A "spi-pot" is a very useful gizmo for examining or photographing details of insects needed for identification, e.g. if you need to photograph the underside of a specimen which won't conveniently lie on its back. If you Google "spi-pot" the standard instructions for making one involve using clingfilm as a clear window through which the insect is observed. In my experience, this doesn't work very well in the field as the plastic film soon crinkles and marks and has to be replaced after a few uses. I've been using a plastic specimen tube with a foam plunger for a while but these tubes soon accumulate marks which interfere with detailed photos. I haven't been able to find any flat bottomed tubes which are free of moulding marks or writing, and glass would be far better for photography as well as more robust then soft plastic. Today it dawned on me that I could saw the bottom off the tube and tape a 5cm glass petri dish (available online) on the end. A simple hack but coupled with the Olympus TG6 a powerful tool for identification.
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