ready to photograph you can take them out, let them defrost a bit and pose them a little if necessary for the photos. You can really only do this effectively once. They do not refreeze well.
Magnification
Some more advanced keying – or even identifying basic characteristics on some very small specimens – may require magnification. If you have access to a dissecting scope, that would be very useful. Otherwise there are various small field ‘scopes’ and lenses available to use that should suffice.
Killing Jar
There are various versions of killing jars. The simplest and most convenient of the traditional killing jar versions is a wide-mouthed jar, with a layer of porous Plaster of Paris in the bottom, that a chemical killing agent has been added to. Nail polish remover (acetone) is effective and easy to use. The insect is placed in the killing jar and left there until it dies from the fumes. Alcohol can also be used, but is less effective.
In the above Figure, a piece of sturdy, perforated cardboard, has been placed over cotton batting. While this is easier than finding Plaster of Paris – it is actually a bit less convenient to use. If you use cotton batting it has to be separate from the insect to prevent the specimen from getting tangled in it.