Dry your bug using a critical point dryer, for one to three days. The bug must be completely dry before putting it in the SEM, to avoid damaging the SEM.
Mount your bug to a small microscope viewing platform. Place a small piece of electrical tape on the surface of the platform, and place your bug on top so that it adheres.
Place your bug in a gold-coating machine. Coat your bug with a thin layer of gold for 30 seconds.
Vent the chamber of your SEM, and open the chamber doors. Place your mounted bug on the microscope stage, the viewing platform for samples. Close the chamber and, on the computer hooked up to the SEM, click "Pump" to create a vacuum in the chamber.
Switch on the beam when the chamber has reached vacuum. Locate the bug on the microscope stage and focus your image so that you can see the bug clearly.
Acquire your image by taking a snapshot, using SEM software, of your bug on screen. Take multiple images of your bug from different angles.