THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 12( 



CABINET PEST DETERRENT. 

 One of the most worrying things an entomologist has to put up witli 

 is that after carefully making a collection his most valued specimens are 

 nearly eaten away, either with mites or the Dermestes beetle. 



For the benefit of my brother enthusiasts, let me give briefly my 

 personal experience. Last June captures at light were very good and 

 numerous. Many rare insects were taken and set out. The setting- 

 boards were placed on a shelf By the morning the contents of three 

 boards were literally eaten away by large black ants, house flies, and the 

 little black and orange beetle. If my thoughts had been candidly 

 expressed I am afraid my reputation would have been irretrievably lost, 

 so I hunted around for a remedy and was soon successful in finding one. 

 The ingredients are — 



Corrosive Sublimate, 2 dr.j 



Turpentine, ^ oz.; 



Rectified Spirits of Wine, 3)^ ozs. 



These are simply mixed together. 



Directions. — First shake the bottle briskly. Take a small camel's- 

 hair brush and apply a thin streak of this preparation under the body of 

 each insect, taking care not to touch the wings. (Better try the effect on 

 some common moths first.) 



Now comes the test of ten months. The preparation was applied 

 to several Cecropias, while others were placed beside these without being 

 so treated. These were all laid on a shelf. Next morning the bodies of 

 the unprepared moths were mere shells. Ants and beetles were having 

 no end of a feast. Not so with the others. They are there yet and not 

 a sign of a mite, beetle or ant to be seen. 



As regards boxes, cabinets, etc., apply a thin line of the prepara- 

 tion all around the sides, forming, as it were, a cordon. No other 

 chemical is required in the cabinet. 



If specimens are already infected run some gasoline into the boxes 

 and close them up. This will kill the larv?e and mites in a few minutes. 

 Camphor is utterly useless. In re-papering setting-boards or drawers 

 use a little of the solution in the paste. Be careful not to use methylated 

 spirits. A. E. Norris, Montreal. 



