Collembola 263 



References 



For the culture of Thermobia domestica see also p. 260. 

 For the culture of Lepisma saccharina see also p. 260. 

 For the culture of Ctenolcpisma quadriseriata see p. 261. 



Bibliography 



Adams, J. A. 1933. J. N. Y. Ent. Soc. 41:557- 



Brlndley, T. A., and Richardson, C. H. 1931. Iowa State College J. of Sci. 5:211. 



Spencer, G. J. 1930. Canad. Ent. 62:1. 



Sweetman, H. L. 1934. Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc. 29:156. 



Order collembola 



REARING OF COLLEMBOLA 



G. J. Spencer, University of British Columbia 



MANY species may be kept alive and breeding for long periods, 

 in tightly lidded tobacco cans supplied with the humus or leaf 

 mold on which they were collected. Rotting potato is a good medium for 

 some species. I have kept a colony flourishing on this material for over 

 two years. Another good container is a tin covered with a piece of glass, 

 covered in turn with a piece of dark cardboard. This permits examina- 

 tion of the colony without removing the glass. 



Two points are of importance in rearing Collembola: Keep the ma- 

 terial on which they are feeding damp ; secondly, do not uncover them 

 often or let wind currents disturb them and dry out their culture medium. 

 Flat stones placed in the tins will serve for cover. 



REMARKS ON COLLEMBOLA* 



COLLEMBOLA are all extremely sensitive to any lack of humidity 

 in their surroundings. The only way to keep them alive in captivity 

 for any length of time is to put in the vial some source of moisture such 

 as wet, rotten wood or damp filter paper. 



The white or yellow spherical eggs are laid singly or in masses under 

 bark, among dead leaves, and in many other damp situations. Ovi- 

 position apparently takes place only in the dark. Several species lay 

 eggs freely in captivity. Incubation at room temperature takes from 

 10 to 35 days, according to the species. In captivity, Achorutes socialis 

 and some other species lay only in the spring, while A. humi and Neanura 

 muscorum oviposit late in the fall. The eggs of the last named species 

 require 35 days to hatch at an average temperature of 6o° F. This is a 



♦Abstracted from two articles in the Canad. Ent. 51:73, 1919, and 56:99, 1924, by 

 Charles Macnamara, Arnprior, Ontario. 



