7. A camel's hair brush will be found useful 

 when handling minute specimens. 



8. A few small jars and vials containing 75% 

 alcohol are necessary for preserving many types 

 of insects. 



9. A supply of folded paper triangles, glazed 

 paper or cellophane envelopes should be carried 

 to use when collecting butterflies or large speci- 

 mens that will later be pinned. 



10. A well made forceps with slender points 

 and a length of 4" or 5" will be very useful for 

 handling some of the specimens you will collect. 



Accessory Items. A few additional items 

 are desirable if really serious work is to be 

 done or when the beginner is collecting 

 several orders of insects. 



1. Two extra cyanide killing jars. A small 4- 

 ounce jar for small delicate insects and a large 

 quart jar to be used exclusively for butterflies 

 and moths. 



2. An unbreakable celluloid killing tube with 

 cork. 



3. Sweeping or Beating net. 



4. Metal box with layers of cellucotton for 

 storing insects until they can be relaxed and 

 mounted. 



Where to Look for Insects 



Insects can be found almost "every- 

 where," in fact it is hard to find a place 

 where they cannot be collected. The be- 

 ginning collector will not see as many in- 

 sects as one who is more advanced, but as 

 he progresses he will be able to find them 

 in some stage of their development at all 

 times almost everywhere. He will see them 

 in the grasses of fields and meadows; in 

 woods, under leaves and in the soil of the 

 forest floor; in flowers, in rotten wood, un- 

 der bark; beneath stones or boards, in slow 

 and swift streams or in lakes and ponds 

 and at lights. Insect hunting is one sport 

 from which the collector always returns 

 with game. Definite instructions as to 

 where to collect insects are futile and we 

 can only say "seek and ye shall find." 



Land Collecting 



The Aerial Insect Net. The most essen- 

 tial item of insect collecting equipment is 

 the net. An aerial net should be designed 

 to give the maximum strength, rigidity and 

 durability without sacrificing the light 

 weight so important to the collector. The 

 necessary parts of an insect net (a) are the 

 handle (b), a ferrule (c) for attaching (d) 

 the hook or ring, and a bag (e) hung from 

 the ring. See Fig. 3. 



Fig. 3. Parts of an insect net. A. The assem- 

 bled net. B. The handle. C. The ferrule. 

 D. The ring. E. The bag. 



Flowers, herbs, and boughs should be 

 swept with a sidewise motion, giving the 

 net a half turn on the back stroke so that 

 the vegetation always passes across the face 

 of the open bag (See Fig 4). This will get 

 more insects than an upward or downward 

 sweep and at the same time will do less 

 damage to the plant. If care is taken the 

 same patch" of flowers or plants may be 

 visited several times. 



Do not chase insects on the wing as they 

 will become alarmed and not return. If a 

 flower visiting kind is disturbed and flies 

 away, wait patiently with net ready for a 

 few minutes and it will likely return. 

 Sweeping can be done with the ordinary 

 aerial net but it is better to use a more 

 sturdily constructed one having a scrim 

 bag with a canvas top. A very useful net 

 for sweeping is shown in Fig. 5. 



The Sweeping Net. Sweeping is by far 

 the most productive method of collecting 

 insects as far as numbers are , concerned. 

 By sweeping the net over vegetation (in 

 sweeping the net is used like a broom), 

 especially when the latter is in flower or 

 fruit, one can secure many specimens that 

 can be obtained in no other way. 



When sweeping, only a few strokes 

 should be made before emptying the net 

 as otherwise many specimens will be dam- 

 aged by shaking them about with the de- 

 bris. When one stops swinging the net the 

 end of the bag containing the mass of de- 

 bris should be swung over the outside of 

 the ring (See Fig. 11a), effectively locking 

 the insects in and preventing their escape. 



